Copper based conductive ink composition and method of making the same
AssigneeElectroninks Incorporated
InventorsSteven Brett Walker, Leonardo Zornberg
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are ink compositions for making a conductive copper structure. The ink composition comprise a copper metal precursor compound, a chelating agent, and a reducing agent. In some embodiments, the redox potential of the reducing agent is adjusted for controlled reduction of copper ion in the copper metal precursor to metal copper metal. Also disclosed herein are methods for making the ink compositions and methods for using the same.
Claims18
An ink composition for making a conductive copper structure, the ink composition comprising:
- a copper metal precursor compound:
- CumXn, wherein m and n are integers equal or greater than 1, and wherein X comprises one substituent selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, ammonium, acetate, oxygen, sulfur, halogen, cyano, cyanate, carbonate, formate, nitrate, nitrite, sulfate, phosphate, thiocyanate, chlorate, perchlorate, tetrafluoroborate, acetylacetonate, mercapto, amide, alkoxide, carboxylate and derivatives thereof;
- a chelating agent;
- and
- a reducing agent selected from the group consisting of an ester, an amide, an imine, an oxime, an aldoxime, trioxane, paraldehyde, metaldehyde, a formaldehyde trimer, a hydrazine, a hypophosphite, 2-Dimethylamino-2-methylpropanol (DMAMP), 4-Dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP), hexamethylenetetramine, ammonia acetaldehyde trimer, and combinations thereof;
- wherein a redox potential of the reducing agent is adjusted for controlled reduction of a copper ion in the copper metal precursor compound to copper metal;
- wherein the redox potential of the reducing agent is adjusted by a) the use of a blocking agent or b) modification of the reducing agent itself;
- and
- wherein the modification of the reducing agent itself comprises dimerization or oligomerization of the reducing agent.
A method of making a conductive copper structure, the method comprising:
- combining a copper salt and a chelating agent with a reducing agent selected from the group consisting of an ester, an amide, an imine, an oxime, an aldoxime, trioxane, paraldehyde, metaldehyde, a formaldehyde trimer, a hydrazine, a hypophosphite, 2-Dimethylamino-2-methylpropanol (DMAMP), 4-Dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP), hexamethylenetetramine, ammonia acetaldehyde trimer, and combinations thereof, to form an ink composition, wherein a redox potential of the reducing agent is adjusted for reduction of a copper ion in the copper salt through a) the use of a blocking agent or b) modification of the reducing agent itself, wherein the modification of the reducing agent itself comprises dimerization or oligomerization of the reducing agent;
- and
- reducing the copper salt to form a conductive copper structure, wherein the conductive copper structure is formed at a temperature of about 140° C. or lower, wherein full reduction of the copper salt is achieved via catalytic unblocking of the reducing agent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.