Polymer Thick Film (PTF) Inks - Associação Brasileira de ... · Polymer Thick Film (PTF) Inks ABRACI Meeting 7 Março 2006 Presentation by Gregory C. Gaitens

Polymer Thick Film Polymer Thick Film

(PTF) Inks(PTF) Inks

ABRACI Meeting7 Março 2006

Presentation byGregory C. Gaitens

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Electronic MaterialsElectronic Materials

PTF-inks

� PTF (polymer thick film) inks are polymer bonded systems which can be selectively printed to obtain a functional coating.

� PTF-inks are used for the production of flexible circuits, heating elements, printed circuit boards, smart cards/labels, biosensors, EKG/ECG electrodes, EL-lamps, potentiometers, touch screens, etc.

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� Solvent Based Inks

– Pigments

– Polymers

• Thermoplastic

• Thermosetting

– Solvents

– Additives

� UV Curing Inks

– Photoinitiator

– Monomers

– Oligomers

– Fillers

– Additives

PTF Inks CompositionPTF Inks Composition

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PTF Ink Common FormulationsPTF Ink Common Formulations

� (silver ink)

� (carbon ink)

� (dielectric ink)

� (conductive adhesive)

� (encapsulant)

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Application methods Application methods

� Flexographic printing

� Rotogravure printing

� Pad printing

� Screen printing

With screen printing it is possible to apply rather thick layers (5-25

µm), but it is a slow printing process in comparison with flexography or roto gravure printing.

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Screen selection

Screen type

(polyester)

Mesh Opening

(µm)

Theoretical ink volume (cm

3/m

2)

Wet thickness*

(µm)

51T 118 51 37

64T 88 39 28

77T 74 35 25

90T 63 29 21

120T 51 22 16

Depending on required coating thickness and line definition the proper screen needs to be selected:

* From experience we know that approximately 70-75% from the theoretical ink volume is transferred to the substrate.

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Drying and CuringDrying and Curing

� Solvent based inks

– Box ovens

– Conveyor ovens

• Heated air

• Heated air + infra red

– Contact dryers

� UV curable inks

– UV reactors

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Drying and CuringDrying and Curing

1. By Convection

Substrate

Ink

Low temperatures or short cure time will leave too much residual solvent in the coating. Drying to quickly can destroy pigment levelling.

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The Curing Mechanism UV InksThe Curing Mechanism UV Inks

PhotoinitiatorMonomerOligomer

A-Fluid film

B-Exposure to light

C-Propagation of polymerisation

D-Cured film

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Product propertiesProduct properties

� Compatibility with Substrate

� Electrical Properties

– Sheet Resistance

– Dielectric Strength (ASTM-D149)

– Dielectric Constant (ASTM-D150)

� Mechanical Properties

– Adhesion (ASTM 3359B)

– Flexibility (Flex Test - 1800 Gr. Roller, according DIN 42115)

– Hardness (Pencil/Erichsen Test)

� Environmental Stability

– Temperature Change

– Heat

– Humidity

– Silver Migration

– Resistance against Solvents & Chemicals

– Combination Heat/Cold/Humidity

– Silver Sulphide Development

� Special compatibility test

– Compatibility with the soldering process

– Compatibility with a peelable solder mask

– Contact resistance

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Total Circuit Market Total Circuit Market

Rigid Circuit

Board

68%

Flexible Printed

Circuit (Cu)

29%

Additive

Printed PTF

3%

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Additive Flexible Circuits

Inks In Use:

� (silver ink)

� (carbon ink)


� (conductive adhesive)

� (encapsulant)

Membrane switches, full travel Membrane switches, full travel

keyboards and other flexible keyboards and other flexible

circuits.circuits.

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Additive Printed Circuit Boards

Ink Types In Use:

� (silver ink)

� (carbon ink)

� (resistor inks)

� (solder mask dielectrics)

� Silver Through Hole (STH inks)

Crossovers, through hole connections, coppercontact protection and resistors on rigid printed circuit boards.

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Additive Printed Potentiometers

Ink Types In Use:

� (silver ink)

� (resistor inks)

Most often a Silver & Carbon Blend


Coatings for resistor tracks, contact areas and protective layers for potentiometers on rigid substrates (PCB’s or ceramics)

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Printed Ink Antenna - RFID Contactless Smart cards/labels

Ink Types in Use:

� (silver ink)suitable for UHF & 13.56 Mhz cards

� (Dielectric Ink)

for use on 13.56 Mhz coil designs

� (carbon ink)low cost tags

For information transfer with contactless smart cards and labels.

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Smart Cards/RFID Tags Smart Cards/RFID Tags -- PrinciplesPrinciplesContactlessContactless Smart Card/RFID TagsSmart Card/RFID Tags

Inductive coupling•125 KHz.•13.56 MHz.

