阅读说明：本技术 经时粘度稳定的导电性糊剂 (Conductive paste with stable viscosity over time ) 是由 河方信吾 小川昌辉 中村泰辅 金子太地 于 2019-03-18 设计创作，主要内容包括：提供：可以抑制保管时的粘度增加、可以更进一步提高粘度稳定性的导电性糊剂。根据本发明,提供一种导电性糊剂,其包含：导电性粉末、粘结剂、增稠抑制剂和分散介质。此处,增稠抑制剂为通式：NHR<Sup>1</Sup>R<Sup>2</Sup>所示的仲胺化合物。而且,式中的R<Sup>1</Sup>、R<Sup>2</Sup>独立地为碳数为4～12的直链状或环状的脂肪族基团,且R<Sup>1</Sup>和R<Sup>2</Sup>中的碳链不含氮原子和氧原子。(Providing: a conductive paste which can suppress an increase in viscosity during storage and can further improve viscosity stability. According to the present invention, there is provided a conductive paste comprising: conductive powder, a binder, a thickening inhibitor, and a dispersion medium. Here, the thickening inhibitor is of the general formula: NHR 1 R 2 A secondary amine compound as shown. Also, formula (II)R in (1) 1 、R 2 Independently a linear or cyclic aliphatic group having 4 to 12 carbon atoms, and R 1 And R 2 The carbon chain in (1) does not contain nitrogen and oxygen atoms.)

1. A conductive paste comprising: conductive powder, a binder, a thickening inhibitor and a dispersion medium,

the thickening inhibitor has a general formula: NHR¹R²A secondary amine compound as shown in the formula (I),

in the formula¹、R²Independently a linear or cyclic aliphatic group having 4 to 12 carbon atoms, and R¹And said R²The carbon chain in (1) does not contain oxygen atoms, nitrogen atoms and sulfur atoms.

2. The conductive paste of claim 1, wherein R is¹And said R²Satisfy R¹＝R²。

3. The conductive paste according to claim 1 or 2, wherein R is¹And said R²All without methyl groups except the terminal.

4. The conductive paste according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the thickening inhibitor is contained in the conductive paste at a ratio of 0.001 mass% or more and 5 mass% or less.

5. The conductive paste according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the conductive powder is a nickel powder.

6. The conductive paste according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the conductive powder has an average particle diameter of 1 μm or less.

7. The conductive paste according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a dielectric powder.

8. The conductive paste according to any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising: a 1 st powder having a 1 st average particle size and a 2 nd powder having a 2 nd average particle size,

the 1 st average particle diameter D₁The 2 nd average particle diameter D is used as a reference₂Is 0.1 XD₁Above and 0.4 XD₁The following ranges are set forth below,

the conductive powder contains at least the 1 st powder.

9. A laminated ceramic capacitor in which a dielectric layer and an internal electrode layer are laminated,

the internal electrode layer is composed of a fired product of the conductive paste according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a conductive paste capable of forming a conductor layer.

The present application claims priority based on the japanese patent application No. 2018-050965, filed 3/19/2018, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference into the present specification.

Background

With the miniaturization and weight reduction of electronic devices, miniaturization and thinning of electronic components constituting the electronic devices are also required. For example, a multilayer Ceramic Capacitor (MLCC) has a structure in which a plurality of dielectric layers made of Ceramic and internal electrode layers are stacked. In the MLCC, it is required to increase the electrode area by further thinning the dielectric layer and further increasing the number of stacked layers, thereby reducing the volume of the MLCC and increasing the capacitance.

The MLCC is generally manufactured according to the following steps. That is, first, a conductive paste for internal electrodes containing a conductive powder is printed on a dielectric green sheet formed of a dielectric powder, a binder, and the like to form internal electrode layers, and a plurality of dielectric green sheets on which the internal electrode layers are printed are laminated and pressure-bonded to be integrated. Then, the laminate is cut into a predetermined size, dried and fired to produce a capacitor body. The capacitor body can form an MLCC suitable for surface mounting by forming external electrodes for parallel bonding of the respective capacitor structures on the end faces. In recent years, MLCCs are commercially available as 0201 size (0.25 × 0.125mm) and 01005 size (0.1 × 0.05mm) with dielectric layers having a thickness of less than 1 μm, for example.

Conductive pastes for forming such electronic components are generally being reduced in particle size of conductive powder and reduced in polarity of a solvent as a dispersion medium for stably dispersing the conductive powder. However, the reduction in the particle size of the conductive powder essentially causes aggregation of particles, and causes deterioration in quality (for example, an increase in viscosity with time) during storage of the conductive paste. Therefore, conventionally, an amine-based thickening inhibitor has been added to this conductive paste in addition to a dispersant (see, for example, patent documents 1 to 4).

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

The conductive powder has been used so far with an average particle diameter of about 0.4 μm, but in recent years, those having an average particle diameter of 0.2 μm or less have been used. In addition to the conductive powder, a coexisting material formed of a ceramic fine powder having a smaller particle size is used in combination with the conductive paste for MLCCs. Therefore, aggregation of dispersed particles and increase in viscosity of the paste cannot be avoided when the conductive paste is stored for a long time, and further improvement in viscosity stability of the paste is required.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide: a conductive paste which can suppress the increase of viscosity during storage and further improve the viscosity stability.

Means for solving the problems

In the conventional conductive paste, it is necessary to use a thickening inhibitor in accordance with the properties of the conductive powder contained in the conductive paste. For example, it has been proposed to use a thickening inhibitor exhibiting a thickening inhibiting effect only for conductive powders having a narrow specific particle size range, conductive powders having a specific surface protecting agent, and the like. In contrast, the present inventors have conducted extensive studies and, as a result, have found that: the present invention has been completed by the fact that an amine compound having a very limited molecular structure is suitable as a thickening inhibitor in a conductive paste containing a conductive powder having a wide particle size range. Namely, the conductive paste disclosed herein comprises: conductive powder, a binder, a thickening inhibitor, and a dispersion medium. Furthermore, the thickening inhibitor is of the general formula: NHR ¹R²A secondary amine compound as shown. In addition, R in the formula¹、R²Independently a linear or cyclic aliphatic group having 4 to 12 carbon atoms, and R¹And R²The carbon chain in (b) does not contain an oxygen atom (O), a nitrogen atom (N) and a sulfur atom (S), thereby imparting the characteristics.

By using such a conductive paste, aggregation of the conductive powder can be suppressed, and an increase in viscosity of the paste over time can be suitably suppressed. For example, even a conductive paste containing a conductive powder having an average particle diameter of 1 μm or less can maintain high dispersibility of the conductive powder well and stably over a long period of time without limiting the specific particle diameter range thereof. It should be noted that, although details are not clear, it was confirmed that R is also the same¹、R²A secondary amine compound of 4 to 12 carbon atoms, such as R¹、R²Such a thickening-inhibiting effect cannot be obtained even when O, N, S is contained in the carbon chain, and the properties of the conductive paste may be deteriorated.

In a preferred embodiment of the conductive paste disclosed herein, R is¹And the above R²Satisfy R¹＝R². That is, the secondary amine compound may have symmetry in the molecular structure. Thus, the conductive paste having excellent viscosity stability can be realized by the secondary amine compound which is relatively easily available The agent is preferred.

