Copper Oxide Powder Composition for Non-Reducing Atmosphere Sintering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Copper powder used in conductive pastes is prone to oxidation, leading to reduced quality and yield of products due to carbon residues from antioxidant pyrolysis, requiring expensive and hazardous atmosphere switching during sintering.
Innovation Solution
A copper oxide-containing powder with controlled pyrolysis residues from pitch, allowing sintering in a non-reducing atmosphere, effectively reducing copper oxide to metal copper without carbon inhibition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If copper powder is surface-treated with antioxidant containing organic substances, then oxidation resistance is improved, but carbon residues are generated during sintering that inhibit copper particle contact and sintering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful carbon residues from antioxidant pyrolysis into beneficial reducing agents. The organic substance in the antioxidant decomposes to form carbon that reduces copper oxide to metallic copper, transforming the harmful carbon inhibition into a useful reduction mechanism that eliminates the need for separate reduction steps
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the antioxidant, specifically selecting organic substances with controlled carbon content and reactivity. By adjusting the molecular weight, functional groups, and decomposition temperature of the organic antioxidant components, the patent optimizes the balance between oxidation protection and controlled carbon formation for in-situ reduction
2Manufacturing precision
If atmosphere switching is implemented to remove carbon residues, then sintering quality is improved, but facility complexity and safety requirements increase due to explosion-proof requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the atmosphere switching step from the sintering process. By designing the antioxidant to provide controlled carbon formation, the patent removes the need for separate oxidation and reduction atmosphere stages, simplifying the facility to a single atmospheric sintering process while maintaining sintering quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service where the carbon residues generated from the antioxidant itself serve as the reducing agent for copper oxide reduction. The system uses its own byproduct (carbon from antioxidant pyrolysis) to achieve the desired reduction, eliminating the need for external reducing atmosphere intervention and complex facility control
3Ease of manufacture
If copper powder is used without antioxidant treatment, then process simplicity is maintained, but oxidation occurs reducing quality and yield
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite antioxidant system combining multiple organic substances with complementary functions. The composite includes high molecular weight components for film formation and protection, and low molecular weight components for controlled decomposition to provide reducing carbon, achieving both protection and reduction in a single material addition
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 copper oxide-containing powder achieves improved antioxidant ability and forms a highly conductive sintered body with reduced electrical resistance, eliminating the need for costly and hazardous atmosphere switching.
Implementation Method 1
when the copper oxide-containing powder is subjected to a heat treatment to 400° C., the copper oxide-containing powder comprises pyrolysis residues derived from pitch
Implementation Method 2
effectively reducing copper oxide to metal copper without carbon inhibition
Data Source
AI summary
A copper oxide-containing powder containing copper (I) oxide, wherein, when the copper oxide-containing powder is subjected to a heat treatment to 400° C., the copper oxide-containing powder comprises pyrolysis residues derived from pitch, in a mass ratio to copper (I) oxide of 0.025 to 0.060%.