# US 11,993,719 B2 · Boron nitride nanotube coated substrates for sintering of metallic traces by intense pulse light

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- Number: US 11,993,719 B2
- Document ID: US11993719B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/759,227
- Filed: 2018-10-26
- Published: 2020-12-31
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2017-10-27
- Assignees: National Research Council of Canada
- Applicants: National Research Council of Canada
- Inventors: Chantal Paquet; Jacques Lefebvre; Jingwen Guan; Patrick Roland Lucien Malenfant; Benoit Simard; Yadienka Martinez-Rubi; Arnold Kell; Xiangyang Liu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11993719B2

## CPC

- C09C 3/10: Treatment with macromolecular organic compounds {(C09C3/006 takes precedence)}
- B32B 27/04: as impregnant, bonding, or embedding substance {(not used)}
- B32B 27/08: of synthetic resin
- B32B 27/18: characterised by the use of special additives
- B41M 3/006: {Patterns of chemical products used for a specific purpose, e.g. pesticides, perfumes, adhesive patterns; use of microencapsulated material; Printing on smoking articles}
- B41M 7/0081: {using electromagnetic radiation or waves, e.g. ultraviolet radiation, electron beams}
- C09D 11/037: characterised by the pigment
- C09D 11/322: Pigment inks
- C09D 11/52: Electrically conductive inks
- H05K 1/0353: {consisting of two or more materials, e.g. two or more polymers, polymer + filler, + reinforcement}
- H05K 1/097: {Inks comprising nanoparticles and specially adapted for being sintered at low temperature (H05K1/095 takes precedence)}
- H05K 3/1208: {Pretreatment of the circuit board, e.g. modifying wetting properties; Patterning by using affinity patterns (providing shape patterns H05K3/1258; adhesion treatments H05K3/38)}
- H05K 3/1283: {After-treatment of the printed patterns, e.g. sintering or curing methods}
- C01P 2004/13: Nanotubes
- H05K 1/092: {Dispersed materials, e.g. conductive pastes or inks}
- H05K 2201/0145: Polyester, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate [PET], polyethylene naphthalate [PEN]
- H05K 2201/0154: Polyimide
- H05K 2201/0158: Polyalkene or polyolefin, e.g. polyethylene [PE], polypropylene [PP]
- H05K 2201/0257: Nanoparticles
- H05K 2201/026: Nanotubes or nanowires
- H05K 2203/107: Using laser light
- H05K 2203/1131: Sintering, i.e. fusing of metal particles to achieve or improve electrical conductivity
- Y02E 10/549: Organic PV cells
- C09C: TREATMENT OF INORGANIC MATERIALS, OTHER THAN FIBROUS FILLERS, TO ENHANCE THEIR PIGMENTING OR FILLING PROPERTIES (treatment of materials specially adapted to enhance their filling properties in mortars, concrete or artificial stone C04B14/00, C04B18/00, C04B20/00); PREPARATION OF CARBON BLACK {; PREPARATION OF INORGANIC MATERIALS WHICH ARE NO SINGLE CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS AND WHICH ARE MAINLY USED AS PIGMENTS OR FILLERS}
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- B41M: PRINTING, DUPLICATING, MARKING, OR COPYING PROCESSES; COLOUR PRINTING, (correction of typographical errors B41J; processes for applying transfer pictures or the like B44C1/16; fluid media for correction of typographical errors by coating C09D10/00; printing textiles D06P)
- C09D: COATING COMPOSITIONS, e.g. PAINTS, VARNISHES OR LACQUERS; FILLING PASTES; CHEMICAL PAINT OR INK REMOVERS; INKS; CORRECTING FLUIDS; WOODSTAINS; PASTES OR SOLIDS FOR COLOURING OR PRINTING; USE OF MATERIALS THEREFOR (cosmetics A61K; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general, B05D; staining wood B27K5/02; glazes or vitreous enamels C03C; natural resins, French polish, drying-oils, driers, turpentine, per se, C09F; polishing compositions other than French polish, ski waxes C09G; adhesives or use of materials as adhesives C09J; materials for sealing or packing joints or covers C09K3/10; materials for stopping leaks C09K3/12; processes for the electrolytic or electrophoretic production of coatings C25D)
- H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
- C01P: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO STRUCTURAL AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF SOLID INORGANIC COMPOUNDS
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A composite includes a plastic substrate and an electrical insulator layer formed on the plastic substrate. The electrical insulator layer contains boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs), which may be unmodified or modified BNNTS. The composite is suitable for use in making printed electronic devices. A process includes providing a plastic substrate and forming on at least a portion of a surface of the plastic substrate a layer that contains the BNNTs. A metallic ink trace is formed on a portion of the layer, such that the metallic ink trace is spaced-apart from the substrate. Using photonic or thermal sintering techniques, the metallic ink trace is then sintered.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process, comprising:
providing a plastic substrate;
forming on at least a portion of a surface of the plastic substrate a layer comprising boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs);
forming a metallic ink trace on a portion of the layer comprising BNNTs, such that the metallic ink trace is spaced-apart from the plastic substrate by the layer comprising BNNTs; and
sintering the metallic ink trace using photonic or thermal sintering techniques,
wherein the BNNTs are modified BNNTs selected from polymer-wrapped BNNTs and BNNTs coated with a ligand or a surfactant.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the polymer comprises a conjugated polymer selected from the group consisting of a polythiophene comprising at least one alkyl side chain, a polyfluorene comprising at least one alkyl side chain, a poly(fluorene-co-pyridine) comprising at least one alkyl side chain, or a poly(thiophene-co-fluorene) comprising at least one alkyl side chain.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the sintering is intense pulsed light sintering.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the metallic ink comprises silver, copper or nickel.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein the metallic ink is a molecular ink, a particulate ink or an ink comprising flakes, or any mixture thereof.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein prior to sintering, the metallic ink is applied to the composite by screen, inkjet, microplotting, flexure-gravure, offset printing or stencil printing.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1, wherein providing the plastic substrate comprises providing a substrate fabricated from one of the following: polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene terephthalate glycol PETG, polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyimide, and a polyester.

### Claim 8

A process, comprising:
providing a plastic substrate;
forming on at least a portion of a surface of the plastic substrate a layer comprising boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs);
forming a metallic ink trace on a portion of the layer comprising BNNTs, such that the metallic ink trace is spaced-apart from the plastic substrate by the layer comprising BNNTs; and
sintering the metallic ink trace using photonic or thermal sintering techniques, wherein the BNNTs are modified BNNTs that comprise pendant hydroxyl (OH) and amino (NH2) functional groups covalently bonded to an outer surface of the BNNT, preferably the number of pendant OH groups is between about 1 OH per 6 BN-units and about 1 OH per 240 BN-units.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The process of claim 8, wherein the number of pendant OH groups is between about 1 OH per 12 BN-units and about 1 OH per 124 BN-units.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The process of claim 9, wherein the number of pendant OH groups is about 1 OH per 18 BN-units.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The process of claim 8, wherein the sintering is intense pulsed light sintering.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The process of claim 8, wherein the metallic ink comprises silver, copper or nickel.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The process of claim 8, wherein the metallic ink is a molecular ink, a particulate ink or an ink comprising flakes, or any mixture thereof.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The process of claim 8, wherein prior to sintering, the metallic ink is applied to the composite by screen, inkjet, microplotting, flexure-gravure, offset printing or stencil printing.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The process of claim 8, wherein providing the plastic substrate comprises providing a substrate fabricated from one of the following: polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene terephthalate glycol PETG, polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), polyimide, and a polyester.