A novel Cu@Ag nano paste with low porosity for rapidly sintering in air condition

Abstract

The emergence of Cu@Ag core-shell nanoparticles presents a promising solution to address issues such as copper oxidation, the high cost of silver, and electro-chemical migration in high-power electronic devices, showcasing their potential for practical applications. In this study, Cu@Ag nanoparticles were synthesized via a liquid-phase reduction method, resulting in an average size of 30 nm. A low-boiling-point mixed organic solvent was meticulously prepared following Raoult's law, enabling the creation of a nano paste utilizing Cu@Ag nanoparticles. This innovation facilitated the sintering of fully dense joints under ambient air conditions, effectively mitigating the oxidation issue caused by silver dewetting behavior in Cu@Ag core-shell nanoparticles. Subsequently, the shear strength and microstructure of the joints were comprehensively studied under various sintering temperatures and durations. Notably, the joint exhibited a shear strength of 17.3 MPa when sintered at 250 °C for 30 min, while achieving full density at a sintering temperature of 300 °C for 30 min. These findings underscore the capacity of Cu@Ag core-shell nano paste to enable the production of high-performance joints under air conditions, utilizing thoughtfully selected organic components.