Electrically Conductive Silver Paste Obtained by Use of Silver Neodecanoate as Precursor

Abstract

An electrically conductive silver paste has been prepared from an organometallic compound, silver neodecanoate, as silver precursor. The precursor was highly soluble in organic solvents and decomposed into metallic silver at low sintering temperatures (<200°C). Thermogravimetric analysis showed the silver content of the paste was approximately 25 wt.%. Viscosity studies indicated the paste was a pseudoplastic liquid with viscosity in the range 6.5–9 Pa s. The paste was compatible with the micro-pen direct-writing process, enabling production of silver lines on a substrate. The electrical resistivity of the silver lines was 9 × 10⁻⁶ Ω cm after sintering at 115°C for 60 min, 5.8 × 10⁻⁶ Ω cm when sintered at 150°C for 60 min, and 3 × 10⁻⁶ Ω cm when sintered above 300°C, values which are similar to those of bulk silver. Hence, the prepared paste can be successfully used on flexible substrates such as polymers.