Coated Metal Fine Particles Low-Temperature Sintering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manufacturing nanometer-sized coated metal fine particles face challenges in achieving excellent dispersibility in solvents and favorable conductive properties, particularly when sintered at low temperatures on flexible substrates, due to issues with wettability, reaction rates, and the rigidity of the coating, which limits their application in organic electronics and poorly heat-resistant plastics.
Innovation Solution
A manufacturing method involving a mixture of alkylamines with specific carbon chain lengths and a metal compound, such as silver oxalate, to form a complex compound that is then thermally decomposed, resulting in coated metal fine particles with a coating that can be easily sintered at low temperatures and dispersed in organic solvents.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If existing methods use long-chain alkylamines (e.g., oleylamine) to form coated metal fine particles, then the particles achieve good dispersibility in organic solvents, but the coating becomes too rigid and requires high sintering temperatures (200°C or higher)
Solution Approach 1:
The coating is segmented into a mixed layer of long-chain alkylamines (for dispersibility) and short-chain alkylamines (for low-temperature sintering). This segmentation allows different parts of the coating to fulfill different functions: the long-chain component maintains stability in organic solvents while the short-chain component enables easy removal at low temperatures.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the molecular weight parameter of the alkylamine coating by introducing short-chain alkylamines (≤5 carbon atoms) alongside long-chain alkylamines. This parameter change reduces the overall coating rigidity and lowers the sintering temperature from 200°C to 100°C or lower, while maintaining dispersibility through the long-chain component.
2Reliability
If thermal treatment at 200°C or higher is used to sinter metal fine particles, then conductive films can be formed, but only highly heat-resistant substrates like polyimide can be used, limiting application to organic electronics
Solution Approach 1:
The sintering temperature parameter is changed from 200°C to 100°C or lower through the introduction of short-chain alkylamines in the coating. This parameter change enables the use of poorly heat-resistant substrates like PET and polypropylene, significantly expanding substrate compatibility while maintaining conductive film formation capability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If only long-chain alkylamines are used to coat metal fine particles, then good dispersibility in organic solvents is achieved, but the reaction rate to form the complex compound becomes slow
Solution Approach 1:
The alkylamine system is segmented into short-chain and long-chain components. The short-chain alkylamines react rapidly with metal compounds to form complex compounds, improving reaction rate and productivity. The long-chain alkylamines are then introduced to provide the necessary dispersibility in organic solvents, achieving both fast reaction and good dispersibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The short-chain alkylamines perform the preliminary action of rapidly forming complex compounds with metal particles, which then serve as a base for introducing long-chain alkylamines. This preliminary action accelerates the overall process while the subsequent addition of long-chain alkylamines ensures good dispersibility.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables the efficient production of coated metal fine particles that can be sintered at temperatures as low as 100°C or lower, forming conductive films and wires on poorly heat-resistant substrates like PET and polypropylene, with improved dispersibility and conductivity.
Implementation Method 1
heating and thermally decomposing the complex compound, thereby liberating metal atoms, so that the metal atoms are aggregated, thereby obtaining metal fine particles
Implementation Method 2
the metal atoms are aggregated, thereby obtaining metal fine particles
Implementation Method 3
sintered at a low temperature on a flexible print substrate or the like
Data Source
Figure 1(1)~1(4)
Figure 2(1)~2(3)
Figure 3~4
AI summary
Objects of the invention are to provide a method in which coated metal fine particles are smoothly manufactured when the coated metal fine particles are manufactured using a metal amine complex decomposition method, and, particularly, to provide coated metal fine particles that can be smoothly sintered even at a low temperature. The manufacturing method of coated metal fine particles includes a first step of mixing an amine liquid mixture of an alylamine having 6 or more carbon atoms and an alkylamine having 5 or less carbon atoms with a metal compound including one or more metal atoms, thereby generating a complex compound including the metal compound and amines; and a second step of heating and decomposing the complex compound, thereby generating coated metal fine particles.