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== Precious Metal Powders==Precious metal powders are used as raw materials for many technical products as well as for medical and decorative applications. Among these are This includes the manufacture production of composite silver materials composites for electrical contacts (Ag/Ni, Ag/metal oxides, Ag/C, Ag/W, etc.), catalysts, electrodes, or dental products. Besides these , precious metal powders are used as the base material in preparations as well as conductive paints and adhesives.
Precious metal powders consist of small particles of approx. 1 – 100 µm diameter , which distinguish themselves by particle shape, particle size and particle size distribution. Depending on the manufacturing process, silver particles may be spherical, crystalline, or dentritic. Smaller particle size typically leads to a larger surface area.
<figure id="fig:Different shapes of silver powders"> [[File:Different shapes of silver powders.jpg|right|thumb|Figure 1: Different shapes of silver powders a) spherical b) rounded crystal applomerates]]</figure> The measured densities of powders – both, the apparent density and the tap density – are low , compared to the wrought metals because of the gaps between the particles. They vary in a wide range between 0.5 and 6 g/cm3 cm<sup>3</sup> depending on the morphology of the particles and their tendency to agglomeration. Precious metal powders can be compacted by pressing and then sinteredsintering afterwards; a certain amount of porosity is however always retained.
<figtable id="tab:DifferentTypesofSilverPowders">
<caption>'''<!--Table 8.1: -->Different Types of Silver Powders'''</caption>
<table class="twocolortable">
<tr><th><p class="s6">Powder type</p></th><th><p class="s6">GE</p></th><th><p class="s6">GN1</p></th><th><p class="s7">ES</p></th><th><p class="s6">V</p></th></tr><tr><td><p class="s6">Manufacturing Process</p></td><td><p class="s6">chemical</p></td><td><p class="s6">chemical</p></td><td><p class="s7">electrolytic</p></td><td><p class="s6">atomized</p></td></tr><tr><td><p class="s6">Particle shape</p></td><td><p class="s6">agglomerated</p></td><td><p class="s6">agglomerated</p></td><td><p class="s7">dentritic</p></td><td><p class="s6">spherical</p></td></tr><tr><td><p class="s6">Avg. particle diameter</p><p class="s6">(median) [µm]</p></td><td><p class="s6">10 - 15</p></td><td><p class="s6">20 - 40</p></td><td><p class="s7">-</p></td><td><p class="s6">32 - 60</p></td></tr><tr><td><p class="s6">Medium particle size</p><p class="s6">(FSS - Fisher Sub Sieve Size) [µm]</p></td><td><p class="s6">-</p></td><td><p class="s6">-</p></td><td><p class="s7">4.0 - 6.0</p></td><td><p class="s6">-</p></td></tr><tr><td><p class="s6">Tap density</p><p class="s6">(DIN/ISO 3953) [g/cm<sup>3</sup>]</p></td><td><p class="s6">0.7 - 1.1</p></td><td><p class="s6">2.0 - 2.5</p></td><td><p class="s7">2.0 - 3.0</p></td><td><p class="s6">4.0 - 6.7</p></td></tr><tr><td><p class="s6">Specific surface area</p><p class="s6">(B.E.T.) [m<sup>2</sup>/g]</p></td><td><p class="s6">0.5 - 0.9</p></td><td><p class="s6">-</p></td><td><p class="s7">-</p></td><td><p class="s6">-</p></td></tr></table>
== Precious Metal Preparations==
<figure id="fig:Solar cell with print pattern of ARGONOR N920">[[File:Solar cell with print pattern of ARGONOR N920.jpg|right|thumb|Figure 2: Solar cell with print pattern of ARGONOR N920]]</figure> While in the past mostly glass ware and ceramics (table china) were coated for decorative purposes with gold or platinum, precious metals have since quite a few years been applied to non-metallic substrates such as ceramics, glass, or plastics to make their surfaces electrically conductive. To coat these surfaces , fine powders of the precious metal are dispersed in a carrier , containing a paint basis and organic solvents. Such preparations can be applied by screen or tampon printing, by spraying, immersion, or with a paint brush.
===Precious Metal Firing Preparations===
The firing preparations in liquid or paste form are widely used in electrical and electronic engineering and especially in the thick-film technology (<xr id="tab:Liquid Silver Preparations for Firing Application (ARGONOR)"/> <!--(Table 8.2)-->). The precious metal filler material is mostly pure silver because of its high electrical conductivity. During firing in an oxidizing atmosphere at temperatures between 400 and 850°C a well adhering and highly conductive surface layer is formed.When utilizing screen printing techniques any shapes of conductive patterns can be created ''(<xr id="fig:Solar cell with print pattern of ARGONOR N920"/><!--(Fig. 8.2)'' -->) resulting in conductive paths with good electrical properties and high temperature stability.
