Fine Coated Particles

Cabot has developed a series of ultra-fine (<200nm) coated metal particles, specifically coated silver particles which posses either a polymer- or mixed metal oxide coatings.  These particles have structures and functions derived from both the central metal core as well as the surface coating, which are targeted to achieve enhanced performance in particular, applications.

Silver:  The central metal core of silver in these particles is chosen due to the high electrical and thermal conductivity of silver for applications in electronics, as well as the high reflectivity for decorative and optical applications.

Coating:  Polymer and metal oxide coatings have been specifically chosen to enhance various attributes of these particles including:

• Dispersion in a wide variety of media (solvent and aqueous)
• Dispersion stability – to prevent agglomeration
• Enable surface modification
• Control silver thermal sintering due to low or high Tg of the coating
• Functional combinations such as etching glass and silver conductivity in a single particle

These coated silver particles can be dispersed and formulated into a wide variety of vehicles such that they are suitable for various printing methods including fine line screen printing, slot dye coating, gravure and flexographic printing, as well as non-contact printing such as ink-jet printing and aerosol jet printing. 

 

Applications 

These coated metal particles are either being used or are under development in the following areas:  

• Printed Electronics:  Ink-jet silver inks for printing fine line conductive traces that can be fired at low temperature on temperature sensitive substrates to create highly conductive features.  Examples include displays, RFID, lottery tickets.
• Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells: In pastes and inks for screen printing and non-contacting printing of front grid electrodes for fine line and/or non-contact printing with antireflective coating etch-through capability.
• Thin Film Solar Cells:  As front grid electrodes and contacts on flexible and/or temperature sensitive substrates.
• Decorative Metallic Inks:  To achieve metallic graphics in combination with variable information through ink-jet printing.
• Other Applications:  Thermal Interface Materials, Thermal Fluids, SERS, MLCC

 

 

Please contact us for further information.