Conductive Silver Paste (Ag PASTE)

Description

1. Product Overview

Conductive Silver Paste (Ag PASTE) is a high-performance, homogeneous dispersion of high-purity silver particles in a precisely engineered organic vehicle system. It serves as the critical conductive interconnect material in the manufacture of photovoltaic cells, multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs), membrane touch switches, and RFID antennas. With superior electrical conductivity (low resistivity), excellent adhesion to diverse substrates, and fine-line printability, this product delivers a strategic advantage by reducing energy loss, enhancing component miniaturization, and lowering total cost of ownership for high-throughput industrial production.

2. Key Specifications & Technical Characteristics

• Chemical Composition: Silver (Ag) micro-flakes/spherical powder (75–85 wt%), organic binder (ethyl cellulose/acrylic resin), solvent system (diethylene glycol butyl ether / terpineol), additives (dispersants, leveling agents)

• Purity Level: Silver purity ≥ 99.95% (trace metals: < 500 ppm total; Pb, Cd, Cr below RoHS threshold)

• Physical Characteristics:

  • Form: Viscous, screen-printable paste

  • Color: Silver-gray to dark gray

  • Particle size D90: < 5 µm (fine grade) / < 10 µm (standard grade)

  • Viscosity (Brookfield, 25°C, spindle SC4-14 at 10 rpm): 15,000 – 45,000 cP (customizable)

  • Solid content: 80% ± 2%

  • Resistivity (cured film, 10 µm thickness): ≤ 4.0 × 10⁻⁵ Ω·cm

• Packaging Options: 1 kg HDPE jars, 5 kg pails, 20 kg fiber drums, 200 kg steel drums (under nitrogen blanket)

• Shelf Life: 12 months from date of manufacture when stored at 5°C–25°C in original, unopened, sealed container (avoid freezing)

3. Core Industrial Applications

• Photovoltaics (PV cells – front/back contact metallization): Replaces screen-printed aluminum/silver hybrid pastes with lower contact resistance (≤ 0.5 mΩ·cm²) and finer line width (down to 20 µm), increasing solar cell efficiency by 0.3–0.6% absolute. Reduces silver consumption per wafer via optimized particle packing.

• Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors (MLCCs) – internal & termination electrodes: Enables co-firing with X7R/X5R dielectrics at 850°C–950°C with zero delamination; smooth electrode continuity reduces equivalent series resistance (ESR) by 15–20% compared to nickel alternatives for high-frequency applications.

• Membrane Keypads & Flexible Circuits: Superior adhesion to PET/ITO substrates (peel strength > 12 N/cm after 1000 crease cycles); withstands > 1 million actuations without resistance drift.

• RFID Antennas & EMI Shielding: Low-temperature curing (120°C–150°C for 15–30 min) compatible with heat-sensitive films; provides shielding effectiveness > 70 dB from 30 MHz to 1.5 GHz.

4. Competitive Advantages

• Quality Consistency: Batch-to-batch viscosity variation ≤ 5% (Six Sigma process control); every lot tested for tack, thixotropic index, and residue after burnout (organic residue < 0.2% at 400°C).

• Supply Reliability: Dual-source silver powder supply contracts with ISO 14001-certified refiners; safety stock maintained at 3 months of global demand. No supply disruption in 8 consecutive years.

• Logistics Capability: Real-time temperature-monitored shipping (data loggers included for each pallet); global distribution hubs in Singapore, Rotterdam, and Houston enable ≤ 5-day lead time to major industrial regions.

• Price Competitiveness: Direct procurement of silver from LME-approved smelters removes intermediary markup; pricing formula based on LME spot + fixed conversion fee (transparent, auditable).

• Sustainability & Compliance: RoHS, REACH SVHC-free, and Halogen-free certified. Silver recovery program available for production waste (up to 98% recovery efficiency).

• Technical Support: Free printability optimization report (stainless steel mesh selection, snap-off distance, squeegee speed) with every initial qualification order.

5. Commercial & Supply Information

• Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ): 20 kg (four 5 kg pails or one 20 kg drum) – trail order: 5 kg available for approved OEMs

• Bulk 20MT Loading Capacity:

  • 20-foot dry container (20MT net weight): 1,000 × 20 kg drums (palletized, 20 pallets of 50 drums each – max payload 20,160 kg)

  • Note: Hazardous classification – UN 1210 (Printing ink, flammable), Class 3, Packing Group III. Full MSDS and dangerous goods documentation provided with each shipment.