Low-Melting Metal Particle Dispersion to Prevent Oxidation and Agglomeration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for preparing low melting point metal powders, such as ball milling and atomization, often result in oxidation and agglomeration due to high local temperatures, leading to non-uniform particle sizes and limitations in preparing elemental metals, while chemical replacement methods can only produce alloys.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a sealed container with a vacuum or protective gas, where an organic resin carrier with fluidity is used to disperse low melting point metal materials above their melting point and then cool them below, preventing oxidation and agglomeration, allowing for the preparation of both elemental and alloy metal particles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ball milling or grinding is used to prepare low melting point metal powders, then the metal particles can be produced, but local temperatures become excessively high causing melting and agglomeration, resulting in non-uniform particle sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter by conducting the process below the melting point of the low melting point metal, preventing agglomeration while still enabling particle formation through mechanical activation and chemical replacement reactions at controlled temperatures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces purely mechanical ball milling with a chemical replacement method where a high melting point metal reacts with a salt of the low melting point metal, substituting mechanical energy with chemical energy to avoid excessive local temperatures and agglomeration
2Productivity
If ball milling or atomization is used to prepare low melting point metal powders, then metal particles can be produced, but oxidation occurs due to exposure to air, deteriorating the quality of the metal particles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an inert atmosphere (nitrogen or argon) throughout the entire process, including during the chemical replacement reaction and particle formation, to prevent oxidation of the low melting point metal particles while maintaining productivity
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 effectively produces uniform low melting point metal particles and alloys without oxidation or agglomeration, enabling their use in conductive pastes for various applications, including electronic circuits and thermal management.
Implementation Method 1
making a temperature in the sealed container higher than the melting point of the low melting point metal
Implementation Method 2
providing an organic resin carrier having fluidity
Implementation Method 3
lowering the temperature, after performing the dispersion, to be below the melting point of the low melting point metal
Data Source
AI summary
A method for prepares low melting point metal particles, a conductive paste and a method for preparing the conductive paste, and relates to the technical field of functional materials. The method for preparing low melting point metal particles includes providing an organic resin carrier having fluidity, adding a low melting point metal material and the organic resin carrier into a sealed container for a vacuuming operation or filling a protective gas, making a temperature in the sealed container higher than the melting point of the low melting point metal and performing dispersion by stirring, and lowering the temperature, after performing the dispersion, to be below the melting point of the low melting point metal with continuous stirring during a cooling process to obtain low melting point metal particles dispersed in the organic resin carrier. Low melting point metal particles can be effectively prepared.