Hyperdispersants for electronic paste: key materials for improving performance and efficiency
Publish Time: 2025-06-03
In the field of electronic manufacturing, electronic paste, as a key basic material, is widely used in thick film circuits, solar cells, semiconductor packaging, flat panel displays and other fields. Its performance directly affects the conductivity, insulation, stability and production cost of electronic products. However, the dispersion effect of solid particles (such as metal powder, ceramic powder, etc.) in electronic paste in liquid medium often becomes a key factor restricting its performance improvement. As a special surfactant, hyperdispersant can effectively improve the dispersibility of electronic paste and improve product performance through its unique molecular structure and mechanism of action, becoming an indispensable key material in the manufacture of electronic paste.1. Working principle and characteristics of hyperdispersantHyperdispersant, also known as super dispersant, is a special surfactant whose molecular structure contains two groups that are opposite in solubility and polarity: one is a shorter polar group (hydrophilic group) and the other is a longer non-polar group (lipophilic group). This unique molecular structure enables hyperdispersant to form multi-point anchoring on the surface of solid particles, improve adsorption fastness, and is not easy to desorb. At the same time, its solvation chain is longer than that of traditional dispersants, which can produce an effective steric hindrance effect and stabilize the dispersion system.The main characteristics of superdispersants include:Excellent dispersibility: It can break the aggregation between particles, prevent particles from reaggregating in the liquid, and provide a more stable dispersion effect.Enhanced stability: By forming an effective particle-dispersant adsorption layer, the stability of the system is increased to prevent sedimentation, flocculation and reaggregation.Improve rheological properties: Improve the fluidity of coatings, inks or other liquid products, reduce viscosity, and increase the gloss and smoothness of the coating.Low foaming: During high shear force stirring and grinding, it can reduce the generation of foam and ensure product quality.2. Application cases of superdispersants in electronic pastesCase 1: Improving the performance of solar cell electrodesIn solar cell manufacturing, electronic paste is used to make electrodes, and its performance directly affects the photoelectric conversion efficiency and service life of solar cells. A solar cell manufacturer found in the production process that the electrode paste is prone to agglomeration during the coating process, resulting in a rough electrode surface and low photoelectric conversion efficiency. To solve this problem, the manufacturer introduced a hyperdispersant. By optimizing the amount of dispersant added and the dispersion process, the dispersibility of the slurry was successfully improved, making the electrode surface smoother and the photoelectric conversion efficiency increased by about 5%.Case 2: Optimizing semiconductor packaging materialsIn the field of semiconductor packaging, electronic slurry is used to make conductive circuits and connection points. During the production process, a semiconductor packaging company found that due to the uneven dispersion of metal powder in the slurry, the resistivity of the conductive circuit fluctuated greatly, affecting the yield of the product. To solve this problem, the company tried to add a hyperdispersant to the slurry. After many tests and optimizations, the optimal amount of dispersant added and the dispersion process were finally determined. The results showed that after adding the hyperdispersant, the dispersibility of the slurry was significantly improved, the resistivity fluctuation of the conductive circuit was reduced, and the product yield was increased by about 10%.3. Specific use scenarios of hyperdispersants in electronic slurriesScenario 1: Thick film circuit manufacturingIn thick film circuit manufacturing, electronic slurries are used to make components such as resistors and capacitors. Since the solid particles in the slurry need to be evenly dispersed in the liquid medium to ensure the stable performance of the component. The application of hyperdispersants can significantly improve the dispersibility of the slurry, making the resistance value, capacitance value and other parameters of the component more stable, and improving the reliability and consistency of the product.Scenario 2: Flat Panel Display Device ProductionIn the production of flat panel display devices (such as LCD, OLED, etc.), electronic slurry is used to make transparent conductive electrodes. Since display devices have high requirements for the light transmittance and conductivity of electrodes, the dispersibility of the slurry is crucial. The application of hyperdispersants can reduce the viscosity of the slurry, improve the fluidity, make the electrode coating more uniform, and significantly improve the light transmittance and conductivity.Scenario 3: Lithium-ion Battery Electrode ManufacturingIn the manufacture of lithium-ion battery electrodes, electronic slurry is used to make positive and negative electrode materials. Since the active substances and conductive agents in the electrode materials are mostly nano-scale materials, agglomeration is prone to occur. The application of hyperdispersants can effectively improve the dispersibility of nanomaterials and improve the conductivity and energy density of electrodes. For example, the patent related to lithium-ion battery positive electrode hyperdispersant applied by Suzhou Derby Electronic Materials Technology Co., Ltd. effectively reduces the viscosity of the slurry, improves the fluidity, and increases the uniformity of the slurry dispersion by adding less than 0.2%, thereby improving the overall performance of the battery.4. Selection and use recommendations of hyperdispersantsWhen selecting hyperdispersants, the following factors need to be considered:The nature of the dispersed object: According to the particle size, shape, surface properties and other factors of the dispersed object, select the appropriate type and amount of dispersant.Dispersion medium: Consider the polarity, viscosity and other factors of the dispersion medium, and select a dispersant with good compatibility with it.Dispersion process: According to the requirements of the dispersion process (such as stirring speed, grinding time, etc.), select a dispersant that can meet the process requirements.When using hyperdispersants, it is recommended to follow the following principles:Appropriate addition: According to the nature of the dispersed object and the requirements of the dispersion process, add the dispersant in an appropriate amount to avoid excessive or insufficient addition.Even mixing: Ensure that the dispersant and the dispersed object are fully mixed and evenly mixed to improve the dispersion effect.Optimize the process: According to the performance characteristics of the dispersant, optimize the dispersion process parameters (such as stirring speed, grinding time, etc.) to obtain the best dispersion effect.As a special surfactant, hyperdispersant plays a vital role in the manufacture of electronic pastes. Through its unique molecular structure and mechanism of action, hyperdispersant can effectively improve the dispersibility of electronic pastes and enhance product performance. In practical applications, hyperdispersants have been widely used in solar cells, semiconductor packaging, flat panel displays and other fields, and have achieved remarkable results. In the future, with the continuous development of electronic manufacturing technology, the application prospects of hyperdispersants will be broader. By continuously optimizing the performance and use process of dispersants, the performance of electronic pastes will be further improved and the cost will be reduced, injecting new vitality into the development of the electronic manufacturing industry.
