Method of making a ferrite composite containing silver metallization

Claim 1

A process for producing a solid composite comprised of a ferrite matrix containing a continuous silver metallization with only its end portions exposed to the ambient, said ferrite matrix having an electrical resistivity greater than 500 ohm-centimeters at a temperature ranging from about 20° C. to about 100° C., which comprises: (a) providing a ferrite powder; (b) admixing said ferrite powder with an organic binding material; (c) forming the resulting mixture into tape; (d) providing a silver metallization-forming material; (e) forming a layered structure of at least two of said tapes containing said silver metallization-forming material therewithin in a pattern with two end portions, said metallization-forming material being present in an amount sufficient to produce said silver metallization; (f) laminating the layered structure and forming a laminated structure wherein only said end portions of said pattern are exposed; (g) firing said laminated structure to thermally decompose its organic component at an elevated temperature below about 600° C. leaving no significant deleterious residue, said firing being carried out in an atmosphere or vacuum which has no significant deleterious effect on said composite; (h) sintering the resulting structure at a temperature ranging from about 1000° C. to about 1400° C. in an oxygen-containing atmosphere to produce a sintered product having the composition of said composite; and (i) cooling said sintered product to produce said composite, said sintering and cooling being carried out in an atmosphere which has no significant deleterious effect on said composite, said ferrite powder having a composition which forms said ferrite matrix in said process.