In a preferred embodiment of the conductive paste disclosed herein, R is¹And the above R²All without methyl groups except the terminal. This is preferable because the maintenance of the dispersibility of the conductive powder and the effect of suppressing the thickening of the conductive paste can be achieved at a higher level.

In a preferred embodiment of the conductive paste disclosed herein, the thickening inhibitor is contained in the conductive paste at a ratio of 0.001 mass% or more and 5 mass% or less. Such a small amount of the thickening inhibitor is preferable because the above-described effects can be suitably exhibited.

In a preferred embodiment of the conductive paste disclosed herein, the conductive powder is a nickel powder. This is preferable because the conductive paste having the above characteristics can be provided at a low cost.

In a preferred embodiment of the conductive paste disclosed herein, the conductive powder has an average particle diameter of 1 μm or less. The conductive paste can suitably suppress an increase in viscosity even when it contains a conductive powder having an average particle diameter of 0.4 μm or less or when it contains a conductive powder having an average particle diameter of 0.2 μm or less, for example. When the particle diameter of the conductive powder is 1/2 at this particle diameter level, not only the specific surface area is simply 4 times, but also the activity of the surface of the particle is increased, and aggregation may become remarkable. The conductive paste disclosed herein is preferable because the effects of maintaining the dispersibility of the conductive powder and suppressing the thickening of the conductive paste can be exhibited at a high level in a wide particle diameter range.

In a preferred embodiment of the conductive paste disclosed herein, the conductive paste further contains a dielectric powder. Thus, the conductive paste can be suitably adjusted in sintering shrinkage characteristics at the time of firing. As a result, for example, a conductive paste can be suitably used for forming the internal electrode of the MLCC, and is therefore preferable.

In a preferred embodiment of the conductive paste disclosed herein, the paste further contains a 1 st powder having a 1 st average particle size and a 2 nd powder having a 2 nd average particle size. Here, the 1 st average pellet was preparedDiameter D₁As a reference, the 2 nd average particle diameter D₂Is 0.1 XD₁Above and 0.4 XD₁The following ranges. The conductive powder is constituted to include at least the powder 1. The conductive paste disclosed herein can exhibit the effects of maintaining the dispersibility of the conductive powder and suppressing thickening at a high level over a wide particle diameter range. Therefore, for example, in the range of the average particle diameter of 1 μm or less, the above-described effects can be suitably exhibited even when the 2 nd powder having a smaller average particle diameter is contained in addition to the conductive powder as the 1 st powder, and therefore, the range is preferable.

As described above, the conductive paste disclosed herein can suitably maintain the dispersibility of the conductive powder, and as a result, can suppress an increase in viscosity of the conductive paste over a long period of time. Thus, even in the case where the electrode formed using the conductive paste is extremely thin, for example, a decrease in surface flatness due to aggregation of conductive powder, unevenness in bonding structure of conductive particles, print blur due to unstable viscosity, a decrease in quality stability at the level of mass production, and the like can be suppressed. As a result, an electrode having excellent surface flatness and a uniform electrode structure such as a conductive path can be stably formed by a mass production process.

Therefore, on the other side, the technology disclosed herein provides an MLCC in which dielectric layers and internal electrode layers are laminated. The internal electrode layer is formed of a fired body of any of the above conductive pastes. In the MLCC, further thinning and stacking of dielectric layers are required. By using the conductive paste disclosed herein, the internal electrode layers disposed between such thin (for example, 1 μm or less) dielectric layers can be suitably formed to have high surface flatness and to be electrically connected and homogeneous. As a result, a small-sized, large-capacity, and high-quality MLCC in which occurrence of short circuits, cracks, and the like in the dielectric layer is suppressed can be suitably realized.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the configuration of an MLCC.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view schematically illustrating the structure of the MLCC before firing.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that matters other than the matters specifically mentioned in the present specification (for example, the constitution of the conductive paste and the properties thereof) necessary for carrying out the present invention (for example, a specific method concerning the preparation and application of the paste to a substrate, the constitution of an electronic component and the like) can be carried out based on the technical contents taught in the present specification and general technical knowledge of those skilled in the art in the field. In the present specification, the expression "a to B" indicating a numerical range means a to B.

[ conductive paste ]

The conductive paste disclosed herein contains (a) a conductive powder, (B) a thickening inhibitor, (C) a binder, and (D) a dispersion medium as main constituent components. The conductive paste is fired to eliminate (B) the thickening inhibitor, (C) the binder, and (D) the dispersion medium, and (a) the conductive powder is fired to form a conductive sintered body (typically, a layered "conductor layer"). The conductive powder (a) which constitutes the main body of the conductor layer is usually formed into a paste by being dispersed in a vehicle (vehicle) formed of a binder (C) and a dispersion medium (D), and is imparted with appropriate viscosity and fluidity. Further, the conductive paste maintains its viscosity and fluidity well by (B) the thickening inhibitor.

Here, when high accuracy is required for the shape such as the thickness and flatness of the formed conductive layer (sintered body), it is required that the conductive powder be present in a highly dispersed state in the dispersion medium. The conductive paste disclosed herein is configured as follows: even when stored for a long period of time, aggregation of the conductive powder (a) is suppressed by the action of the thickening inhibitor (B), and the dispersibility of the conductive powder (a) is maintained at a high level, whereby an increase in viscosity is suppressed. Hereinafter, each constituent component of the conductive paste will be described.

(A) Conductive powder

The conductive powder is a material mainly used for forming a conductive material (which may be a conductive layer) having high conductivity (hereinafter, simply referred to as "conductivity") such as an electrode, a lead wire, and an electrically conductive film in an electronic component or the like. Therefore, the conductive powder may be powder of various materials having desired conductivity without particular limitation. Specific examples of such a conductive material include simple substances of metals such as nickel (Ni), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), gold (Au), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), ruthenium (Ru), rhodium (Rh), osmium (Os), iridium (Ir), aluminum (Al), and tungsten (W), and alloys containing these metals. The conductive powder can be used alone in any 1 kind, can also be combined with 2 or more kinds and use.

For example, in the conductive paste used for forming the internal electrode layer of the MLCC, it is preferable to use a metal substance having a melting temperature of the conductive powder close to the sintering temperature of the dielectric layer (for example, about 1300 ℃). Examples of such metal substances include noble metals such as rhodium, platinum, palladium, copper, and gold, and base metals such as nickel. Among them, noble metals such as platinum and palladium are preferably used from the viewpoint of melting point and conductivity, and nickel is more preferably used from the viewpoint of stability and low price.

The method for producing the conductive powder and the properties such as the size and shape of the particles constituting the conductive powder are not particularly limited. For example, in consideration of firing shrinkage, it may be in the range of the minimum size of the target electrode (typically, the thickness and/or width of the electrode layer). For example, the average particle diameter of the conductive powder may be about several nm to several tens of μm, for example, about 10nm to 10 μm.

The "average particle diameter" in the present specification means, unless otherwise specified, a particle diameter (D) corresponding to a cumulative 50% in a number-based particle size distribution observed by an electron microscope₅₀). In the present specification, the particle diameter corresponding to 90% cumulative particle diameter in the number-based particle size distribution observed by an electron microscope is referred to as "90% cumulative particle diameter (D)₉₀)". The cumulative value relating to the particle size distribution is, of course, the cumulative (cumulative) value from the side where the particle size is smaller.

