Silver complex inks for ink-jet printing: the synthesis and conversion to a metallic particulate ink

Abstract

A solution ink of a silver complex was prepared by dissolving silver neodecanoate in xylene up to a concentration of 25 % silver (Ag-SI). Spun-coated Ag-SI films were thermally decomposed to metallic silver films with resistivity values of less than 4.5X 10(-5) Omega center dot cm, after sintering above 160 degrees C. In addition, a silver nanoparticle ink (Ag-PI) could be prepared by removing a large amount of neodecanoic acid from the Ag-SI by reduction with phenylhydrazine. The sintering temperature for Ag-PI with a resistivity below 1X10(-4) Omega center dot cm was reduced from 160 degrees C to 130 degrees C by using Ag-PI instead of Ag-SI. However, Ag-PI was rather unstable, as a precipitation occurred in one week at room temperature. Finally, Ag-SI was tested for production of a metallic film on a polyamide as a metal complex ink in a drop-on-demand ink jet printer. The results indicated that it would be very suitable as a conducting ink.