Ni-P as a New Material for Thick Film Technology

Abstract

The product of nickel ions reduction in buffered solution by hypophosphite, known as Ni-P, was examined as a potentially useful material for thick film technology. This material, when mixed with glass oxidizes if heated above 450℃ in an air atmosphere. For this reason we investigated the possibility of using an additive to stabilize the Ni-P against oxidation. We found that B₂O₃ as an additive showed itself to be most satisfactory. A detailed investigation of the phase relations in heated Ni-P, Ni-P-glass and Ni-P-glass-B₂O₃ compositions was performed. The inks prepared so far from the mixture of Ni-P-glass-B₂O₃ can only be used in thick film technology for conductor layer production (R□∿0.1Ω).The most satisfying and practically useful characteristics were obtained for inks produced from solid components containing 45 to 80 wt% Ni-P and about 10 wt% B₂O₃.