Process for the production of electrolyte capacitors

• US 20080005878A1
• Filed: 09/13/2006
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heraeus Epurio GmbH
• Original Assignee: H C. Starck
• Inventors: Tillmann, Ralf, Lovenich, Wilfried, Wussow, Klaus, Merker, Udo
• Granted Patent: US 8,058,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 029/025.03
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/0032 formation of the dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/0036 Formation of the solid electrolyte layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/042 characterised by the material H01G11/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/15 Solid electrolytic capacitors H01G11/00 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to a process for the production of electrolyte capacitors having a low equivalent series resistance and low residual current, electrolyte capacitors produced by this process and the use of such electrolyte capacitors.

Claims

1. Process for the producing an electrolyte capacitor which comprises applying a dispersion A) on to a porous body

wherein said porous body comprises

a porous electrode body of an electrode material and a dielectric which covers the surface of this electrode material,

wherein said dispersion A) comprises at least particles B) of an electrically conductive polymer and a dispersing agent D), and

forming a solid electrolyte which completely or partly covers the dielectric surface, and the dispersing agent D) is at least partly removed and/or cured,

wherein the particles B) of the conductive polymer in the dispersion A) have an average diameter of 1-100 nm, and films produced from particles B) have a specific conductivity in the dry state of greater than 10 S/cm.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the particles B) of the conductive polymer in the dispersion A) have a d₉₀ value of the diameter distribution of less than 150 nm.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the particles B) of the conductive polymer in the dispersion A) have a d₁₀ value of the diameter distribution of greater than 1 nm.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the dispersion A) has a content of metal cations of less than 5,000 mg/kg.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the dispersion A) has a content of transitions metals of less than 1,000 mg/kg.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the dispersion A) has an iron content of less than 1,000 mg/kg.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the particles B) of the electrically conductive polymer comprise at least one polythiophene, polypyrrole or polyaniline, which are optionally substituted.

8. The process according to claim 7, wherein the particles B) of the electrically conductive polymer comprise at least one polythiophene having recurring units of the general formula (I) or of the formula (II) or recurring units of the general formulae (I) and (II)

9. The process according to claim 8, wherein the conductive polymer contained in the particles B) is poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene).

10. The process according to claim 1, wherein the particles B) additionally comprise at least one polymeric anion.

11. The process according to claim 10, wherein the polymeric anion is an anion of a polymeric carboxylic or sulfonic acid, preferably polystyrenesulfonic acid.

12. The process according to claim 1, wherein the dispersing agent D) comprises at least an organic solvent or water.

13. The process according to claim 1, wherein the dispersion A) further comprises at least one crosslinking agent, a surface-active substance or a further additive.

14. The process according to claim 13, wherein said further additive is a compound containing an ether group, a lactone group, an amide group, a lactam group, a sulfone, a sulfoxide, a sugar, a sugar derivative, a sugar alcohol, a furan derivative, a dialcohol or polyalcohol or mixtures thereof.

15. The process according to claim 1, wherein the dispersion A) is adjusted to a pH of from 4 to 8 in the case of a pH-sensitive dielectric.

16. The process according to claim 1, wherein the viscosity of the dispersion A) is from 1 to 200 mPa.s (measured at 20°

C. and a shear rate of 100 s<sup>−

1</sup>).

17. The process according to claim 1, wherein the electrode material of the electrode body is a valve metal or a compound having electrical properties comparable to a valve metal.

18. The process according to claim 17, wherein the valve metal or the compound having electrical properties comparable to a valve metal is tantalum, niobium, aluminium, titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, an alloy or compound of at least one of the metals with other elements or NbO or an alloy or compound of NbO with other elements.

19. The process according to claim 17, wherein the electrode material is based on niobium or NbO.

20. The process according to claim 19, wherein the electrode material based on niobium or niobium oxide is niobium, NbO, a niobium oxide NbO_x, wherein x can assume values of from 0.8 to 1.2, niobium nitride, niobium oxynitride or mixtures of these materials or an alloy or compound of at least one of these materials with other elements.

21. The process according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric is an oxide of the valve metal or an oxide of the compound having electrical properties comparable to a valve metal.

22. The process according to claim 1, wherein the application of the dispersion A) and the at least partial removal and/or curing of the dispersing agent are carried out several times.

23. The process according to claim 1, wherein after application of the dispersion A), at least some of the particles B) of the conductive polymer which are on the outer surface of the electrode body covered with a dielectric are removed.

24. The process according to claim 1, wherein after application of the dispersion A) and formation of the solid electrolyte, the capacitor is optionally provided with further electrically conductive external contacts, optionally contacted and encapsulated.

25. The process according to claim 10, wherein the polymeric anion polystyrenesulfonic acid.

26. An electrolyte capacitor produced with the process according claim 1.

27. The electrolyte capacitor according to claim 26, wherein the electrolyte capacitor has a specific charge of from 500 to 500,000 μ

C/g, based on the weight of the electrode body covered with a dielectric.

28. An electronic circuit which comprises the electrolyte capacitor as claimed in claim 26.