In addition, for example, in forming a small/large capacity MLCCFor the use of the partial electrode layer, it is important that the average particle diameter of the conductive powder is smaller than the thickness (dimension in the stacking direction) of the internal electrode layer. In other words, it is preferable that coarse particles exceeding the thickness of the internal electrode layer are not substantially contained. From the above viewpoint, for the conductive powder, as an example, the cumulative 90% particle diameter (D) is preferable ₉₀) Not more than 3 μm, more preferably not more than 1 μm, for example preferably not more than 0.5. mu.m. And, with respect to the average particle diameter (D)₅₀) It is typically 0.5 μm or less, preferably 0.3 μm or less, more preferably 0.25 μm or less, and for example, may be 0.2 μm or less. If the average particle diameter is not more than a predetermined value, the conductor layer can be stably formed. In addition, the surface roughness of the formed conductor layer can be suitably suppressed. For example, the arithmetic average roughness Ra can be suppressed to a level of 5nm or less.

The lower limit of the average particle diameter of the conductive powder is not limited, and may be, for example, 0.005 μm or more, and may be substantially 0.01 μm or more, typically 0.05 μm or more, preferably 0.1 μm or more, and may be, for example, 0.12 μm or more. By preventing the average particle diameter from being too small, the surface energy (activity) of the particles constituting the conductive powder can be suppressed, and aggregation of the particles in the conductive paste can be suppressed. Further, the density of the paste coating layer can be increased, and a conductive layer having high conductivity and high density can be formed suitably.

The specific surface area of the conductive powder is not particularly limited, and is approximately 10m²A concentration of 1 to 8m, preferably²A value of/g, for example, 2 to 6m ²(ii) in terms of/g. This can suitably suppress aggregation in the paste, and can further improve the homogeneity, dispersibility, and storage stability of the paste. In addition, a conductor layer having excellent conductivity can be more stably realized.

The shape of the conductive powder is not particularly limited. For example, the shape of the conductive powder in the conductive paste for forming part of the electrodes such as the MLCC internal electrode may be spherical or substantially spherical. The average aspect ratio of the conductive powder may typically be 1 to 2, preferably 1 to 1.5. This makes it possible to maintain the viscosity of the paste low, and to improve the handling properties of the paste and the workability in film formation for forming a conductive layer. In addition, the homogeneity of the paste can be improved.

The term "aspect ratio" as used herein refers to a ratio (b/a) of a length (b) of a long side to a length (a) of a short side when a rectangle circumscribing particles constituting the powder is drawn. The average aspect ratio is the arithmetic average of the aspect ratios obtained for 100 particles.

The content ratio of the conductive powder is not particularly limited, and may be about 30 mass% or more, typically 40 to 95 mass%, for example 45 to 60 mass% when the entire conductive paste is 100 mass%. By satisfying the above range, a conductive layer having high conductivity and high density can be suitably realized. In addition, the paste can be improved in handling properties and workability in film formation.

(A') dielectric powder

The conductive paste disclosed herein may contain (a') a dielectric powder as a component mainly constituting the conductor layer after firing, in addition to the conductive powder (a). The dielectric powder is, for example, the following components: the sintering of the conductive powder at low temperature can be suppressed or the thermal shrinkage rate and the sintering shrinkage course can be adjusted during the sintering of the conductive paste. The dielectric powder may have various functions, but in particular, the dielectric powder contained in the conductive paste for the internal electrode layer of the MLCC is preferably a composition common to or similar to the dielectric layer, and functions as a coexisting material for improving the sintering bondability between the dielectric layer and the internal electrode layer.

The dielectric constant of the dielectric powder is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected depending on the intended use. For example, the dielectric powder used in the conductive paste for forming the internal electrode layer of the MLCC of the high dielectric constant system typically has a relative dielectric constant of 100 or more, preferably 1000 or more, for example, about 1000 to 20000. The composition of the dielectric powder is not particularly limited, and 1 or 2 or more kinds of the dielectric powder can be suitably used depending on the application from among various inorganic materials. Specific examples of the dielectric powder include barium titanate and titanic acid ABO such as strontium, calcium titanate, magnesium titanate, bismuth titanate, zirconium titanate, zinc titanate, barium magnesium niobate, and calcium zirconate₃A metal oxide having a perovskite structure; typical examples of the metal oxide include other metal oxides such as titanium dioxide (rutile), titanium pentoxide, hafnium oxide, zirconium oxide, aluminum oxide, forsterite, niobium oxide, barium titanate, and rare earth oxide. In the paste for internal electrode layer use, the dielectric powder may be, for example, barium titanate (BaTiO)₃) Calcium zirconate (CaZrO)₃) And the like are suitably constituted. On the other hand, a dielectric material (further, an insulating material) having a relative dielectric constant of less than 100 may be used.

The shape of the particles constituting the dielectric powder, for example, the size and shape of the particles, is not particularly limited as long as the particles are within the minimum size (typically, the thickness and/or width of the electrode layer) of the cross section of the electrode layer. The average particle diameter of the dielectric powder can be appropriately selected depending on, for example, the application of the paste, the size (fineness) of the electrode layer, and the like. From the viewpoint of easily ensuring a predetermined conductivity with respect to the target conductive layer, the average particle diameter of the dielectric powder is preferably smaller than the average particle diameter of the conductive powder. The average particle diameter of the dielectric powder is defined as D ₂The average particle diameter of the conductive powder is D₁When D is₁And D₂D is generally preferred₁>D₂More preferably D₂≤0.5×D₁More preferably D₂≤0.4×D₁For example, D may be₂≤0.3×D₁. Further, the average particle diameter D of the dielectric powder₂If the amount is too small, aggregation of the dielectric powder is likely to occur, which is not preferable. In the above aspect, as a rough target, 0.05 XD is preferable₁≤D₂More preferably 0.1 XD₁≤D₂For example, it may be D₂≤0.15×D₁. For example, the average particle diameter of the dielectric powder may be approximately several nm to several tens of μm, for example, 10nm to 10 μm, and preferably 0.3 μm or less. For example, in the conductive paste for forming the internal electrode layer of the MLCC, the average particle diameter of the dielectric powder may be approximately several nm to several hundred nm, for example, 10 to 100 nm.

The dielectric powder is an example of the powder 2 of the present invention, and the average particle diameter D of the dielectric powder₂The average particle size 2 is an example.

The content ratio of the dielectric powder is not particularly limited. For example, in the application of forming the internal electrode layer of the MLCC, the conductive paste may be substantially 1 to 20 mass%, for example, 3 to 15 mass% when the whole amount is 100 mass%. The ratio of the dielectric powder to 100 parts by mass of the conductive powder may be, for example, approximately 3 to 35 parts by mass, preferably 5 to 30 parts by mass, for example, 10 to 25 parts by mass. This makes it possible to appropriately suppress low-temperature firing of the conductive powder and to improve the conductivity, density, and the like of the conductor layer after firing.

