SILVER-PALLADIUM ALLOY PARTICLE-PRODUCTION BY SPRAY-PYROLYSIS

Spray pyrolysis was used to produce submicron Ag-Pd metal alloy partic les for applications in electronic component fabrication. The particle s were prepared in nitrogen carrier gas from metal nitrate precursor s olutions with various compositions. The Ag-Pd alloy was the predominan t phase for reactor temperatures of 700 degrees C and above for all co mpositions. The 70-30 Ag-Pd particles were fully dense at 700 degrees C, but an increased reaction temperature was necessary to produce dens e particles at higher Pd to Ag ratios. The extent of palladium oxidati on was suppressed with increased amounts of Ag. Single-crystal particl es could be produced at sufficiently high temperatures. These results show that particle phase composition, size, oxidation behavior, and mo rphology can be controlled by the Ag-Pd ratio in the precursor solutio n and by the reaction temperature.