# US 2018/0022953 A1 · Conductive Metallic and Semiconductor Ink Composition > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0022953 A1 - Document ID: US20180022953A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/708,377 - Filed: 2017-09-19 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2012-08-16 - Assignees: Nthdegree Technologies Worldwide Inc. - Applicants: NthDegree Technologies Worldwide Inc. - Inventors: Vera Nicholaevna Lockett; Mark David Lowenthal; Neil O. Shotton; William Johnstone Ray; Tricia Youngbull; Theodore I. Kamins - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180022953A1 ## CPC - C09D 11/52: Electrically conductive inks - H10P 14/46: using a liquid - 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) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A representative printable composition comprises a liquid or gel suspension of a plurality of metallic particles; a plurality of semiconductor particles; and a first solvent. The pluralities of particles may also be comprised of an alloy of a metal and a semiconductor. The composition may further comprise a second solvent different from the first solvent. In a representative embodiment, the first solvent comprises a polyol or mixtures thereof, such as glycerin, and the second solvent comprises a carboxylic or dicarboxylic acid or mixtures thereof, such as glutaric acid. In various embodiments, the metallic particles and the semiconductor particles are nanoparticles between about 5 nm to about 1.5 microns in any dimension. A representative metallic and semiconductor particle ink can be printed and annealed to produce a conductor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A composition comprising: a plurality of alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticles, each alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticle of the plurality of alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticles greater than or equal to 1 micron and less than or equal to 8 microns, comprising an alloy of at least one metal and at least one semiconductor, and present in an amount of between 40% to 95% by weight of the composition; a first solvent comprising glycerin and present in an amount of between 3.5% to 35% by weight of the composition; a second solvent comprising glutaric acid and present in an amount of between 0.5% to 15% by weight of the composition; and a third, volatile solvent present in an amount of between 0.5% to 10% by weight of the composition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein each alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticle of the plurality of alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticles further comprises a doped semiconductor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein each alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticle of the plurality of alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticles further comprises a dopant selected from the group consisting of: boron, arsenic, phosphorus, gallium, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one metal is selected from the group consisting of: aluminum, copper, silver, gold, nickel, palladium, tin, platinum, lead, zinc, bismuth, alloys thereof, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one semiconductor is selected from the group consisting of: silicon, gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium nitride (GaN), GaP, InAlGaP, InAlGaP, AlInGaAs, InGaNAs, AlInGaSb, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the at least one semiconductor is selected from the group consisting of: silicon, germanium, and mixtures thereof; titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, zinc oxide, indium-tin oxide, antimony-tin oxide, and mixtures thereof; II-VI semiconductors, which are compounds of at least one divalent metal (zinc, cadmium, mercury and lead) and at least one divalent non-metal (oxygen, sulfur, selenium, and tellurium) such as zinc oxide, cadmium selenide, cadmium sulfide, mercury selenide, and mixtures thereof; III-V semiconductors, which are compounds of at least one trivalent metal (aluminum, gallium, indium, and thallium) with at least one trivalent non-metal (nitrogen, phosphorous, arsenic, and antimony) such as gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, and mixtures thereof; and group IV semiconductors including hydrogen terminated silicon, carbon, germanium, and alpha-tin, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein at least one alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticle of the plurality of alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticles is surface passivated to reduce oxidation. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein at least one alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticle of the plurality of alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticles is surface passivated with at least a partial coating selected from the group consisting of: benzotriazole, zinc phosphate, zinc dithiophosphate, tannic acid, hexafluoroacetylacetone, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, further comprising: an antioxidant. