Understanding CPU Thermal Paste Heating: Application Process, Heat Sink Use & Drying Time

Hello, I would like to make sure (or find out) whether heating the thermal paste on the CPU consists of:
After applying it to the CPU and then covering it with a heat sink, we normally turn on the device and after a certain number of hours (a different value for each paste), the paste hardens by itself and obtains its final properties. The device does not have to be turned on all the time.
Do I normally apply the heat sink paste and then, for example, heat it with a dryer (it seems less likely to me).
Greetings.

The paste, when used (being on a warm processor), simply obtains its full thermal conductivity after a few or several hours. Some people give methods to use 100% CPU load for a few hours, but just play games. The difference before and after heating up is 2-3 degrees max.

Any special heating does not make sense at all because as a result of normal use of the computer, the paste will achieve its correct thermal conductivity parameters, which, as elemen_th mentioned, do not differ significantly from the properties immediately after applying the paste.

kuferekczasu wrote:

Generally, the question is whether after a long time it will keep the temperature as after application.

Generally, the point is that when the paste heats up, the temperatures are lower and the paste should not dry out because it is not modeling clay.

elemen_th wrote:

cup of time wrote:
Generally it's a question of whether it will hold temperatures like it did after application after a long time.
The general point is that as the paste warms up, the temperatures are lower and the paste is not supposed to dry out because it's not modelling clay.

The annealing time of the paste depends on several factors:
1. the annealing conditions
2. amount of paste used
3. the quality/series/manufacturer/ingredients of the paste

A good paste achieves its nominal performance values after a certain period of time, as specified on the certificate/product card.

There is no strictly defined time (see the beginning of my post) and this is 100% accurately described by the product manufacturer.

To summarise. Warming up a paste is nothing more than giving it certain parameters under the influence of temperature over time.

In conclusion - with good pastes, the temperature values between a freshly applied paste and a heated one will differ only slightly, while after the annealing period, such paste should already be replaced with a fresh one after disassembly, as its viscosity properties change.