Effect of the Amine Concentration on Phase Evolution and Densification in Printed Films Using Cu(II) Complex Ink

The nucleation and growth behavior of Cu nanoparticles during thermal heating of Cu(II) complex inks for printed Cu metallization were investigated, particularly focusing on the effects of the amine concentration on the microstructure evolution and electrical conductivity. Herein, the dual effects of hexylamine as a reducing agent dissociating the carboxyl group from the precursor and a capping agent hindering the subsequent growth of Cu nuclei were confirmed. On the basis of such dual effects of amine, the sufficient complexation of the Cu(II) precursor with a high amine concentration in the ink led to the single-route growth of Cu nanoparticles during thermal heating, which resulted in the dense film with a narrow particle size distribution exhibiting a high electrical conductivity. The electrical conductivity of the film could be further enhanced by a reducing atmosphere with formic acid. Significantly, the understanding of the ink chemistry and the nucleation and growth kinetics in the metal ion complex or metal-organic decomposition (MOD) ink can provide the design rules for the formulation of the solution-type inks to control the microstructure of printed metallization.