(B) Thickening inhibitor

In the technique disclosed herein, the conductive paste contains a thickening inhibitor for inhibiting the viscosity thereof from increasing over time. The thickening inhibitor is a component that improves the aggregation resistance of the powder in the conductive paste and is advantageous for improving the storage stability. The thickening inhibitor is composed of a secondary amine compound having a specific molecular structure. The secondary amine compound is represented by the general formula: NHR¹R²Expressed as ammonia (NH)₃) With hydrocarbon-containing functional groups R for 2 hydrogen atoms (H)¹And R²A compound having a substituted structure. Here, R¹And R²Independently a linear or cyclic aliphatic group having 4 to 12 carbon atoms. R¹And R²Saturated aliphatic groups may be preferred.

In addition, R is¹And R²The carbon chain in (A) does not contain an oxygen atom (O), a nitrogen atom (N) and a sulfur atom (S). In other words, R¹And R²The carbon skeleton of (2) is constituted by direct bonding of carbon atom (C), and does not contain a bond via a hetero atom such as O, N, S. Thus, the secondary amine compounds disclosed herein do not contain ether or ester bonds. In addition, the secondary amine compound disclosed herein preferably does not contain a hydroxyl group, a carbonyl group, a carboxyl group, a nitro group, an amino group, a sulfo group, or the like at the terminal. Although not clear in detail, in the case where the carbon chain contains such a hetero atom, The thickening property of the conductive paste may be rather high, which is not preferable. In addition, although the details are not clear, for the above secondary amine compound, R is¹And R²The conductive paste may have an alicyclic structure, but when it includes a branched structure, it is not preferable because the thickening property of the conductive paste tends to be increased. Thus, for example, R¹And R²All free of methyl (CH) except for terminal₃) May be a preferred solution.

The specific action of the thickening inhibitor is not clear, but the conductive paste can exhibit the following effects by including the thickening inhibitor composed of the specific secondary amine: the conductive powder (and the dielectric powder, if contained) is prevented from aggregating in the paste, and the viscosity of the paste is suitably prevented from increasing. According to the study of the inventors, for example, as shown in the embodiment described later, even when the conductive paste is stored under a condition that easily causes aggregation of powder such as being left to stand at a high temperature of 40 ℃ for 15 days, the increase rate of the viscosity of the conductive paste is suppressed to approximately 50% or less, typically 30% or less, preferably 20% or less, more preferably 15% or less, further preferably 10% or less, and particularly preferably 5% or less.

Specific examples of such secondary amine compounds include dialkylamines such as dibutylamine, dipentylamine, dihexylamine, diheptylamine, dioctylamine, dinonylamine, didecylamine, diundecylamine, and didodecylamine; alkylamines such as butylpentylamine, butylhexylamine, butylheptylamine, butyloctylamine, butylnonylamine, butyldecylamine, butylundecylamine, butyldodecylamine, pentylhexylamine, pentylheptylamine, pentyloctylamine, pentylnonylamine, pentyldecylamine, pentylundecylamine, pentyldodecylamine, hexylheptylamine, hexyloctylamine, hexylnonylamine, hexyldecylamine, hexylundecylamine, hexyldodecylamine, heptyloctylamine, heptylnonylamine, heptyldecylamine, heptylundecylamine, heptyldodecylamine, octylnonylamine, octyldecylamine, octylundecylamine, octyldodecylamine, nonyldecylamine, nonyldodecylamine, decylenecylamine, decylenecyldodecylamine, undecyldodecylamine; dicycloalkylamines such as dicyclobutylamine, dicyclopentylamine, dicyclohexylamine, bicycloheptylamine, bicyclooctylamine, bicyclononylamine, bicyclodecylamine, bicyclopentylamine, and bicyclopentylamine; alkylcycloalkylamines such as cyclohexylbutylamine, cyclohexylpentylamine, cyclohexylhexylamine, heptylcyclohexylamine, octylcyclohexylamine, nonylcyclohexylamine and cyclopentylcyclohexylamine, and the like. In addition, the secondary amine compound may be similar compounds and derivatives of the above-mentioned compounds. These secondary amine compounds may be contained in any 1 kind alone, or may be contained in a combination of 2 or more kinds. This can more suitably improve the dispersion stability of the powder in the paste.

The ratio of the thickening inhibitor contained in the conductive paste depends on the form, average particle diameter, and the like of the conductive powder, and therefore, cannot be limited in a general way. The thickening inhibitor can exert a thickening inhibiting effect by being contained in a small amount in the conductive paste, for example. In order to more reliably exhibit the thickening-inhibiting effect, for example, the thickening-inhibiting agent may be 0.001 mass% or more, preferably 0.01 mass% or more, more preferably 0.05 mass% or more, and still more preferably 0.1 mass% or more, when the whole conductive paste is 100 mass%. Even if the thickening inhibitor is excessively added, the viscosity increase cannot be suppressed in accordance with the addition, and the paste properties may be deteriorated. Although not particularly limited, the amount of the thickening inhibitor to be added may be, for example, 10 mass% or less, 5 mass% or less, and 3 mass% or less. This can suppress aggregation of powder in the paste and effectively suppress an increase in viscosity with time even when the conductive paste is left to stand. As a result, for example, when the conductive paste is supplied to the base material by printing or the like, the viscosity change of the conductive paste in the supply device can be suitably suppressed for a long period of time. In addition, when the conductive paste is stored in an environment of low temperature, normal temperature, or high temperature, the viscosity change of the conductive paste can be suitably suppressed.

(B') other additives

The conductive paste disclosed herein may contain various organic additives known to be used for general conductive pastes in addition to the thickening inhibitor, within a range that does not significantly impair the effects of the technology disclosed herein. Such organic additives include, for example, a dispersant, a leveling agent, an antifoaming agent, a thickener, a plasticizer, a pH adjuster, a stabilizer, an antioxidant, a preservative, a colorant (a pigment, a dye, etc.), and the like. For example, when a powder such as a conductive powder or a dielectric powder is used as a main component constituting the conductor layer, such nanoparticles aggregate during the paste preparation and immediately after the paste preparation unless a special surface treatment or the like is performed. This tendency is more remarkable in the case of using nanoparticles having an average particle diameter of less than about 1 μm, ultrafine particles (for example, powder having an average particle diameter of 0.5 μm or less) having a possibility of remarkably increasing surface activity as a conductive powder, and the like. Therefore, the conductive paste disclosed herein may preferably contain a dispersant as other additives.

The dispersant comprises the following components: when the powder is dispersed in the dispersion medium, the aggregation of particles constituting the powder is suppressed, and the particles are uniformly dispersed in the dispersion medium. The dispersant has the following functions: directly adsorbed on the solid surface of the particles to stabilize the solid-liquid interface between the particles and the dispersion medium. The dispersant is preferably burned out when the conductive paste is fired. In other words, the decomposition temperature of the dispersant is preferably sufficiently lower than the firing temperature of the conductive paste (typically 600 ℃ or lower).

