Ceramic Capacitor Metal Electrode for Continuous Nickel Networks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for forming metal electrodes in ceramic capacitors face discontinuity issues due to nonuniformity and poor dispersion of barium titanate particles within nickel electrodes, leading to structural defects and reduced reliability.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the mixing of metal powders with a barium titanate organic-precursor, followed by a binder burn-out process to transform the precursor into barium titanate, which is then sintered to create a more continuous electrode structure, along with the optional addition of metal and metal oxide organic-precurser to enhance dispersion and reliability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If barium titanate powders are added into nickel slurry to improve electrode continuity, then electrode discontinuity is reduced, but the particles agglomerate together due to poor dispersion

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrode continuityVSAvoidhomogeneity of particle dispersion
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses an organic precursor as an intermediary substance that facilitates uniform dispersion of barium titanate particles within the nickel slurry. The organic precursor acts as a mediator between the inorganic barium titanate particles and the nickel matrix, preventing direct agglomeration while maintaining homogeneous distribution throughout the electrode structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the chemical state of barium titanate from its conventional powder form to an organic precursor form. This parameter change in the physical and chemical state of the barium titanate allows for significantly improved dispersion characteristics within the nickel slurry, eliminating the agglomeration problem while maintaining the desired electrode continuity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If nickel powders are densified at high temperature to improve electrode strength, then electrode density increases, but barium titanate begins to densify causing compressive stress and electrode shrinkage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrode densityVSAvoidelectrode shrinkage
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary action by converting barium titanate to its organic precursor form before the sintering process. This preliminary chemical transformation allows the barium titanate to be uniformly distributed and integrated into the nickel matrix before high-temperature densification occurs, preventing the development of compressive stress and subsequent shrinkage during the sintering process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a composite material system where barium titanate organic precursor is integrated within the nickel powder matrix. This composite structure allows for coordinated densification behavior during sintering, where the organic precursor decomposes and the barium titanate forms in-situ, maintaining volume stability while achieving the desired density and strength.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Stress or pressure

If nano-barium titanate powders are used to reduce inner stress, then initial shrinking temperature is delayed, but the particles are hard to disperse homogeneously in nickel slurry

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinner stressVSAvoidhomogeneity of particle distribution
Core Design Contradiction:
Stress or pressureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical and physical parameters of barium titanate by converting it to an organic precursor form. This parameter change enables the material to disperse homogeneously in the nickel slurry at room temperature, overcoming the dispersion difficulties of conventional nano-powders while maintaining the stress-reduction benefits through delayed densification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 method significantly improves electrode continuity and reduces shrinkage, resulting in enhanced capacitance stability and increased mean time to failure (MTTF) of ceramic capacitors.

Implementation Method 1

The above binder burn-out process makes the barium titanate-organic precursor transform to barium titanate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhase change: Phase Change

Implementation Method 2

performing a sintering process to the degumming film to obtain the metal electrode

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSintering: Sintering

Data Source

PatentEP4372774A1Metal electrode of ceramic capacitor and method of forming the same
Publication Date: 2024.05.22 YAGEO CORP
  • EP4372774A1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4372774A1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP4372774A1 patent drawingFigure 2B~2C

AI summary

A metal electrode of a ceramic capacitor and a method of forming the same are provided. The method includes mixing metal powders and a barium titanate organic-precursor to obtain precursor powders; adding an adhesive to the precursor powders to obtain a metal slurry; performing a molding process to the metal slurry to obtain a film material; performing a binder burn-out process to the film material to obtain a degumming film; and performing a sintering process to the degumming film to obtain the metal electrode. By mixing specific amount of barium titanate organic-precursor with the metal powders, the barium titanate metallic organic-precursor can be transformed to barium titanate in the following process, and barium titanate can be dispersed between the metals homogeneously. Therefore, electrode continuity can be increased.