<figtable id="tab:Liquid Silver Preparations for Firing Application (ARGONOR)">
<caption>'''<!--Table 8.2: -->Liquid Silver Preparations for Firing Application (ARGONOR)'''</caption><table class="twocolortable" style="width:80%">
<tr><th><p class="s6">Preparation</p></th><th><p class="s6">Substrate</p><p class="s6">Material</p></th><th><p class="s6">Application by</p></th><th><p class="s6">Firing Temperature [°C]</p></th><th><p class="s6">Properties</p></th><th><p class="s6">Silver Content [wt%]</p></th></tr><tr><td><p class="s6">Argonor N92</p></td><td><p class="s6">glass, ceramics</p></td><td><p class="s6">paint brush, spray gun</p></td><td><p class="s6">530 - 650</p></td><td><p class="s6">Viscosity</p><p class="s6">500 – 1.000 mPa·s, good solderability</p></td><td><p class="s6">65</p></td></tr><tr><td><p class="s6">Argonor</p></td><td><p class="s6">glass,</p><p class="s6">ceramics</p></td><td><p class="s6">screen</p><p class="s6">printing</p></td><td><p class="s6">530 - 650</p></td><td><p class="s6">Viscosity</p><p class="s6">10 – 15.000 mPa·s, good solderability</p></td><td><p class="s6">65</p></td></tr></table>
</figtable>
=== Conductive Paints and Adhesives===
The mechanical strength of the bond connections depends mostly on the selected hardening temperature (<xr id="fig:Shear force of an adhesive joint"/><!--(Fig. 8.3:Flexible keyboard contact patternprinted with AUROMAL 1704)-->).
<br style="clear:both;"/>
=== Precious Metal Flakes===
To obtain certain desired physical properties of preparations , the dispersed precious metals in flat flake-like particles (generally called “flakes”"flakes") are needed. These are produced by milling fine metal powders in the presence of milling additives or agents. The properties of these metal flakes, i.e. silver flakes (ability to disperse easily, flow characteristics, electrical conductivity) are strongly dependent on the particle shape and size as well as on the type of milling agents used. <xr id="fig:SEM photos of silver flakes a fine grain b large flat"/><!--Fig. 8.5 --> illustrates through SEM photos a type of rather fine silver flake (medium particle size 4 – 6 µm) (a) and another one with relatively large flat but thin flake shapes (particle size 8 – 11 µm) (b). Typical commercial silver flake types are listed with their respective properties in Table <xr id="tab:Typical Commercial Silver Flake Types"/><!--(Tab. 8.4)-->. Gold and platinum can also be produced as powder flakes. By volumes However, in terms of the quantities used , they are however of lesser commercial economic importance.<figure id="fig:SEM photos of silver flakes a fine grain b large flat">[[File:SEM photos of silver flakes a fine grain b large flat.jpg|left|thumb|Figure 5: SEM photos of silver flakes (a) fine grain (b) large flat]]</figure>
<table borderfigtable id="1" cellspacing="0" style="border-collapsetab:collapseTypical Commercial Silver Flake Types"><trcaption>'''<td!--Table 8.4:--><p class="s6">Type of Typical Commercial Silver FlakeTypes'''</pcaption></td><td><p {| class="s6twocolortable">F56</p></td><td><p classstyle="s6text-align: left; font-size: 12px;width:80%">|-!Type of Flake!F56!B190</p></td><td><p class="s6">!ES4</p></td></tr><tr><td><p class="s6">|-|Main characteristics</p></td><td><p class="s6">|Low tap density</p></td><td><p class="s6">|Very fine</p></td><td><p class="s6">|Pure, wide grain size distribution</p></td></tr><tr><td><p class="s6">|-|Silver content [wt%]</p></td><td><p class="s6"|>>99.0</p></td><td><p class="s6"|>>99.0</p></td><td><p class="s6"|>>99.7</p></td></tr><tr><td><p class="s6">|-|Med. Grain size [µmμm] Tap density</p></td><td><p class="s6">|3 - 8</p></td><td><p class="s6">|4 - 6</p></td><td><p class="s6">|9 - 13</p></td></tr><tr><td><p class="s6">|-|DIN/ISO 3953 [g/cm<span class="s8"sup>3</spansup>]</p></td><td><p class="s6">|0.7 - 1.1</p></td><td><p class="s6">|2.1 - 2.7</p></td><td><p class="s6">|2.7 - 3.6</p></td></tr><tr><td><p class="s6">|-|Spec. Surface area B.E.T. [m<span class="s8"sup>2</spansup>/g]</p></td><td><p class="s6">|0.7 - 1.1</p></td><td><p class="s6">|0.3 - 0.7||}</p></td><td/></tr><tr><td/><td/><td/><td/></tr></tablefigtable> [[de:Edelmetallpulver_und_-präparate]]