Device for eliminating abnormal elements in ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) slurry

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of target material preparation, and discloses a device for eliminating abnormal elements in ITO slurry, the device comprises a device main body, an iron removal assembly and a sodium removal assembly, two ends of the device main body are respectively provided with a feed port and a discharge port, the device main body is internally provided with a grinding cavity communicated with the feed port, the grinding cavity is internally provided with a grinding assembly, and the iron removal assembly is connected with the sodium removal assembly. The iron removal assembly and the sodium removal assembly are both arranged in the grinding cavity; or the iron removal assembly and the sodium removal assembly are arranged in the device main body and are positioned between the grinding cavity and the discharge hole. According to the method, iron and sodium elements in the ITO slurry can be eliminated, iron and sodium impurities are removed from the source of the target material, the ITO target material is perfect in crystal structure and excellent in electrical property, the yield of finished products is improved, and the service life of the final target material product is guaranteed. In addition, the ITO slurry is ground while impurities are removed, so that an additional purification process is not needed, the production period is shortened, and the production efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of target material preparation, in particular to a device for eliminating abnormal elements in ITO slurry. Background Art

[0002] In the preparation process of ITO (indium tin oxide) targets, the treatment process of indium tin oxide slurry plays a decisive role in the quality of the final target. However, there are problems of impurities introduced in the key links of dispersion, emulsification and grinding of indium tin oxide slurry that cannot be ignored.

[0003] In the dispersion and stirring stage, the binders, enhancers, and dispersants added to achieve good fluidity and uniformity of the slurry usually contain a large amount of sodium. In the subsequent target sputtering process, the sodium element will migrate to the target surface, change the surface energy, and cause disorder in the adsorption and desorption behavior of the sputtered atoms, making the sputtering rate of the target uneven, thereby affecting the thickness consistency of the film. In addition, the presence of sodium may also react chemically with other components in indium tin oxide to generate some low-melting point compounds. In a high-temperature sputtering environment, these compounds will partially melt and flow, destroying the overall structural integrity of the target and reducing the service life of the target.

[0004] During the emulsification and stirring process, iron elements are inevitably introduced due to the continuous friction and wear between the equipment components. After the iron impurities enter the indium tin oxide powder, when the target material is sputtered, on the one hand, iron will act as a heterogeneous nucleation center, causing the grain size of the thin film formed by the target material during the sputtering deposition process to be uneven, which seriously affects the electrical properties of the film, such as increasing the resistivity and decreasing the carrier mobility; on the other hand, iron itself is easily oxidized, and the iron oxide particles formed will be mixed in the target material, causing the sputtering beam to be unstable during the sputtering process, resulting in defects in the film formation process, reducing the optical transmittance of the film, and failing to meet the stringent requirements of high-end display products for the optical properties of ITO thin films. Summary of the invention

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a device for eliminating abnormal elements in ITO slurry, which effectively eliminates iron and sodium elements in the preparation process of indium tin oxide slurry, improves the quality and sputtering efficiency of ITO target material, and ensures the service life of the target material.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve its technical problem is:

[0007] A device for removing abnormal elements in ITO paste, comprising a device main body, an iron removal component and a sodium removal component. Feed ports and a discharge port are respectively arranged at two ends of the device main body. A grinding cavity communicated with the feed port is arranged inside the device main body. A grinding component is arranged in the grinding cavity. The iron removal component and the sodium removal component are both arranged in the grinding cavity; or the iron removal component and the sodium removal component are arranged in the device main body and located between the grinding cavity and the discharge port.

[0008] Preferably, the inside of the device main body between the grinding cavity and the discharge port is divided into an iron removal bin and a sodium removal bin by a filtering component. The iron removal component is arranged in the iron removal bin, and the sodium removal component is arranged in the sodium removal bin.

[0009] Preferably, the filtering component includes a support disk. A plurality of liquid passing holes are arranged on the support disk. A screen is arranged on one side of the support disk. The aperture of the screen is 60 - 80μm.

[0010] Preferably, the iron removal component is an iron removal resin, and the sodium removal component is a sodium removal resin.

