Process For Producing Articles Having an Electrically Conductive Coating

• US 20080246007A1
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Am RAMP & Company GmbH (Sakata INX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Am RAMP & Company GmbH (Sakata INX Corporation)
• Inventors: Gellrich, Andreas
• Granted Patent: US 9,603,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 252/500
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 2601/28 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/0254 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/12 by mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/12 to obtain a coating with specific electrical properties
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 7/04 to surfaces of films or sheets producing layered products by applying coatings of pasty or pulverulent plastics B29C41/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/20 Conductive material dispersed in non-conductive organic material organic macromolecular compounds or compositions C08
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/095 for polymer thick films, i.e. having a permanent organic polymeric binder
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0143 Using a roller; Specific shape thereof; Providing locally adhesive portions thereon
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0278 Flat pressure, e.g. for connecting terminals with anisotropic conductive adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0786 Using an aqueous solution, e.g. for cleaning or during drilling of holes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/12 using thick film techniques, e.g. printing techniques to apply the conductive material or similar techniques for applying conductive paste or ink patterns

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for producing articles having on at least part of their surface an electrically conductive coating by at least partly coating a substrate with a composition comprising finely divided electrically conductive metal particles and a binder and subjecting the coated substrate to at least one treatment with water in the presence of a halide ion source at a temperature in the range from ambient temperature to 200° C. The process of the invention allows articles having an electrically conductive coating to be produced in a simple, rapid and mild way.

Claims

1. Process for producing articles having on at least part of their surface an electrically conductive coating which comprises at least partly coating a substrate with a composition comprising finely divided electrically conductive metal particles and a binder and subjecting the coated substrate to at least one treatment with water in the presence of a halide ion source at a temperature in the range from ambient temperature to 200°

C.

2. Process according to claim 1, wherein a water-soluble metal halide, an ammonium halide or a hydrogen halide is used as halide ion source.

3. Process according to claim 1, wherein an alkali metal halide or alkaline earth metal halide, aluminium halide or zinc halide is used as halide ion source.

4. Process according to claim 1, wherein a chloride ion source is used as halide ion source.

5. Process according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of the halide ion source is 0.01 to 10% by weight, based on the amount of water.

6. Process according to claim 1, wherein the treatment with water in the presence of a halide ion source takes place at a temperature in the range from 20 to 95°

C.

7. Process according to any claim 1, wherein the treatment with water takes place by immersion of the coated substrate in water, or spraying of the coated substrate with water, which comprises the halide ion source.

8. Process according to claim 1, wherein the water comprising the halide ion source has a pH in the range from 1 to 6.

9. Process according to claim 1, wherein the article is subjected to at least one aftertreatment by rolling at a temperature of ≦

200°

C.

10. Process according to claim 9, wherein the rolling is carried out at ambient temperature.

11. Process according to claim 9, wherein the article is subjected initially to a first rolling operation at ambient temperature and subsequently to at least one further rolling operation at a temperature in the range from 70 to 200°

C.

12. Process according to claim 1, wherein the composition comprises as its binder an organic polymeric binder or a curable component.

13. Process according to claim 12, wherein the binder is selected from polyvinyl butyrals and (meth)acrylate-based polymers.

14. Process according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive metal is selected from copper, silver, gold, zinc, cadmium, iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, manganese, rhenium, vanadium, niobium, tantalum, chromium, molybdenum, tungsten, titanium, aluminium, indium, tin, lead, antimony or bismuth and also mixtures and alloys thereof.

15. Process according to claim 1, wherein the composition is applied by screen printing, ink-jet printing or gravure printing to the substrate.

16. Process according to claim 1, wherein the article is additionally provided with a protective coat or topcoat.

17. Electrically conductive article having at least partly an electrically conductive coating comprising a binder and finely divided electrically conductive metal particles, and obtainable by a process according to claim 1.

18. Article according to claim 17 in the form of printed circuit boards, RFID antennas, batteries or solar cells.

19. Method of reducing the surface resistance of electrically conductive articles having on at least one part of their surface an electrically conductive coating comprising finely divided electrically conductive metal particles and a binder, wherein the article is subjected to treatment with water in the presence of a halide ion source in accordance with claim 1.