Pressure-Free Bonding of Metallic Plates with Ni Affinity Layers Using Cu Nanoparticles

Abstract

This study investigated the pressure-free bonding of metallic plates using Cu nanoparticles capped by fatty acid and amine as the bonding material. The application of Ni layers to Cu plates prior to bonding significantly improved their adhesion to sintered Cu nanoparticles, resulting in higher strengths even without pressure compared to samples bonded using an ordinary Pb-rich solder at a similar temperature. The shear strength could be enhanced if the thickness of Ni layers was larger than 1 nm. The same effect was also observed when Al plates with Ni layers were bonded by Cu nanoparticles. In contrast, Ti, Mn, and Cr layers were found to be ineffective with regard to improving bond strength. Cu plates bonded by Cu nanoparticles capped by fatty acid and amine with different alkyl chain lengths from 6 to 18 showed an optimal strength with a length of 10, where the Cu particles were small enough to sinter effectively but not so small as to oxidize.