[0011] Preferably, a tailing port is arranged on the device main body corresponding to the discharge port, and the discharge port is located above the tailing port. A discharge pipe is arranged on the discharge port, and a tailing pipe is arranged on the tailing port. Valves are arranged on both the discharge pipe and the tailing pipe.

[0012] Preferably, the iron removal component includes a first filter cylinder arranged inside the grinding cavity. First filter holes are arranged on the outer wall of the first filter cylinder. Iron removal resin is arranged inside the first filter cylinder;

[0013] The sodium removal component includes a second filter cylinder arranged inside the grinding cavity. Second filter holes are arranged on the outer wall of the second filter cylinder. Sodium removal resin is arranged inside the second filter cylinder.

[0014] Preferably, a grinding cylinder is arranged in the grinding cavity. The grinding component is arranged inside the grinding cylinder. The iron removal component and the sodium removal component are sequentially sleeved on the outer wall of the grinding cylinder in a direction away from the grinding cylinder.

[0015] Preferably, the grinding component includes a motor and a transmission shaft. A plurality of grinding blades are arranged on the transmission shaft. The grinding blades are arranged in the grinding cavity. One end of the transmission shaft passes through the device main body to connect the motor.

[0016] Preferably, a feed pipe is arranged on the feed port, and a check valve is arranged on the feed pipe.

[0017] Preferably, a pressure sensor and a temperature sensor are provided on the device main body. The pressure sensor is used to measure the pressure in the grinding chamber, and the temperature sensor is used to measure the temperature in the grinding chamber.

[0018] A device for eliminating abnormal elements in ITO paste according to an embodiment of the present invention, compared with the prior art, has the beneficial effects that: by providing a grinding chamber on the device main body and a grinding assembly in the grinding chamber, the ITO paste can be ground. At the same time, by providing an iron removal assembly and a sodium removal assembly in the grinding chamber; or by providing an iron removal assembly and a sodium removal assembly in the device main body and between the grinding chamber and the discharge port, the iron and sodium elements in the ITO paste during preparation can be eliminated, realizing the removal of iron and sodium impurities from the source of the target, making the crystal structure of the ITO target perfect, the electrical properties excellent, the finished product yield increased, and ensuring the service life of the final target product. In addition, since the ITO paste is ground and the impurities are removed simultaneously, there is no need for additional complex purification processes, shortening the production cycle and improving the production efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 is a schematic structural diagram of the device for eliminating abnormal elements in ITO paste of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 2 is Figure 1 a partial view of

[0021] Wherein: 1-device main body, 11-feed inlet, 12-discharge port, 13-grinding chamber, 14-iron removal bin, 15-sodium removal bin, 16-waste material port, 2-iron removal assembly, 3-sodium removal assembly, 4-grinding assembly, 41-motor, 42-drive shaft, 43-grinding blade, 5-filter assembly, 51-supporting disk, 52-screen, 6-discharge pipe, 7-waste material pipe, 8-valve, 9-feed pipe, 10-pressure sensor, 20-temperature sensor, 30-check valve, 40-sealed bin door. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0022] The following combines the drawings and embodiments to further describe in detail the specific embodiments of the present invention. The following embodiments are used to illustrate the present invention, but are not used to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0023] Such as Figure 1-2As shown in the figure, a device for removing abnormal elements in ITO paste according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a device main body 1, an iron removal component 2 and a sodium removal component 3. Feed ports 11 and a discharge port 12 are respectively provided at both ends of the device main body 1. A grinding cavity 13 communicating with the feed port is provided inside the device main body 1. A grinding component 4 is provided in the grinding cavity 13. The iron removal component 2 and the sodium removal component 3 are both arranged in the grinding cavity 13; or the iron removal component 2 and the sodium removal component 3 are arranged in the device main body 1 and are located between the grinding cavity 13 and the discharge port 12. That is, the ITO paste to be ground first enters the grinding cavity 13 from the feed port 11 and is ground under the action of the grinding component 4. The ground ITO paste is removed of iron and sodium impurities by the iron removal component 2 and the sodium removal component 3, and finally flows out from the discharge port 12.

