Patterned nickel interlayers for enhanced silver wetting, spreading and adhesion on ceramic substrates. (15th April 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hu, Genzhi; Zhou, Quan; Bhatlawande, Aishwarya; Park, Jiyun; Termuhlen, Robert; Ma, Yuxi; Bieler, Thomas R.; Yu, Hui-Chia; Qi, Yue; Hogan, Timothy; Nicholas, Jason D.
• Is Part Of: Scripta materialia. Number 196(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-04-15
• Subjects: Silver -- Patterned circuit -- Imbibition -- Ceramic-metal joining -- PIDWAS; Materials -- Periodicals; Metallurgy -- Periodicals; Metalen; Legeringen; Materiaalkunde; Metals, metalworking and machinery industries; Metals; Electronic journals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2021.113767
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-6462

Abstract

Abstract: The metal current collectors used in electronic, energy conversion, and energy storage devices often have difficulty wetting and adhering to ceramic substrates. Here, a novel Particle Interlayer Directed Wetting and Spreading (PIDWAS) technique is demonstrated that utilizes 1) the low wetting angle of silver on nickel and 2) the high work of adhesion between nickel and various ceramics to produce well-adhered, self-assembled silver patterns on ceramics not normally wet by silver. This is achieved by partially sintering nickel patterns and melt infiltrating either 1) locally-applied silver or 2) silver that simultaneously dewets the bare ceramic and laterally spreads through the porous nickel network. The resulting Ag-Ni patterns have higher ceramic adhesion strengths, higher densities, and similar electronic resistivities to those made using commercially-available silver circuit pastes. Further, these dense Ag-Ni patterns can be produced without externally-applied pressure, making them desirable for circuit, sealing, die-attach, joining and other applications. Graphical abstract: Image, graphical abstract