Provided are palladium-containing powders and a method and apparatus for manufacturing the palladium-containing particles of high quality, of a small size and narrow size distribution. An aerosol is generated from liquid feed and sent to a furnace, where liquid in droplets in the aerosol is vaporized to permit formation of the desired particles, which are then collected in a particle collector. The aerosol generation involves preparation of a high quality aerosol, with a narrow droplet size distribution, with close control over droplet size and with a high droplet loading suitable for commercial applications. Powders may have high resistance to oxidation of palladium. Multi-phase particles are provided including a palladium-containing metallic phase and a second phase that is dielectric. Electronic components are provided manufacturable using the powders.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/039,450 filed Feb. 24,1998 and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/038,258 filed Feb. 24, 1998, the contents of which are incorporated herein.
A method for forming an ultrafine particle brittle material at low temperature which includes the steps of applying a mechanical impact force or a pressure to a ultrafine particle brittle material so as to have a percentage in the ultrafine particles having a primary particle diameter less than 50 nm in all the particles of 10 to 90%, subjecting the resulting brittle material to a heat treatment at a temperature not higher than the sintering temperature thereof so as to have the above percentage of 50% or less, and then applying a mechanical impact force not less than the crushing strength to the resultant material, to crush the material, thereby joining the ultrafine particles in the brittle material with one another, to form a formed article of the ultrafine particle brittle material; and an ultrafine particle brittle material for use in the method.
An electrical component includes a stack of layers. The layers include dielectric layers and electrode layers. The dielectric layers have a resistance with a positive temperature coefficient. The electrode layers are electrically conductive and are interspersed among the dielectric layers. At least one of the electrode layers includes a constituent that is comprised of a base metal and that is at least partially coated with a protective layer. The protective layer includes a material that slows oxidation of the base metal.
A method for preparing a highly crystallized metal powder, involving the steps of: supplying at least one heat-decomposable metal compound powder into a reaction vessel using a carrier gas; and forming a metal powder by heating the metal compound powder in a state in which the metal compound powder is dispersed in a gas phase at a concentration of no more than 10 g/liter, at a temperature that is over the decomposition temperature of the metal compound powder and at least (Tm -200).degree. C. when the melting point of the metal contained in the metal compound powder is Tm.degree. C. The method provides a high-purity, high-density, highly dispersible, fine, highly crystallized metal powder consisting of spherical particles of uniform size, which is suitable for use in thick film pastes, and particularly conductor pastes and the like used in the preparation of multilayer ceramic electronic parts.
Method for producing metallic particles. The method converts metallic nanoparticles into larger, spherical metallic particles. An aerosol of solid metallic nanoparticles and a non-oxidizing plasma having a portion sufficiently hot to melt the nanoparticles are generated. The aerosol is directed into the plasma where the metallic nanoparticles melt, collide, join, and spheroidize. The molten spherical metallic particles are directed away from the plasma and enter the afterglow where they cool and solidify.
A connecting material can form a detachable connecting structure. According to the connecting material, a connecting portion between a certain object and another object can be more readily formed, and the certain object can be more readily detached from the another object after formation of the connecting portion. The connecting material comprises a solder material and a hydrogen storage metal material which is able to occlude hydrogen, and which is in the form of particles dispersed in the connecting material.
