Metallic inks for co-sintering process

Claim 2

A metallic ink consisting essentially of: (a) powdered metal particles selected from the group consisting of copper, silver, palladium, gold, alloys thereof, and mixtures thereof; (b) an organic vehicle system; (c) a glass component consisting essentially of: (i) 25-57 wt. % alkaline earth oxides, of which MgO comprises 0-50 wt. % and of which CaO comprises 50-100 wt. %; (ii) 23-35 wt. % SiO 2 ; (iii) 25-35 wt. % B 2 O 3 ; and (iv) 0-10 wt. % Al 2 O 3 ; and (d) at least one ceramic material selected from the group consisting of: cordierite, forsterite, alumina, quartz, eucryptite, and spodumene.

Claim 3

An ink according to claim 1, wherein the metal powder has a narrow size range of approximately 1-10 micrometers.

Claim 4

An ink according to claim 1, wherein the metal powder consists essentially of a mixture of discrete narrow size range populations and wherein each population has an average size range from between 1 micrometer and 10 micrometers.

Claim 5

An ink according to claim 1, wherein the metal particles, ceramic material, and glass are present in sufficient amounts to equal approximately 75-92 weight percent of the total ink.

Claim 6

An ink according to claim 4, wherein the metal particles are copper.

Claim 7

An ink according to claim 5, further comprising an amount of copper oxide effective to control the shrinkage of the copper metal particles during sintering.

Claim 8

An ink according to claim 6, wherein the copper oxide is present in an amount less than about 5 weight percent.

Claim 9

A metallic ink comprising a solids portion comprising: (i) powdered metal particles selected from the group consisting of copper, silver, palladium, gold, alloys thereof, and mixtures thereof; (ii) glass consisting essentially of (a) 25-57 wt. % alkaline earth oxides, of which MgO comprises 0-50% and CaO comprises 50-100%, (b) SiO 2 : 23-35% (c) B 2 O 3 : 25-35% (d) Al 2 O 3 : 0-10%; (iii) at least one ceramic material selected from the group consisting of cordierite, forsterite, alumina, quartz, eucryptite, and spodumene; the solids being dispersed in an organic vehicle system including a solvent and a polymeric binder.

Claim 10

A metallic ink comprising a solids portion comprising: (i) powdered metal particles selected from the group consisting of copper, silver, palladium, gold, alloys thereof, and mixtures thereof; (ii) glass consisting essentially of (a) 25-57 wt. % alkaline earth oxides, of which MgO comprises 0-50% and CaO comprises 50-100%, (b) SiO 2 : 23-35% (c) B 2 O 3 : 25-35% (d) Al 2 O 3 : 0-10%; (iii) at least one ceramic material selected from the group consisting of cordierite, forsterite, alumina, quartz, eucryptite, and spodumene; the solids being dispersed in an organic vehicle system including a solvent and a polymeric binder.

Claim 11

An ink according to claim 8, wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of aliphatic alcohols, acetates, propionates, terpenes, alpha-terpineol, butyl arbitol, and butyl carbitol acetate.

Claim 12

An ink according to claim 9, wherein the polymeric binder is a polymethylmethacrylate of a lower alcohol.

Claim 13

An ink according to claim 10, wherein the polymeric binder is butyl methacrylate.

Claim 14

An ink according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle system further comprise a plasticizer.

Claim 15

An ink according to claim 12, wherein the plasticizer comprises phthalates.

Claim 16

An ink according to claim 13, wherein the phthalates are a mixture of phthalates.

Claim 17

An ink according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle system further comprises a dispersant.

Claim 18

An ink according to claim 15, wherein the dispersant is selected from the group consisting of: a polypropoxy quaternary ammonium chloride; a polypropoxy quaternary ammonium acetate; sorbitan trioleate; octylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol; and mixtures thereof.

Claim 19

An ink according to claim 15 wherein the dispersant is present in an amount equal to approximately 0.5-2 weight percent of the solids portion.

