STTR Phase I: Novel Electrode Materials for Multi-Layer Capacitors

这个小型企业技术转移第一阶段项目将开发制造低成本小型化多层电容器(MLC)的技术。将在60至150纳米镍(Ni)颗粒上沉积一层二氧化钛(TiO2)薄膜，以保护超细镍颗粒免受缓慢氧化降解，同时在加工过程中提供与介电钛酸钡(BaTiO3)层化学兼容的表面。二氧化钛薄膜可以提高超细镍颗粒的烧结温度，因此在烧成时可以很容易地制备出交错的Ni/BaTiO_3电极/介质多层膜。利用新型的原子层沉积(ALD)薄膜技术制备的复合二氧化钛/镍颗粒可以合成具有双重功效(抗氧化和提高烧结温度)的复合超细镍基颗粒。在这项工作的第一个方面，我们将用ALD方法在60~150 nm的镍颗粒上沉积二氧化钛。在这项工作的第二个方面，将对复合粉末的薄膜质量、抗氧化性和加热时的热膨胀(即烧结性)进行表征。在这项工作的第三个方面，将合成1公斤的复合粉末样品，并提供给合作伙伴/客户进行可行性评估。在商业上，成功的大规模加工的潜在影响远远超出了拟议的MLC应用。只有在超细颗粒的单个表面能够功能化的情况下，纳米科学才能达到真正的“颠覆性”技术状态。超细颗粒的ALD纳米涂层提供了这样的机会。现在有可能制造出具有设计的电、磁、光、机械、流变性或其他特性的超细颗粒。这种功能化超细粉末的市场包括微电子、国防、硬质合金、化妆品、药物输送、含能材料和聚合物/陶瓷纳米复合材料等。将更好地了解超细颗粒的纳米涂层及其成本/性能价值。

This Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I project will develop technology for the manufacture of low cost miniaturized multi-layer capacitors (MLCs). A titania (TiO2) thin film will be deposited on 60 to 150 nanometer nickel (Ni) particles to protect the ultrafine Ni particles from slow oxidation degradation while simultaneously providing a chemically compatible surface with the dielectric barium titanate (BaTiO3) layer during processing. The TiO2 film will allow the sintering temperature of the ultrafine Ni particles to be increased so the intercleaved Ni/BaTiO3 electrode/dielectric multilayers can be easily fabricated upon firing. The manufacture of composite TiO2/Ni particles via novel Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) thin film technology allows for the synthesis of composite ultrafine Ni substrate particles with dual effectiveness (resisting oxidation, increasing sintering temperature). In the first aspect of this work, TiO2 will be deposited on 60 to 150 nm Ni particles by ALD. In the second aspect of this work, the composite powders will be characterized for film quality, oxidation resistance, and thermal expansion upon heating (i.e. sinterability). In the third aspect of this work, a 1 kg sample of the composite powder will be synthesized and supplied to a partner/customer for feasibility evaluation.Commercially, the potential impact of successful large scale processing extends far beyond this proposed MLC application. Nanoscience will only achieve true "disruptive" technology status if the individual surfaces of ultrafine particles can be functionalized. ALD nanocoating of ultrafine particles provides such an opportunity. It is now possible to produce ultrafine particles with designed electrical, magnetic, optical, mechanical, rheological, or other properties. Markets for such functionalized ultra-fine powders include microelectronics, defense, hard metals, cosmetics, drug delivery, energetic materials, and polymer/ceramic nanocomposites, among others. A better understanding of the nanocoating of ultra-fine particles and its cost/performance value will be developed.