Ethylene glycol-based Ag plating for the wet chemical fabrication of one micrometer Cu/Ag core/shell particles

With the aim of preparing an inexpensive metal filler that can be added to conductive adhesives used in fine-pitch electronic applications, a polyol solution was used to fabricate Ag-coated Cu (Cu@Ag) particles with a size on the order of one micron without the need for additional reagents. The continuity, uniformity, and thickness of the Ag shell were found to be strongly dependent on the plating conditions, particularly the reaction temperature. The Ag shell prepared at a peak temperature of 180 °C from a precursor with an initial Ag concentration of 15 wt.% was judged to be an optimum one. This same sample also showed an excellent oxidation initiation temperature of approximately 280 °C. It was inferred that the oxidation resistance of the Cu@Ag powder is largely determined by the continuity, uniformity and thickness of the Ag shell.