[0024] The grinding is carried out by zircon sand grinding. The material of the grinding cavity 13 is made of zircon, which meets the requirements of zircon sand grinding, provides a basic environment for fine grinding and impurity removal inside, and has a certain wear resistance. At the same time, to prevent the zircon sand from flowing back when the pressure in the grinding cavity 13 is too high, a feed pipe 9 is provided on the feed port 11, and a check valve 30 is provided on the feed pipe 9. By utilizing the sensitivity, sealing performance of the check valve 30 when it opens and closes, and the mechanical structure design adapted to the internal pressure of the grinding cavity 13, it is ensured that the zircon sand is effectively prevented from flowing back under high pressure and the unidirectional flow of the material is maintained.

[0025] For the device for removing abnormal elements in ITO paste based on the above different technical features, by providing a grinding cavity 13 on the device main body 1 and a grinding component 4 in the grinding cavity 13, the ITO paste can be ground. At the same time, by providing an iron removal component 2 and a sodium removal component 3 in the grinding cavity 13; or by providing an iron removal component 2 and a sodium removal component 3 in the device main body 1 and located between the grinding cavity 13 and the discharge port 12, the iron and sodium elements in the ITO paste during preparation can be removed, realizing the removal of iron and sodium impurities from the source of the target, making the crystal structure of the ITO target perfect, the electrical properties excellent, the yield of the finished product improved, and ensuring the service life of the final target product. In addition, since the ITO paste is ground and the impurities are removed simultaneously, no additional complex purification process is required, the production cycle is shortened, and the production efficiency is improved.

[0026] In this embodiment, the iron removal component 2 and the sodium removal component 3 can be arranged in different ways, and specifically, the following ways can be adopted:

[0027] Embodiment 1

[0028] As Figure 1-2As shown, the interior of the device body 1 between the grinding chamber 13 and the discharge port 12 is divided into an iron removal chamber 14 and a sodium removal chamber 15 by a filtering assembly 5. The iron removal assembly 2 is an iron removal resin and is arranged in the iron removal chamber 14; the sodium removal assembly 3 is a sodium removal resin and is arranged in the sodium removal chamber 15. When setting, the iron removal assembly 2 can be arranged between the sodium removal assembly 3 and the grinding chamber 13, that is, the iron removal chamber 14 receives the slurry flowing out of the grinding chamber 13, and the iron removal resin selectively captures iron ions to remove the iron impurities mixed in the emulsifying and stirring process, ensuring that the slurry moves towards high purity. The sodium removal chamber 15 serves as the last line of defense, where the sodium removal resin efficiently removes the sodium element introduced by the dispersant, etc. The impurity content of the slurry treated in this way is greatly reduced, meeting the purity standard of the raw material for high-end ITO targets. The iron removal resin and the sodium removal resin are both existing materials and will not be elaborated here.

[0029] In this embodiment, the filtering assembly 5 includes a support disk 51, and a plurality of liquid passing holes are provided on the support disk 51 to allow the slurry to pass through. A screen 52 is provided on one side of the support disk 51 for accurately intercepting the resin, that is, the screen 52 should not only ensure the smooth flow of the slurry but also accurately intercept the resin, so the pore size of the screen 52 is crucial. Preferably, the pore size of the screen 52 is 60 - 80 μm, such as 61 μm, 62 μm, 63 μm, 64 μm, 65 μm, 66 μm, 67 μm, 68 μm, 69 μm, 70 μm, 71 μm, 72 μm, 73 μm, 74 μm, 75 μm, 76 μm, 77 μm, 78 μm, 79 μm, etc., and 74 μm is preferred.

