Novel silver compositions

Claim 1

Silver conductor compositions useful for forming highly adherent conductive films on ceramic dielectric substrates, said compositions having reduced tendency to stain the surface of the substrate, said compositions comprising finely divided inorganic powder dispersed in an inert liquid vehicle, wherein said inorganic powder comprises, by weight, 1. 75-91% metal powder of Ag and Pd wherein the weight ratio of Ag/Pd is in the range 2/1 to 15/1, and 2. 9-25% inorganic binder of, a. 2-6 parts bismuth-free glass, b. 2-9 parts copper oxide, c. 2-9 parts polynary oxide, and d. 0-6 parts lead oxide said polynary oxide having a pyrochlore-related crystal structure and a formula selected from the class consisting of Pb 2 Ru 2 O 6 and Cu x M 2-x M' 2 O 7-z wherein i. M is Bi or a mixture of at least one-half Bi plus up to one-half of one or more cations from among A. bivalent Cd or Pb and B. trivalent Y, Tl, In and rare earth metals of atomic number 57-71, inclusive; ii. M' is at least one of A. ru B. ir, and C. a mixture of at least three-fourths of at least one of Ru and Ir and up to one-fourth of at least one of Pt, Ti and Rh; iii. x is in the range 0.10 to 0.60 and iv. z is in the range 0.10 to 1.0, and is equivalent to the sum of monovalent cations Cu and have of divalent cations in the polynary oxide.