Conductive Ink Composition for Ultrafine Patterns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for forming conductive patterns, such as photolithography and screen printing, are costly, environmentally polluting, and limited in creating fine patterns due to high process complexity and the need for multiple steps, and they often require high temperatures or polymer binders that hinder conductivity.
Innovation Solution
A conductive ink composition comprising metal particles, a first solvent with low vapor pressure, a second solvent with higher vapor pressure, and metal carboxylate, suitable for roll printing or reverse offset printing, which allows for the formation of ultrafine patterns with excellent conductivity and adhesion at low temperatures without a polymer binder or release agent.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If photolithography method is used to form conductive patterns, then pattern precision can be improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase due to multiple processes including etching protection layer, selective etching, and stripping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the etching protection layer material and stripping solution from the conventional photolithography process, replacing them with a direct printing method using conductive ink composition. This eliminates the need for multiple complex processes while maintaining pattern precision through the printing technique itself.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical and chemical etching processes with a printing-based deposition method. Instead of using etching protection layers and chemical etchants, the conductive pattern is directly formed by printing the conductive ink composition and subsequent firing, substituting a simpler mechanical printing system for the complex chemical etching system.
2Manufacturing precision
If photolithography method is used, then pattern precision can be improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to etching protection layer material and stripping solution costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for expensive etching protection layer materials and stripping solutions by adopting a direct printing approach. The conductive ink composition serves both as the pattern-forming medium and the conductive material, removing the need for additional material costs associated with photolithography.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent eliminates the need to discard and replace etching protection layer materials and stripping solutions. By using a direct printing method, the conductive ink composition remains on the substrate as the final conductive pattern, eliminating waste generation and associated disposal costs.
3Ease of manufacture
If screen printing method is used to form conductive patterns, then ease of manufacture is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to inability to implement fine patterns of several tens micrometers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the particle size parameter of the conductive particles from several hundreds nanometers to several tens micrometers used in conventional screen printing to finer sizes that enable ultrafine patterns. The conductive ink composition uses metal particles with controlled size distribution that allows direct printing to achieve line widths of several micrometers or less, improving pattern fineness while maintaining printing ease.
4Strength
If conventional conductive ink is used with polymer binder, then adhesion property is improved, but electrical conductivity deteriorates due to insulating nature of polymer binder
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the polymer binder from the conductive ink composition. By eliminating the insulating polymer binder, the conductive particles can directly contact each other to form conductive pathways, significantly improving electrical conductivity while maintaining adhesion through the firing process that bonds metal particles to the substrate.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite material system consisting of metal particles, metal carboxylate, and solvents without polymer binder. The metal carboxylate serves as a flux that facilitates sintering and bonding of metal particles during low-temperature firing, providing adhesion functionality previously performed by polymer binders while maintaining electrical conductivity.
5Reliability
If high temperature firing is used to achieve conductivity, then electrical conductivity is improved, but energy consumption increases and adhesion property may deteriorate due to thermal stress
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the firing temperature parameter from conventional high temperatures to low temperatures of 200°C or less. The metal carboxylate in the conductive ink composition acts as a flux that enables sintering and conductivity formation at low temperatures, reducing energy consumption while achieving the desired electrical conductivity and adhesion properties.
6Strength
If polymer binder is used in conductive ink, then adhesion property is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to inability to form ultrafine patterns
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the polymer binder from the conductive ink composition. Without polymer binder, the ink can be printed with finer resolution to create ultrafine patterns. The adhesion is achieved through direct metal-to-substrate bonding during low-temperature firing, eliminating the limitation on pattern fineness imposed by polymer binder presence.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the polymer binder-based composite with a metal particle and metal carboxylate composite. This composite material system enables both ultrafine pattern formation and adhesion without the limitations of polymer binders, as the metal carboxylate facilitates bonding through chemical reactions during firing rather than through polymer adhesion.
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
The solution enables the creation of fine conductive patterns with excellent conductivity and adhesion to a board, even at low firing temperatures, overcoming the limitations of existing methods by reducing process complexity and environmental impact while achieving high conductivity and pattern precision.
Implementation Method 1
a first solvent having a vapor pressure of 3 torr or less at 25° C.; a second solvent having a vapor pressure of more than 3 torr at 25° C.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a conductive ink composition including metal particles, a first solvent having a vapor pressure of 3 torr or less at 25° C., a second solvent having a vapor pressure of more than 3 torr at 25° C., and metal carboxylate, a printing method using the same, and a conductive pattern manufactured by using the same.