Abstract Conductive thick film pigment-coated surfaces which possess desirable conductivity and solderability characteristics are formed from an alloy comprising a mixture of a nonnoble conductive metal, a noble metal and at least one oxidizable material. The oxidizable material is present in the alloy in an amount in the range of from about 5% to about 25% by weight, the nonnoble metal in an amount in the range of from about 94% to about 60% by weight and the noble metal in an amount in the range of from about 1% to about 15% by weight of the alloy. The desired product is prepared by admixing a nonnoble metal, an oxidizable material and a noble metal, arc-melting the mixture to form an alloy, grinding the arc-melted alloy to a powdered form, admixing the powder with the carrier binder, depositing said admixture on an inert surface, firing the admixture and surface in an oxygen-containing atmosphere at a temperature in the range of from about 500° to about 950° C. and fluxing the resultant conductive thick film pigment-coated surface with a zinc-chloride based flux to provide the desired product.
A process for the preparation of a conductive and solderable pigment-coated thick film surface comprising an alloy of a nonnoble conductive metal, at least one oxidizable material and a noble metal composited on an inert surface which comprises the steps of: (a) admixing nickel or copper in an amount of from about 60% to about 94% by weight of said alloy, an oxidizable material selected from the group consisting of carbon, boron, silicon, aluminum and combinations thereof in an amount in the range of from about 5% to about 25% by weight of said alloy and a noble metal in an amount in the range of from about 1% to about 15% by weight of said alloy to provide a resultant admixture; (b) arc-melting said admixture formed in step (a) in an inert atmosphere to form an alloy of said components; (c) grinding said arc-melted alloy of step (b) to a powdered form; (d) admixing said powder of step (c) with a carrier binder; (e) depositing said admixture of step (d) on an inert surface; (f) firing said admixture and surface of step (e) in an oxygen-containing atmosphere at a temperature in the range of from about 500° to about 950° C.; (g) fluxing the resultant conductive pigment-coated surface with a zinc chloride based flux to provide a solderable conductive pigment-coated surface and recovering said surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
226 words
A process for the preparation of a conductive and solderable pigment-coated thick film surface comprising an alloy of a nonnoble conductive metal, at least one oxidizable material and a noble metal composited on an inert surface which comprises the steps of: (a) admixing nickel or copper in an amount of from about 60% to about 94% by weight of said alloy, an oxidizable material selected from the group consisting of carbon, boron, silicon, aluminum and combinations thereof in an amount in the range of from about 5% to about 25% by weight of said alloy and a noble metal in an amount in the range of from about 1% to about 15% by weight of said alloy to provide a resultant admixture; (b) arc-melting said admixture formed in step (a) in an inert atmosphere to form an alloy of said components; (c) grinding said arc-melted alloy of step (b) to a powdered form; (d) admixing said powder of step (c) with a carrier binder; (e) depositing said admixture of step (d) on an inert surface; (f) firing said admixture and surface of step (e) in an oxygen-containing atmosphere at a temperature in the range of from about 500° to about 950° C.; (g) fluxing the resultant conductive pigment-coated surface with a zinc chloride based flux to provide a solderable conductive pigment-coated surface and recovering said surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process as set forth in claim 1 in which said nonnoble metal is nickel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process as set forth in claim 1 in which said nonnoble metal is copper.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process as set forth in claim 1 in which said noble metal is silver.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process as set forth in claim 1 in which said noble metal is gold.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process as set forth in claim 1 in which said noble metal is palladium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A conductive and solderable pigment-coated thick film surface prepared by the process of claim 1.