[0030] Based on the above setting method, a tailing port 16 is provided on the device body 1 corresponding to the discharge port 12, and the discharge port 12 is located above the tailing port 16. A discharge pipe 6 is provided on the discharge port 12, and a tailing pipe 7 is provided on the tailing port 16. Valves 8 are provided on both the discharge pipe 6 and the tailing pipe 7, and the valves 8 are preferably solenoid valves to achieve intelligent control. During normal discharging, it flows out through the discharge pipe 6, and the final tailing flows out through the tailing pipe 7. At the same time, a sealed hatch 40 is provided between the discharge pipe 6 and the tailing pipe 7 at the end of the device body 1. The sealed hatch 40 is closed during normal operation to ensure airtightness. When it is necessary to clean the interior of the device body 1 or replace the resin, the sealed hatch 40 can be opened to facilitate replacement and cleaning.

[0031] In this embodiment, the grinding assembly 4 includes a motor 41 and a transmission shaft 42. A plurality of grinding blades 43 are provided on the transmission shaft 42. The grinding blades 43 are arranged in the grinding chamber 13. One end of the transmission shaft 42 passes through the device main body 1 to connect to the motor 41. The motor 41 drives the transmission shaft 42 to rotate, and the transmission shaft 42 drives the grinding blades 43 to perform grinding.

[0032] In this embodiment, a pressure sensor 10 and a temperature sensor 20 are provided on the device main body 1. The pressure sensor 10 is used to measure the pressure in the grinding chamber 13, and the temperature sensor 20 is used to measure the temperature in the grinding chamber 13. For the pressure sensor 10 and the temperature sensor 20, their types need to be adapted to the grinding working conditions, and the measurement accuracy and response speed should meet the requirements of real-time monitoring. Moreover, the overall technical implementation such as the installation position, sealing method of the sensors in the grinding chamber 13, and the connection communication protocol with the control system is to ensure the stable operation of the equipment and prevent failures.

[0033] In addition, a non-contact infrared thermometer and an external strain gauge can be used to measure the pressure, and the data is transmitted wirelessly, avoiding drilling holes in the grinding chamber for installation and reducing the sealing risk of the equipment. However, problems such as signal interference and calibration need to be solved. The grinding pressure and temperature can be indirectly calculated by using an intelligent algorithm combined with parameters such as the motor current and power, without the need for additional sensors. At the same time, a solenoid valve can also be used to replace the mechanical check valve 30, and the electromagnetic switch is triggered by the signal of the pressure sensor 10 to achieve more accurate and rapid control.

[0034] Embodiment 2

[0035] The iron removal assembly 2 includes a first filter cylinder arranged inside the grinding chamber 13. The outer wall of the first filter cylinder is provided with first filter holes, and iron removal resin is provided inside the first filter cylinder. The sodium removal assembly 3 includes a second filter cylinder arranged inside the grinding chamber. The outer wall of the second filter cylinder is provided with second filter holes, and sodium removal resin is provided inside the second filter cylinder. The principle of impurity removal is the same as above, except that both the iron removal assembly 2 and the sodium removal assembly 3 are arranged inside the grinding chamber 13. The aperture of the first filter holes and the second filter holes is 60 - 80 μm.

[0036] Embodiment 3

[0037] A grinding cylinder is provided in the grinding chamber 13. The grinding assembly 4 is arranged in the grinding cylinder. An iron removal assembly 2 and a sodium removal assembly 3 are sequentially sleeved on the outer wall of the grinding cylinder in a direction away from the grinding cylinder. It can be designed into a concentric ring partition, with the center being the grinding area, and the iron removal and sodium removal annular zones are arranged outward in sequence. The centrifugal force is utilized to assist the slurry flow for impurity removal. Both the iron removal assembly 2 and the sodium removal assembly 3 can adopt a circular ring structure. Corresponding resins are arranged inside the circular ring structure. The circular ring structure is made of a filter screen, and the aperture of the filter screen is 60 - 80 μm.

[0038] That is, the differences between the second and third embodiments and the first embodiment lie in the different arrangement methods of the iron removal assembly 2 and the sodium removal assembly 3. However, the final effects are the same, and they all have the following effects:

[0039] 1. Significantly improve product quality: Remove iron and sodium impurities from the source, making the crystal structure of the ITO target perfect and the electrical properties excellent, and the yield of the finished product is increased by more than 99%.

