I really like the thinned ICD idea....a bit of a results spoiler but it does poorly with great contact due to a high bondline thickness. I'm going to try 99% isopropyl and ICD mixed (what ratio did you use? any more details on how you mixed it?) and maybe release it as a bonus result between rounds (round 1 is nearing completion and is at its max of 7 TIMs, round 2 is slated to have a max of 7 TIMs as well).

I also figure thinning it would make it cheaper--part of the reason it requires such a large bead in application is because it is so thick. By thinning it, not only are you diluting it (such that 1g of paste is no longer 1g of ICD), but you'll probably need to use an even smaller bead because it will spread better. At ~$4/gram and large quantities required per application, it's not exactly an inexpensive paste.

I have figured out how to minimize its polishing characteristics (I remove it with ArctiClean and dabbing rather than wiping it off dry like I did last time), so I'm not as concerned about altering the surface as I was initially.