Conductive Inkjet Ink Composition for Stable High-Melting Metal Dispersion
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Solution Overview
Problem
High melting point metal particles in electroconductive inkjet inks tend to sediment or condense easily, making it difficult to maintain low viscosity and long-term stability, which hampers the ease of ejection and production efficiency in inkjet printing of plasma-durable electronic components.
Innovation Solution
The electroconductive inkjet ink formulation includes inorganic powder with a melting point of 1200°C or higher, a dispersant, an organic solvent, and a poly(vinyl acetal) resin, with specific ratios and particle sizes to prevent condensation and precipitation, ensuring stable ejection and long-term stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If high melting point metal particles are used in electroconductive inkjet ink, then the plasma durability and heat resistance of the electronic component is improved, but the ink viscosity increases and long-term stability deteriorates due to sedimentation and condensation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a specific dispersant as an intermediary substance between the high melting point metal particles and the ink medium. This dispersant prevents sedimentation and condensation of the metal particles, maintaining ink stability without compromising the heat resistance properties of the particles themselves.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes multiple parameters including the particle size distribution of metal particles (bimodal or multimodal distribution), the concentration of dispersant, and the composition of the ink medium. These parameter changes enable the ink to maintain both high heat resistance and long-term stability by preventing aggregation and sedimentation.
2Temperature
If high melting point metal particles are used in electroconductive inkjet ink, then the plasma durability of the electronic component is improved, but the ease of ejection from inkjet device deteriorates due to increased viscosity
Solution Approach 1:
The dispersant acts as a mediator that reduces the interaction between metal particles and the ink medium, preventing particle aggregation that would increase viscosity. This allows the ink to maintain low viscosity for easy ejection while still containing the heat-resistant metal particles needed for plasma durability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a bimodal or multimodal particle size distribution, segmenting the metal particles into different size ranges. This segmentation prevents excessive viscosity by ensuring that smaller particles do not aggregate into large clusters, while still maintaining the overall heat resistance and plasma durability of the ink formulation.
3Reliability
If the concentration of inorganic powder is increased to improve electroconductivity, then the electroconductivity of the printed circuit pattern is improved, but the ink viscosity increases making inkjet printing difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The dispersant serves as a lubricating intermediary between inorganic powder particles, allowing them to move freely past each other in the ink medium. This enables high inorganic powder concentration for good electroconductivity without causing excessive viscosity increase that would prevent inkjet printing.
Solution Approach 2:
By using a bimodal or multimodal particle size distribution, the patent segments the inorganic powder into different size categories. Smaller particles fill the gaps between larger particles, maximizing packing efficiency and electroconductivity while the dispersant prevents aggregation, maintaining ink流动性 for ease of printing.
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 formulation allows for high ease of ejection and long-term stability of the ink, enabling the production of plasma-durable electronic components with improved production efficiency and heat resistance.
Implementation Method 1
a poly(vinyl acetal) resin... the ratio (SI/VD) of the specific surface area (SI) of the inorganic powder with respect to the volume (VD) of the dispersant
Implementation Method 2
a dispersant... the ratio (SI/VD) of the specific surface area (SI) of the inorganic powder with respect to the volume (VD) of the dispersant
Data Source
AI summary
The electroconductive inkjet ink disclosed herein contains at least inorganic powder containing high melting point metal particles, a dispersant, an organic solvent, and a poly(vinyl acetal) resin. In the electroconductive ink, the inorganic powder has an average primary particle diameter of 500 nm or less, a volume ratio of the inorganic powder is 7.5% by volume or lower, the ratio (SI/VD) of the specific surface area of the inorganic powder with respect to the volume of the dispersant is 0.25 or higher and 10 or lower, the poly(vinyl acetal) resin has an average molecular weight of 2.5×104 or larger and 6.4×104 or smaller, and the ratio (WPA/WS) of the weight of the poly(vinyl acetal) resin with respect to the weight of the organic solvent is 0.5% by weight or higher and 3% by weight or lower.