The kind of the dispersant is not particularly limited, and 1 or 2 or more kinds of dispersants can be used as necessary from known various dispersants. Typically, one having sufficient compatibility with a carrier (a mixture of a binder and a dispersion medium) described later can be suitably selected and used. The dispersant may be classified into various types, and the dispersant may be any of a so-called surfactant type dispersant, a polymer type dispersant, an inorganic type dispersant, and the like. These dispersants may be anionic, cationic, amphoteric, or nonionic. In other words, the dispersant is a compound having at least 1 functional group of an anionic group, a cationic group, an amphoteric group, and a nonionic group in a molecular structure, and typically may be a compound in which the functional group is directly adsorbed on the solid surface of the particle. The surfactant is an amphiphilic substance having a molecular structure including a hydrophilic site and a lipophilic site, and having a chemical structure in which these sites are covalently bonded to each other.

As the dispersant, surface active agent type dispersants, for example, specifically, there can be mentioned: a dispersant mainly composed of an alkylsulfonate, a dispersant mainly composed of a quaternary ammonium salt, a dispersant mainly composed of an alkylene oxide compound, a dispersant mainly composed of a polyol ester compound, a dispersant mainly composed of an alkylpolyamine compound, and the like. Examples of the polymeric dispersant include: a dispersant mainly composed of a fatty acid salt such as a carboxylic acid, a dispersant mainly composed of an alkylamine salt of a polycarboxylic acid, a dispersant mainly composed of a partial alkyl ester compound of a polycarboxylic acid having an alkyl ester bond in a part of the polycarboxylic acid, a dispersant mainly composed of a sulfonic acid compound such as polystyrene sulfonate, polyisoprene sulfonate, naphthalene sulfonate, or naphthalene sulfonate formaldehyde condensate, a dispersant mainly composed of a hydrophilic polymer such as polyethylene glycol, a dispersant mainly composed of a poly (meth) acrylic compound such as poly (meth) acrylate or poly (meth) acrylamide, a dispersant mainly composed of a polyether compound, a dispersant mainly composed of a polyalkylene polyamine, and the like. Examples of the inorganic dispersant include: the dispersing agent mainly comprises phosphates such as orthophosphate, metaphosphate, polyphosphate, pyrophosphate, tripolyphosphate, hexametaphosphate and organic phosphate, iron salts such as ferric sulfate, ferrous sulfate, ferric chloride and ferrous chloride, aluminum salts such as aluminum sulfate, polyaluminum chloride and sodium aluminate, and calcium salts such as calcium sulfate, calcium hydroxide and calcium hydrogen phosphate. In the case of preparing a conductive paste containing finer powder at a higher concentration, for example, a polymer type dispersant having an excellent function of effectively reducing the interaction between particles and improving dispersion stability is suitably used without being limited to these.

The organic additive may be contained in any 1 kind alone, or may be contained in combination of 2 or more kinds. Moreover, the content of the organic additive may be appropriately adjusted within a range that does not significantly hinder the properties of the conductive paste disclosed herein. For example, the organic additive may be contained in an appropriate ratio depending on the properties and the purpose of the organic additive. Generally, for example, the dispersant is generally contained at a rate of about 5% by mass or less, for example, 3% by mass or less, typically 1% by mass or less, and about 0.01% by mass or more, relative to the total mass of the powder components. It is not preferable to contain components that inhibit the sinterability of the conductive powder and the inorganic powder, or additives that inhibit these components. From the above-described viewpoint, when the organic additive is contained, the total content of these components is preferably about 10% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 3% by mass or less of the entire conductive paste.

(C) Binder

The binder functions as a binder in the conductive paste disclosed herein. The binder typically facilitates the bonding of the powder contained in the conductive paste to the substrate, and the bonding of the particles constituting the powder to each other. The binder functions as a liquid phase medium (also referred to as a carrier) in cooperation with a dispersion medium described later. This improves the viscosity of the conductive paste, allows the powder component to be uniformly and stably suspended in the carrier, imparts fluidity to the powder, and contributes to improvement in handling properties. The binder is a component which is supposed to disappear by baking. Therefore, the binder is preferably a compound that burns out when the conductor film is fired. Typically it is preferred that the temperature is not dependent on the atmosphere and that the decomposition temperature is 500 ℃ or less. The composition and the like of the binder are not particularly limited, and various known organic compounds used for such applications can be suitably used.

Examples of such a binder include organic polymer compounds such as rosin-based resins, cellulose-based resins, polyvinyl alcohol-based resins, polyvinyl acetal-based resins, acrylic resins, urethane-based resins, epoxy-based resins, phenolic resins, polyester-based resins, and vinyl-based resins. Depending on the combination with the solvent used, for example, as a binder of a conductive paste containing an inorganic oxide powder and having a firing temperature at a relatively high temperature, suitable are: cellulose resins, polyvinyl alcohol resins, polyvinyl acetal resins, acrylic resins, and the like.

The cellulose-based resin is preferable because it contributes to improvement of dispersibility of the inorganic oxide powder, and when the conductive paste is applied to printing or the like, the printed body (wiring film) has excellent shape characteristics and adaptability to printing work. The cellulose-based resin refers to a polymer containing at least β -glucose as a repeating unit and all derivatives thereof. Typically, the compound may be a compound in which a part or all of the hydroxyl groups in the β -glucose structure as the repeating unit are substituted with alkoxy groups, or a derivative thereof. A part or all of the alkyl group or the aryl group (R) in the alkoxy group (RO-) may be substituted with an ester group such as a carboxyl group, a nitro group, a halogen, or another organic group. Specific examples of the cellulose-based resin include methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, propyloxy cellulose, hydroxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl ethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, carboxyethyl cellulose, carboxypropyl cellulose, carboxyethyl methyl cellulose, cellulose acetate phthalate, and nitrocellulose.

The polyvinyl alcohol resin is preferable because it provides good dispersibility of the inorganic oxide powder and is soft, and therefore, when the conductive paste is applied to printing or the like, the printed body (wiring film) is excellent in adhesion, printability, and the like. The polyvinyl alcohol resin means a polymer containing at least a vinyl alcohol structure as a repeating unit and all of derivatives thereof. Typically, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) having a structure obtained by polymerizing vinyl alcohol, a polyvinyl acetal resin obtained by acetalizing such PVA with alcohol, and derivatives thereof are used. Among these, a polyvinyl butyral resin (PVB) having a structure in which PVA is acetalized with butanol is more preferable because the shape characteristics of a printed matter can be improved. Further, these polyvinyl acetal resins may be copolymers (including graft copolymerization) in which polyvinyl acetal is used as a main monomer and a secondary monomer having copolymerizability is contained in the main monomer. Examples of the auxiliary monomer include ethylene, esters, (meth) acrylic acid esters, and vinyl acetate. The ratio of acetalization in the polyvinyl acetal resin is not particularly limited, and is preferably 50% or more, for example.

The acrylic resin is preferably rich in adhesiveness and flexibility, and has less baking residue regardless of the baking atmosphere. The acrylic resin refers to, for example, a polymer containing at least an alkyl (meth) acrylate as a constituent monomer component and all derivatives thereof. Typically, it may be a homopolymer containing 100% by mass of an alkyl (meth) acrylate as a constituent monomer component; and copolymers (including graft copolymers) in which an alkyl (meth) acrylate is used as a main monomer and a copolymerizable auxiliary monomer is contained in the main monomer. Examples of the auxiliary monomer include 2-hydroxyethyl (meth) acrylate, dimethylaminoethyl (meth) acrylate, vinyl alcohol monomers, and copolymerizable monomers into which a dialkylamino group, a carboxyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, or the like has been introduced. Specific examples of the acrylic resin include poly (meth) acrylic acid, vinyl chloride/acrylic graft copolymer resin, vinyl acetal/acrylic graft copolymer resin, and the like. In the present specification, the expression "(meth) acrylate" and the like is used as a term collectively indicating acrylate and/or methacrylate.