Claim 20

A metallic ink comprising a solids portion comprising (i) approximately 50-70 volume percent copper powder; (ii) approximately 10-40 volume percent CMBS glass, the glass consisting essentially of: (a) 25-57 wt. % alkaline earth oxides of which MgO comprises 0-50% and CaO comprises 50-100%; (b) SiO 2 : 23-35% (c) B 2 O 3 : 25-35% (d) Al 2 O 3 : 0-10%; (iii) approximately 2-10 volume percent alumina or quartz; and (iv) 10-35 volume percent of at least one ceramic material selected from the group consisting of cordierite, forsterite, eucryptite, and spodumene; and solids being dispersed in an organic vehicle system comprising a solvent and a polymeric binder.

Claim 21

A metallic ink comprising a solids portion comprising (i) approximately 50-70 volume percent copper powder; (ii) approximately 10-40 volume percent CMBS glass, the glass consisting essentially of: (a) 25-57 wt. % alkaline earth oxides of which MgO comprises 0-50% and CaO comprises 50-100%; (b) SiO 2 : 23-35% (c) B 2 O 3 : 25-35% (d) Al 2 O 3 : 0-10%; (iii) approximately 2-10 volume percent alumina or quartz; and (iv) 10-35 volume percent of at least one ceramic material selected from the group consisting of cordierite, forsterite, eucryptite, and spodumene; and solids being dispersed in an organic vehicle system comprising a solvent and a polymeric binder.

Claim 22

An ink according to claim 18, the ink comprising approximately 60 volume percent copper, 5 volume percent alumina, 10 volume percent cordierite, and 25 volume percent CMBS glass.

Claim 23

An ink according to claim 18, the ink comprising approximately 60 volume percent copper, 7 volume percent alumina, 8 volume percent cordierite, 5 volume percent quartz and 20 volume percent CMBS glass.

Claim 24

An ink according to claim 18, further comprising a shrinkage controlling agent.

Claim 25

An ink according to claim 21, wherein the shrinkage controlling agent is copper oxide.

Claim 26

An ink according to claim 26, wherein the copper oxide is present in the form of copper oxide powder and in an amount of less than approximately 5 wt. %.

Claim 27

An ink according to claim 23, wherein the copper oxide is present in the form of copper oxide coated copper particles.

Claim 28

An ink comprising a solids portion comprising (i) approximately 85-94 volume percent copper; (ii) 1-3 volume percent alumina; (iii) 3-12 volume percent CMBS glass, the glass consisting essentially of: (a) alkaline earth oxides, 25-57 wt.%, of which MgO comprises 0-50% and CaO comprises 50-100%, (b) SiO 2 : 23-35% (c) B 2 O 3 : 25-35% (d) Al 2 O 3 : 0-10%; and (iv) 2-8 volume percent cordierite or quartz, the solids being dispersed in an organic vehicle system comprising a solvent and a polymeric binder; the ink suitable for use in traces.

Claim 29

An ink comprising a solids portion comprising (i) approximately 85-94 volume percent copper; (ii) 1-3 volume percent alumina; (iii) 3-12 volume percent CMBS glass, the glass consisting essentially of: (a) alkaline earth oxides, 25-57 wt.%, of which MgO comprises 0-50% and CaO comprises 50-100%, (b) SiO 2 : 23-35% (c) B 2 O 3 : 25-35% (d) Al 2 O 3 : 0-10%; and (iv) 2-8 volume percent cordierite or quartz, the solids being dispersed in an organic vehicle system comprising a solvent and a polymeric binder; the ink suitable for use in traces.

Claim 30

An ink according to claim 25, the ink comprising approximately 85 volume percent copper, 2 volume percent alumina, 4 volume percent cordierite and 9 volume percent CMBS glass.

Claim 31

An ink according to claim 25, the ink comprising approximately 85 volume percent copper, 2 volume percent alumina, 4 volume percent cordierite, 2 volume percent quartz and 7 volume percent CMBS glass.

Claim 32

An ink according to claim 25, further comprising a shrinkage controlling agent.

Claim 33

An ink according to claim 28, wherein the shrinkage controlling agent is copper oxide.

Claim 34

An ink according to claim 29, wherein the copper oxide is present in the form of copper oxide powder, and in an amount of less than approximately 5 wt%.

Claim 35

An ink according to claim 30, wherein the copper oxide is present in the form of copper oxide coated copper particles.