High performance electrically conductive adhesives from functional epoxy, micron silver flakes, micron silver spheres and acidified single wall carbon nanotube for electronic package

To develop high performance electrically conductive adhesives (ECAs), bi-modal ECAs were prepared by a matrix resin, micron silver flakes and micron silver spheres, and tri-modal ECAs were prepared by a matrix resin, micron silver flakes, micron silver spheres and acidified single wall carbon nanotube (ASWCNT). With the increase of nano silver spheres, the bulk resistivity of bi-modal ECAs decreased firstly and then increased while tri-modal ECAs' bulk resistivity firstly increased and then decreased with the increase of ASWCNT due to different electrically conductive channels were formed in them. After aged for 500 h under humid and thermal cycle of constant humidity level of 85% relative humidity at 85 degrees C, the contact resistance shift of bi-modal ECAs was more than 20% and that of tri-modal ECAs was less than 15% showing tri-modal ECAs had lower and more stable contact resistance. The humid and thermal surroundings had bad effect on the mechanical properties of bi- and tri-modal ECAs, after aged for 500 h, they both were reduced about 50-65%. And a bi-modal ECAs and a tri-modal ECAs were optimized and investigated in detail which can be used in electronic packaging. (c) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.