Electrical devices containing conductive polymers
AssigneeRaychem Corporation
InventorsLothar Kleiner, Martin Matthiesen
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Abstract
Electrical devices which comprise at least one metal electrode and a conductive polymer element in contact therewith, wherein the metal surface which contacts the conductive polymer has a roughened or otherwise treated surface to improve its adhesion to the conductive polymer. The metal electrode is preferably an electrodeposited foil. The conductive polymer preferably exhibits PTC behavior. The devices include heaters and circuit protection devices. The improved adhesion results in improved physical and electrical stability, and broadens the range of conductive polymer compositions which can be used in a number of important applications.
Claims17
An electrical device which comprises
- (1) an element composed of a conductive polymer, and
- (2) at leat one metal electrode having a microrough surface which
- (i) comprises nickel,
- (ii) is in direct physical contact with the conductive polymer element, and
- (iii) has a surface comprising at least 50 percent macronodules.
An electrical device which comprises
- (1) a laminar element which is composed of a conductive polymer,
- (2) a first electrodeposited metal foil electrode which is in direct physical contact with one surface of the conductive polymer element, and
- (3) a second electrodeposited metal foil electrode which is secured to the other surface of the conductive polymer element,
- each of said electrodes having a microrough surface which
- (i) is compose of nickel,
- (ii) is in direct physical contact with the conductive polymer element,
- (iii) has irregularities which protrude from the surface by a distance of 0.1 to 100 microns and have at least one dimension parallel to the surface which is at most 100 microns, and
- (iv) has a surface comprising at least 60 percent macronodules.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.