[0040] 2. Improve production efficiency: Remove impurities while grinding, without additional complex purification processes, shortening the production cycle and reducing the time cost.

[0041] 3. Reduce costs: Reduce the waste of the target caused by impurities, save raw materials; and the equipment has complete protection, reducing the maintenance frequency, and the comprehensive cost is significantly reduced.

[0042] 4. Enhance process stability: Intelligent monitoring and check valves ensure that the grinding is always in the best working condition, laying a foundation for the preparation of large-scale and high-quality ITO targets.

[0043] At the same time, through actual experimental verification, the impurity content of the final slurry is significantly reduced. For the target made of the slurry after impurity removal, a sputtering film-forming experiment is carried out, and the film thickness uniformity is good, and the electrical and optical properties are excellent; it is used for the preparation of micro-nano devices in cutting-edge scientific research projects, and the sputtering performance is excellent.

[0044] The above is only the preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those of ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the technical principle of the present invention, several improvements and replacements can be made, and these improvements and replacements should also be regarded as the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for eliminating abnormal elements in ITO paste, characterized in that, It includes a device main body, an iron removal component and a sodium removal component. Feed inlets and a discharge outlet are respectively arranged at two ends of the device main body. A grinding cavity communicated with the feed inlet is arranged inside the device main body. A grinding component is arranged in the grinding cavity. The iron removal component and the sodium removal component are both arranged in the grinding cavity; or the iron removal component and the sodium removal component are arranged in the device main body and located between the grinding cavity and the discharge outlet.

2. The device for eliminating abnormal elements in ITO paste as described in claim 1, wherein: The inside of the device main body between the grinding cavity and the discharge outlet is divided into an iron removal bin and a sodium removal bin by a filtering component. The iron removal component is arranged in the iron removal bin, and the sodium removal component is arranged in the sodium removal bin.

3. The device for eliminating abnormal elements in ITO paste according to claim 2, characterized in that: The filtering component includes a support disk. A plurality of liquid passing holes are arranged on the support disk. A screen is arranged on one side of the support disk. The aperture of the screen is 60 - 80 μm.

4. The device for eliminating abnormal elements in ITO paste according to claim 2, characterized in that: The iron removal component is iron removal resin, and the sodium removal component is sodium removal resin.

5. The device for eliminating abnormal elements in ITO paste according to claim 2, wherein: A tailing port is arranged on the device main body corresponding to the discharge outlet, and the discharge outlet is located above the tailing port. A discharge pipe is arranged on the discharge outlet, and a tailing pipe is arranged on the tailing port. Valves are arranged on both the discharge pipe and the tailing pipe.

6. The device for eliminating abnormal elements in ITO paste according to claim 1, characterized in that: The iron removal component includes a first filter cylinder arranged inside the grinding cavity. First filter holes are arranged on the outer wall of the first filter cylinder, and iron removal resin is arranged inside the first filter cylinder. The sodium removal component includes a second filter cylinder arranged inside the grinding cavity. Second filter holes are arranged on the outer wall of the second filter cylinder, and sodium removal resin is arranged inside the second filter cylinder.

7. The device for eliminating abnormal elements in ITO paste according to claim 1, characterized in that: A grinding cylinder is arranged in the grinding cavity. The grinding component is arranged inside the grinding cylinder. The iron removal component and the sodium removal component are sequentially sleeved on the outer wall of the grinding cylinder in a direction away from the grinding cylinder.

8. The device for eliminating abnormal elements in ITO paste according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that: The grinding component includes a motor and a transmission shaft. A plurality of grinding blades are arranged on the transmission shaft. The grinding blades are arranged in the grinding cavity. One end of the transmission shaft passes through the device main body to connect the motor.

9. The device for eliminating abnormal elements in ITO paste according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that: A feed pipe is arranged on the feed inlet, and a check valve is arranged on the feed pipe.

10. The device for eliminating abnormal elements in ITO paste according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that: A pressure sensor and a temperature sensor are arranged on the device main body. The pressure sensor is used to measure the pressure in the grinding cavity, and the temperature sensor is used to measure the temperature in the grinding cavity.

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