Any 1 kind of the above-mentioned binder may be used, or 2 or more kinds may be used in combination. In addition, any 2 or more of the above-mentioned monomer components of the resin may be copolymerized and used, even if not explicitly described. In addition, the content of the binder is not particularly limited. The content of the binder may be, for example, 0.5 parts by mass or more, preferably 1 part by mass or more, more preferably 1.5 parts by mass or more, for example, 2 parts by mass or more, per 100 parts by mass of the conductive powder, in order to favorably adjust the properties of the conductive paste and the properties of the paste-printed material (including the dried film). On the other hand, since the binder resin may increase the amount of the baking residue, an excessive content is not preferable. From the above viewpoint, the content of the binder may be 10 parts by mass or less, preferably 7 parts by mass or less, more preferably 5 parts by mass or less, for example 4 parts by mass or less, with respect to 100 parts by mass of the conductive powder.

(D) Dispersion medium

The dispersion medium is a medium for forming the powder contained in the conductive paste into a dispersed state, and is an element for imparting excellent fluidity while maintaining the dispersibility, for example. The dispersion medium functions as a liquid phase medium (also referred to as a carrier) in cooperation with the binder. The dispersion medium is also a component on the premise that the dispersion medium disappears by firing. The dispersion medium is not particularly limited, and an organic solvent used in the conductive paste can be suitably used. For example, the organic solvent may be used in combination with a binder, but from the viewpoint of film formation stability, a high boiling point organic solvent having a boiling point of about 180 ℃ or higher and about 300 ℃ or lower, for example, about 200 ℃ or higher and about 250 ℃ or lower may be used as the main component (component accounting for 50% by volume or higher).

Specific examples of the dispersion medium include alcohol solvents such as sclareol, citronellol, phytol, geranyl linalool, TEXANOL, benzyl alcohol, phenoxyethanol, 1-phenoxy-2-propanol, terpineol, dihydroterpineol, isoborneol, butyl carbitol, and diethylene glycol; ester-based solvents such as terpineol acetate, dihydroterpineol acetate, isobornyl acetate, carbitol acetate, menthol acetate, and diethylene glycol monobutyl ether acetate; mineral spirits, and the like. Among them, ester-based solvents can be preferably used.

The ratio of the dispersion medium (C) in the conductive paste is not particularly limited, and may be about 70 mass% or less, typically 5 to 60 mass%, for example 30 to 50 mass% when the entire paste is 100 mass%. By satisfying the above range, the paste can be provided with appropriate fluidity, and the workability in film formation can be improved. Further, the self-leveling property of the paste can be improved, and a conductor film having a smoother surface can be realized.

The conductive paste can be prepared by mixing the above-mentioned constituent components at a predetermined ratio, uniformly mixing and kneading the components. In the mixing, the respective constituent materials may be mixed at the same time, but for example, the binder (C) and the dispersion medium (D) may be mixed in advance to prepare a carrier, and then the carrier may be mixed with the powder (a) such as the conductive powder and the thickening inhibitor (B). In addition, when other additives are added, the timing of addition is not particularly limited. The mixing of these raw materials can be carried out by using, for example, a known stirring and mixing device. Examples of such a device include a three-roll mill, a planetary mixer, and a disperser. The conductive paste can be supplied to the substrate by, for example, a printing method such as screen printing, gravure printing, offset printing, and inkjet printing, a spray coating method, a dip coating method, or the like. In particular, when forming the internal electrode layer of the MLCC, a gravure printing method, a screen printing method, or the like, which enables high-speed printing, can be suitably used.

[ use ]

As described above, the conductive paste disclosed herein has a low viscosity increase rate (e.g., 50% or less, typically 30% or less) even when stored under conditions that easily cause aggregation of powder, such as storage after standing for 15 days in a thermostat at 40 ℃. In other words, the conductive paste has excellent long-term storage properties after the preparation of the paste, and for example, a large amount of paste can be prepared at a time and used for a long time in a mass production process. Such characteristics are not only related to the storability of the conductor layer formed using the conductive paste, but also to the stability of printability, and are advantageous for improving the homogeneity such as the thickness and density of the conductor layer. Therefore, the paste disclosed herein can be preferably used for applications in which homogeneity, surface smoothness, and the like of the conductor layer are particularly required. Typical applications include formation of electrode layers in laminated ceramic electronic components. The conductive paste disclosed herein can be suitably used for forming internal electrode layers of a small MLCC having sides of 5mm or less, for example, 1mm or less. The method is particularly suitable for forming an internal electrode of a small-sized large-capacity MLCC with a dielectric layer having a thickness of 1 μm or less.

In the present specification, the term "ceramic electronic component" generally refers to an electronic component having a crystalline ceramic substrate or an amorphous ceramic (glass ceramic) substrate. For example, chip inductors including ceramic substrates, High-frequency filters, ceramic capacitors, High-Temperature-fired laminated ceramic (HTCC) substrates, Low-Temperature-fired laminated ceramic (LTCC) substrates, and the like are typical examples of the "ceramic electronic components" referred to herein.

Examples of the ceramic material constituting the ceramic substrate include barium titanate (BaTiO)₃) Zirconium oxide (zirconia: ZrO (ZrO)₂) Magnesium oxide (magnesium oxide: MgO), aluminum oxide (alumina: al (Al)₂O₃) Silica (silica: SiO 2₂) Zinc oxide (ZnO), titanium oxide (titanium oxide: TiO 2₂) Cerium oxide (cerium oxide: CeO (CeO)₂) Yttrium oxide (yttrium oxide: y is₂O₃) Oxide-based materials; cordierite (2 MgO.2Al)₂O₃·5SiO₂) Mullite (3 Al)₂O₃·2SiO₂) Forsterite (2 MgO. SiO)₂) Talc (MgO. SiO)₂) Sialon (Si)₃N₄-AlN-Al₂O₃) Zircon (ZrO)₂·SiO₂) Ferrite (M)₂O·Fe₂O₃) And composite oxide-based materials; silicon nitride (silicon nitride: Si) ₃N₄) Aluminum nitride (aluminum nitride: AlN), boron nitride (boron nitride: BN) and the like; silicon carbide (silicon carbide: SiC), boron carbide (boron carbide: B)₄C) An isocarbide-based material; hydroxide-based materials such as hydroxyapatite; and the like. These may be contained in the form of a mixture of 1 kind alone or 2 or more kinds mixed together, or in the form of a composite of 2 or more kinds combined together.