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, further comprising: an antioxidant selected from the group consisting of: N,N-diethylhydroxylamine, ascorbic acid, hydrazine, hexamine, phenylenediamine, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, further comprising at least one third solvent selected from the group consisting of: water; alcohols; lactones; ethers; ketones; esters; carbonates; polyols; carboxylic acids; tetramethyl urea, n-methylpyrrolidone, acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran (THF), dimethyl formamide (DMF), N-methyl formamide (NMF), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO); thionyl chloride; sulfuryl chloride; and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, further comprising at least one organic acid selected from the group consisting of: carboxylic acids, tricarboxylic acids, alkyl carboxylic acids, acetic acid, oxalic acid, mellitic acid, formic acid, chloroacetic acid, benzoic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, propanoic acid, butanoic acid; and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has a viscosity substantially between 100 cps and 10,000 cps at 25° C. ### Claim 14 A composition comprising: a plurality of alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticles, each alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticle of the plurality of alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticles greater than or equal to 1 micron and less than or equal to 8 microns, comprising an alloy of at least one metal and at least one semiconductor, further having a surface passivation and present in an amount of between 40% to 95% by weight of the composition; a first solvent comprising glycerin and present in an amount of between 3.5% to 35% by weight of the composition; a second solvent comprising glutaric acid and present in an amount of between 0.5% to 15% by weight of the composition; and a third, volatile solvent comprising butanol and present in an amount of between 0.5% to 10% by weight of the composition. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein each alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticle of the plurality of alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticles further comprises a dopant selected from the group consisting of: boron, arsenic, phosphorus, gallium, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein the at least one metal is selected from the group consisting of: aluminum, copper, silver, gold, nickel, palladium, tin, platinum, lead, zinc, bismuth, alloys thereof, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein the at least one semiconductor is selected from the group consisting of: silicon, gallium arsenide (GaAs), gallium nitride (GaN), GaP, InAlGaP, InAlGaP, AlInGaAs, InGaNAs, AlInGaSb, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein the at least one semiconductor is selected from the group consisting of: silicon, germanium, and mixtures thereof; titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, zinc oxide, indium-tin oxide, antimony-tin oxide, and mixtures thereof; II-VI semiconductors, which are compounds of at least one divalent metal (zinc, cadmium, mercury and lead) and at least one divalent non-metal (oxygen, sulfur, selenium, and tellurium) such as zinc oxide, cadmium selenide, cadmium sulfide, mercury selenide, and mixtures thereof; III-V semiconductors, which are compounds of at least one trivalent metal (aluminum, gallium, indium, and thallium) with at least one trivalent non-metal (nitrogen, phosphorous, arsenic, and antimony) such as gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, and mixtures thereof; and group IV semiconductors including hydrogen terminated silicon, carbon, germanium, and alpha-tin, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein the plurality of alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticles are surface passivated with at least a partial coating selected from the group consisting of: benzotriazole, zinc phosphate, zinc dithiophosphate, tannic acid, hexafluoroacetylacetone, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, further comprising: an antioxidant selected from the group consisting of: N,N-diethylhydroxylamine, ascorbic acid, hydrazine, hexamine, phenylenediamine, and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, further comprising at least one organic acid selected from the group consisting of: carboxylic acids, tricarboxylic acids, alkyl carboxylic acids, acetic acid, oxalic acid, mellitic acid, formic acid, chloroacetic acid, benzoic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, propanoic acid, butanoic acid; and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The composition of claim 14, wherein the composition has a viscosity substantially between 50 cps and 25,000 cps at 25° C. ### Claim 23 A composition comprising: a plurality of alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticles, each alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticle of the plurality of alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticles greater than or equal to 1 micron and less than or equal to 8 microns, and present in an amount of between 40% to 95% by weight of the composition, the plurality of alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticles further comprising a dopant selected from the group consisting of: boron, arsenic, phosphorus, gallium, and mixtures thereof, wherein at least one alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticle of the plurality of alloyed metal and semiconductor nanoparticles is surface passivated with at least a partial coating selected from the group consisting of: benzotriazole, zinc phosphate, zinc dithiophosphate, tannic acid, hexafluoroacetylacetone, and mixtures thereof; a first solvent comprising glycerin and present in an amount of between 3.5% to 35% by weight of the composition; a second solvent comprising glutaric acid and present in an amount of between 0.5% to 15% by weight of the composition; a third, volatile solvent comprising butanol and present in an amount of between 0.5% to 10% by weight of the composition; an antioxidant selected from the group consisting of: N,N-diethylhydroxylamine, ascorbic acid, hydrazine, hexamine, phenylenediamine, and mixtures thereof; and at least one organic acid selected from the group consisting of: carboxylic acids, tricarboxylic acids, alkyl carboxylic acids, acetic acid, oxalic acid, mellitic acid, formic acid, chloroacetic acid, benzoic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, propanoic acid, butanoic acid; and mixtures thereof; wherein the composition has a viscosity substantially between 50 cps and 25,000 cps at 25° C.