REPLACEMENT OF PRECIOUS METAL THICK FILM INKS USING NEW CONDUCTIVE POLYMER TECHNOLOGY

A GREAT DEAL OF PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE IN THE PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE POLYMERS. HEAVILY DOPED VERSIONS OF POLYACETYLENE SHOW CONDUCTIVITIES EQUIVALENT TO PURE METALS. UNFORTUNATELY,THESE POLYMERS ARE VERY UNSTABLE IN AIR AND SHOW LITTLE OR NO SOLUBILITY. IT IS THE INTENT OF THIS INVESTIGATION TO EVALUATE THE POSSIBILITY OF USING SMALL PLATELETS OF CONDUCTIVE POLYMER AS SUBSTITUTES FOR PRECIOUS METAL PARTICLES THAT GENERALLY COMPOSE THE CONDUCTIVE PORTION OF POLYMER THICK FILM CONDUCTORS AND RESISTORS. IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO IMBED SMALL PARTICLES OF CONDUCTIVE POLYMER INTO GENERAL POLYMERICVEHICLES, SUCH AS VINYL OR EPOXY, AND PROVIDE THE CONDUCTIVEPOLYMERS WITH THE NECESSARY ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION TO PREVENT DECOMPOSITION AND LOSS OF CONDUCTIVITY. THE RESULTS OF THIS STUDY WILL SHOW THE FEASIBILITY OF ELIMINATING OR GREATLY REDUCING THE USE OF HIGH COST STRATEGIC MATERIALS IN CONDUCTIVE AND RESISTIVE THICK FILM INKS.