[ laminated ceramic capacitor ]

Fig. 1 is a sectional view schematically showing a laminated ceramic capacitor (MLCC) 1. The MLCC1 is a chip-type capacitor in which a plurality of dielectric layers 20 and internal electrode layers 30 are alternately and integrally stacked. A pair of external electrodes 40 are provided on the side surfaces of the laminate sheet 10 formed of the dielectric layers 20 and the internal electrode layers 30. For example, the internal electrode layers 30 are alternately connected to different external electrodes 40 in the order of lamination. Thus, a small-sized large-capacity MLCC1 having a capacitor structure formed by the dielectric layers 20 and the pair of internal electrode layers 30 sandwiched therebetween in parallel can be constructed. The dielectric layer 20 of the MLCC1 is comprised of ceramic. The internal electrode layer 30 is constituted by a fired body of the conductive paste disclosed herein. Such MLCC1 can be suitably manufactured, for example, according to the following steps.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an unfired laminate sheet 10 (unfired laminate 10'). In manufacturing the MLCC1, first, a ceramic green sheet as a base material is prepared. Here, for example, a paste for forming a dielectric layer is prepared by mixing ceramic powder as a dielectric material, a binder, an organic solvent, and the like. Next, the prepared paste is supplied in a thin layer on a carrier sheet by a doctor blade method or the like, thereby preparing a plurality of unfired ceramic green sheets 20'.

Next, the conductive paste disclosed herein was prepared. Specifically, at least the conductive powder (a), the thickening inhibitor (B), the binder (C), and the dispersion medium (D) are prepared, mixed at a predetermined ratio, and uniformly mixed to prepare a conductive paste. Then, the prepared paste is supplied onto the prepared ceramic green sheet 20 'to have a predetermined pattern and a desired thickness (for example, 1 μm or less), thereby forming a conductive paste coating layer 30'. The conductive paste disclosed herein can suppress an increase in viscosity with time. Therefore, in mass production of MLCCs, even if the conductive paste coating layer 30 'is continuously formed (printed) on the ceramic green sheet 20' for a long time, the properties of the conductive paste are stabilized, and thus the printing quality can be stabilized well.

The prepared ceramic green sheet 20 'with the coating layer 30' is stacked and pressure bonded in plural (for example, several hundreds to several thousands) sheets. The laminated pressure-bonded body is cut into a sheet shape as needed. This can provide an unfired laminate 10'. Next, the fabricated unfired laminate 10' is fired under appropriate heating conditions (e.g., at a temperature of about 1000 to 1300 ℃ in an atmosphere containing a nitrogen gas). Thereby, the ceramic green sheet 20 'and the conductive paste coating layer 30' are fired simultaneously. The ceramic green sheet is fired into the dielectric layer 20. The conductive paste coating layer 30' is fired into the internal electrode layer 30. The dielectric layer 20 and the electrode layer 30 are integrally sintered to obtain a sintered body (laminated sheet 10). Before the above-mentioned firing, a binder removal treatment (for example, a heat treatment at a temperature lower than the firing temperature, for example, about 250 to 700 ℃ C.) may be performed to remove the thickening inhibitor, the binder, the dispersion medium, and the like. After that, an external electrode material is applied to the side surface of the laminate sheet 10 and sintered, thereby forming the external electrode 40. Thus, MLCC1 can be manufactured.

The following description will be made of several embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments described above.

[ embodiment 1]

Ni powder having an average particle size of 0.18 μm and barium titanate powder having an average particle size of 0.05 μm were dispersed in a carrier together with a dispersant and a thickening inhibitor, and kneaded by a three-roll mill to prepare conductive pastes of examples 1 to 13.

The carrier may be prepared by mixing a binder with an organic solvent and then treating the mixture at 100 ℃ for about 5 hours with stirring. Ethyl cellulose was used as a binder, isobornyl acetate was used as an organic solvent, a carboxylic acid-based dispersant was used as a dispersant, and a secondary amine shown in table 1 below was used as a thickening inhibitor. The formulation of each component in the conductive paste was as follows: ni powder: 50 mass%, barium titanate powder: 12.5 mass% (25 mass% of Ni powder), binder: 2.0 mass%, carboxylic acid-based dispersant: 0.64 mass%, secondary amine: 0.5% by mass and the balance solvent were kept constant.

In table 1, the secondary amines used in the conductive pastes of the respective examples are shown together with a schematic formula or structural formula showing the structure, molecular weight, and other structural features. Regarding structural features, the chemical structure of (a) a secondary amine is shown: NHR ¹R²R in (1)¹And R²Whether or not they are the same (R)¹＝R²) (B) functional group R¹、R²In (C) is a carbon number of N_CAnd (C) a functional group R¹Or R²The number N of more methyl groups present in_CH3. The symbol ". smallcircle" in the column (A) means R¹And R²The same is true.

[ accelerated viscosity increase Rate ]

The conductive pastes of the respective examples were stored while being left standing at a thermostat of 40 ℃ for 15 days, and the viscosity increase rate before and after storage was examined. The viscosity of the conductive paste was measured as follows: measured at room temperature (25 ℃) with a digital rotational viscometer (DV-IIIULTRA, manufactured by Brookfield Co., Ltd.) using a spindle "SC 4-14" and a sample chamber "SC 4-6R" at a rotation speed of 100 rpm. The viscosity increase rate was calculated based on the following formula, and the results are shown in table 1.

Viscosity increase rate (%) (viscosity after storage-viscosity before storage) ÷ viscosity before storage × 100

[ Table 1]

TABLE 1

As shown in table 1, it can be seen that by using the general formula: NHR¹R²A secondary amine shown, and R¹And R²Both of these are linear or cyclic saturated hydrocarbon groups, and the one having 4 or more carbon atoms is used as a thickening inhibitor, whereby the increase in viscosity of the conductive paste can be suppressed. Specifically, for example, when ultrafine powder comprising Ni powder having an average particle diameter of 0.18 μm and barium titanate powder having an average particle diameter of 0.05 μm is used as the main paste material, the viscosity increase rate after 15 days at high temperature can be suppressed to 50% or less, typically 30% or less. From this, it is understood that according to the technology disclosed herein, a conductive paste having excellent dispersion stability can be obtained even when stored for a long time.

In contrast, it was confirmed that R was used even for a secondary amine¹And R²In the case of the C3 dipropylamine compound of (2), the structure is simple and the compound is classified intoThe effect of suppressing the increase in viscosity cannot be sufficiently obtained even when the amount of the compound is small.

In addition, it is clear that R is used¹And R²When dibutylamine, which is a secondary amine having 4 carbon atoms, is used as the dispersant, R is¹And R²In the case of straight-chain n-dibutylamine, the increase in viscosity can be suppressed to 15.2% with a very low degree of decrease in the viscosity, and R can be used¹And R²The viscosity increase rate in the case of the branched di (sec-butyl) amine was 52.2%, which could not be suppressed to 50% or less, for example, and the viscosity increase rate in the case of the di (isobutyl) amine was 129.4%, which was the highest value in the present embodiment.

Further, use of R¹And R²In the case of branched di (2-ethylhexyl) amine having a carbon chain length, the viscosity increase rate was 117.6%, which was the highest value of 2 in all the examples. From this, R is¹And R²In the case of a branched chain, it is difficult to suppress the thickening of the conductive paste with time.

On the other hand, it is known that R is used¹And R²In the case of dicyclohexylamine containing a ring structure, the viscosity increase rate is suppressed to 24.7% to a low level even if R is¹And R²The thickening suppressing effect can be obtained also in a bulky structure. For example, R is envisioned ¹And R²The terminal (C) or the terminal having a small methyl group is preferable.

