Effects of Silane Coupling Agents on the Properties of Copper Filled Electrically Conductive Adhesive

Effects of silane coupling agents with different functional groups such as epoxy, isocyanate and ureide on the electrical and mechanical properties of copper filled electrical conductive adhesives (ECAs) were studied. Copper (Cu) fillers were used as conductive fillers and polyurethane resin was applied as the adhesive material in this study. Significant differences could be observed on the as cured electrical resistivity and shear strength of the Cu filled ECAs prepared with different silane coupling agents. Silane coupling agents functionalized with epoxy groups showed the lowest electrical resistivity and highest shear strength among the ECAs in this study. Besides, effect of post-curing at 170° C for 1 h on the ECAs was also investigated. Results showed that ECAs after post-curing exhibited enhanced electrical conductivity compared to the as cured ECAs. Besides, improved shear strength could be observed for all the ECAs after post-curing.