Electric (dipole) antenna•UHF (850-950 MHz)

•2.45 GHz.

Reading range: 1. Frequency; 2. Energy (incl.battery power.)

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Main Features & Benefits Conductive Main Features & Benefits Conductive

Inks for Antenna ManufacturingInks for Antenna Manufacturing

� Proven technology for more than 50 years!

� Applicable by various printing technologies

� Flexible drying/curing cycles

� Suitable for different substrates: PET, PVC, PI, Paper, PCB Substrates, etc.

� Design flexibility

� Environmentally friendly

� Low applied cost

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ContactlessContactless Automatic Identification and Data Capture Automatic Identification and Data Capture

(AIDC) Devices (AIDC) Devices -- RFID Tags RFID Tags

Price/Performance/Segment/SizePrice/Performance/Segment/Size

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Additive Printed Displays –Electroluminiscent (EL) lamp

An EL-lamp is a light emitting plate capacitor with one transparent or semi-transparent electrode.

All layers of an EL lamp can be screen printed.

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Additive Printed Displays – EL Lamps

Transparent ConductorPhosphor - Light Emitter

AC Voltage

Dielectric Layer - Capacitor BodyElectrode ConductorSubstrate

LIGHT

Light intensity depends on voltage and frequency, which is typically 115 Volt and 400 Hertz

Schematic Design

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Additive Printed Displays – EL Lamps Lamp ink layer diagram

Additive Printed Displays – EL Lamps Lamp ink layer diagram

Polyester Substra

te

Contact

Busbar Silver Ink Busbar Silver Ink

Transparent Layer Transparent Layer

Printable Clear Conductive InkPrintable Clear Conductive Ink

Phosphor Ink Layer Phosphor Ink Layer

Barium Titanate Dielectric Barium Titanate Dielectric

Bottom Silver Ink ElectrodeBottom Silver Ink Electrode

Polyester Substra

te

Polyester Substra

te

Contact

Contact

The Product rangeThe Product range

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EL Lamp Displays EL Lamp Displays -- Point Of Purchase Point Of Purchase

(POP)(POP)

� Floor Display

� Counter Top Display

� Wall Display

� Advertisement Clock

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EL Lamps EL Lamps -- Display/Instrumentation Display/Instrumentation

BacklightingBacklighting

� LCD Display Backlighting

� Keyboard Backlighting

� Instrumentation Backlighting –Automotive, Aviation, Marine

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EL Lamp Displays EL Lamp Displays –– Billboard LargeBillboard Large

Abby bank UK, Volvo,

O2 Mobile Network

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EL Inks EL Inks -- Market Segment Emerging Market Segment Emerging ––

Architect. LightingArchitect. Lighting

� Wine tower SAS Radisson,

Stanstaed Airport

� Environment lighting

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Printed resistors/heating elements

Inks in Use:

� (silver ink)

� (carbon ink)

� (non-conductive ink)

Silver and Carbon inks are mixed together to adjust resistance to the required

level.

Resistors, heating elements and busbars on flexible substrates can be printed with PTF inks

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� Air fresheners use screen printed resistor to warm heat activated scent.

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Biosensors

Biosensors are devices used to measure designated targets with biological binding agents like enzymes, antibodies, bacteria etc. Electrochemical biosensor could need conductive tracks, reference electrodes and conformal coatings.

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Biosensors

Inks Used:

� (carbon ink)

� (silver ink)

� (Ag/AgCl ink)

� (Dielectric ink)

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ECG/EKG Electrodes

� (carbon ink)

� (Ag/AgCl ink)

ECG/EKG electrodes requires conductivity and silver/silverchloride contacts. The following Acheson products are used for the production of disposable ECG and EKG Electrodes:

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Touchscreens

Inks in use:

� (silver ink)

� (dielectric spacer ink)

� (carbon ink)

� (Insulating dielectric ink)

Via a touchscreen commands can be given to a computer by pushing on a certain area of the CRT or LCD monitor. Like with keyboards conductive- and isolating layers are needed.

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Printed Printed ElectrochromicElectrochromic DisplaysDisplays

� Traditional Electrochromic materials rely on a dye that serves as the color-changing agent. This color change occurs when the polarity of the display is switched.

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Printed Printed thermochromicthermochromic Displays Displays

� Thermochromatic inkis designed to change or loose color when the ambient temperature is increased, formulated to shift at different temperature levels, and to shift back to original color when the ambient temperature is reduced.

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Polymer Thick Film (PTF) Inks - Associação Brasileira de ... · Polymer Thick Film (PTF) Inks ABRACI Meeting 7 Março 2006 Presentation by Gregory C. Gaitens