Although not specifically shown, it is understood from the above that the secondary amine can be used as a thickening inhibitor (viscosity stabilizer) for the conductive paste by appropriately selecting the structure of the secondary amine.

[ embodiment 2]

The conductive pastes of examples 14 to 31 were prepared by dispersing Ni powder and barium titanate powder in an organic solvent together with a binder, a dispersant and a thickening inhibitor and kneading the mixture by a three-roll mill.

Ethyl cellulose was used as a binder, isobornyl acetate was used as an organic solvent, a carboxylic acid-based dispersant was used as a dispersant, and amine-based compounds shown in table 2 below were used as a thickening inhibitor. The formulation of each component in the conductive paste was as follows: ni powder: 50 mass%, barium titanate powder: 12.5 mass% (25 mass% of Ni powder), binder: 2.0 mass%, carboxylic acid-based dispersant: 0.9 mass%, amine compound: see table 2 below, with the remainder solvent.

Examples 14 to 20

In the conductive pastes of examples 14 to 20, as the Ni powder and the barium titanate powder, powders having average particle diameters of 0.18 μm and 0.05 μm were used, respectively, in the same manner as in embodiment 1. N-dibutylamine was used as the amine compound, and the amount of n-dibutylamine added was varied from 0 mass% to 2.00 mass% as shown in table 2 below.

Examples 21 to 23

In the conductive pastes of examples 21 to 23, relatively coarse powders having average particle diameters of 0.4 μm and 0.10 μm were used as the Ni powder and the barium titanate powder, respectively. N-dibutylamine was used as the amine compound, and the amount of n-dibutylamine added was varied from 0.50 to 2.00 mass% as shown in table 2 below.

Examples 24 to 28

In the conductive pastes of examples 24 to 28, as the Ni powder and the barium titanate powder, powders having average particle diameters of 0.18 μm and 0.05 μm were used, respectively, in the same manner as in embodiment 1. Further, as the amine compound, bis (2-methoxyethyl) amine was used in example 24, bis (2-ethoxyethyl) amine was used in example 25, and tributylamine was used in examples 26 to 28, and the blending amounts thereof were set as shown in table 2. In addition, the reference symbol of the amount of blending in examples 24, 25, 26 and 29 indicates that the amount of blending is in molar equivalent to 0.5 mass% of dibutylamine. In addition, the bis (2-methoxyethyl) amine and bis (2-ethoxyethyl) amine used in examples 24 to 28 are represented by R¹And R²Wherein the amine compound having an ether bond is tributylamine.

Examples 29 to 31

In the conductive pastes of examples 29 to 31, relatively coarse powders having average particle diameters of 0.4 μm and 0.10 μm were used as the Ni powder and the barium titanate powder, respectively. The same tributylamines as in examples 26-28 were used as the amine compounds.

[ accelerated viscosity increase Rate ]

The viscosity increase rate of each conductive paste was examined as in the first embodiment. That is, the conductive pastes of the respective examples were stored while being left standing in a thermostat at 40 ℃ for 15 days, and the viscosity increase rate before and after the storage was examined. The viscosity of the conductive paste was measured as follows: the measurement was carried out at room temperature (25 ℃) using a digital rotational viscometer (DV-III ULTRA, manufactured by Brookfield Co., Ltd.) and a spindle "SC 4-14" and a sample chamber "SC 4-6R" at a rotation speed of 100 rpm. The viscosity increase rate was calculated based on the following formula, and the results are shown in table 2.

Viscosity increase rate (%) (viscosity after storage-viscosity before storage) ÷ viscosity before storage × 100

[ Table 2]

TABLE 2

As shown in examples 14 to 20, it was confirmed that: the viscosity increase rate was as high as 74.5% in example 14 in which no amine-based thickening inhibitor was added, and the viscosity increase rate was suitably suppressed to 16.2% or less, for example, about 2.5% in examples 15 to 20 in which an amine-based thickening inhibitor was added. As shown in example 15, it can be seen that: even if the amount of the amine-based thickening inhibitor added is 0.01 mass% relative to the conductive paste, the thickening inhibiting effect can be sufficiently obtained. It is also understood that although an error is observed in example 17, the effect of suppressing the increase in viscosity tends to be higher as the amount of the amine-based thickening inhibitor added increases. However, when the amount of the amine-based thickening inhibitor added is increased to about 2% by mass, the thickening inhibiting effect tends to be slightly saturated.

In addition, as shown in examples 21 to 23, when the average particle diameter of the powder material added to the conductive paste is made slightly coarse, the viscosity increase suppressing effect by the amine-based thickening suppressing agent can be further remarkably exhibited, and for example, it can be confirmed that: the viscosity increase rate can be suppressed to 2.2% with a small amount of 0.50 mass%. In addition, it was confirmed that in example 23 in which the amount of addition was 2% by mass, no change in viscosity was observed even after storage at a high temperature of 40 ℃ for 15 days, and the increase in viscosity could be completely prevented. From this, it is found that the amount of the amine-based thickening inhibitor to be added can be set to approximately 2 mass% (for example, 3 mass% or less) as the upper limit.

On the other hand, as shown in examples 24 and 25, it was confirmed that: using R¹And R²When a compound having an O (oxygen atom) introduced therein, such as a methylmethoxyethyl group or an ethoxyethyl group, is used as the amine compound, the viscosity increase rate is increased at once even if the other structures are substantially the same. It was confirmed that: r¹And R²The amine compound containing an element other than C, H such as O does not function as a thickening inhibitor for the conductive paste.

Further, as shown in examples 26 to 31, it is found that: when tributylamine, which is a tertiary amine, is used as the amine compound, a certain thickening-inhibiting effect can be obtained. However, it can be seen that: in the case of tributylamine, the viscosity increase rate of the conductive pastes containing the powders with larger particle diameters in examples 29 to 31 can be suppressed to 4.6% or less, for example, but the viscosity increase rate of the conductive pastes containing the fine powders in examples 26 to 28 is increased to 6 times or more (about 8 times) as compared with the case of using the powders with larger particle diameters, for example, 30.4% or more. From this, it can be said that tributylamine can exhibit a thickening-inhibiting effect for a conductive paste using Ni powder having an average particle size of 0.4 μm, for example, but cannot exhibit a sufficient thickening-inhibiting effect for a conductive paste containing a large amount of finer powder. This can be clearly confirmed by, for example, comparing examples 18 and 26, and examples 21 and 29, in which a secondary amine was used. In other words, it is understood that the thickening inhibitor comprising a secondary amine satisfying the conditions disclosed herein can exhibit an excellent thickening inhibiting effect on a conductive paste containing a powder having an average particle size of about 0.4 μm, and can also exhibit an excellent thickening inhibiting effect on a conductive paste containing a powder having an average particle size of 0.2 μm or less.

Specific examples of the present invention have been described above in detail, but these are merely examples and do not limit the claims. The techniques described in the claims include those in which various modifications and changes have been made to the specific examples described above.

Description of the reference numerals

1 MLCC

10 laminated chip

10' unfired laminate

20 dielectric layer

20' dielectric green sheet

30 internal electrode layers

30' coating layer

40 external electrode