Room-Temperature Coalescence of Tri-n-Octylphosphine-Oxide-Capped Cu-Ag Core-Shell Nanoparticles: Effect of Sintering Agent and/or Reducing Agent

Abstract Metal nanoparticle pastes are useful for nanoinks to form fine conductive patterns in printed electronics. This study reports a novel method for room-temperature coalescence of Cu-Ag core-shell nanoparticles (Cu@Ag NPs), which are expected to have the properties of both migration and oxidation resistance originating from Cu and Ag, respectively. First, oleylamine/oleic-acid capped Cu@Ag NPs were synthesized by the galvanic replacement method. Second, the ligand exchange reaction to tri-n-octylphosphine oxide (TOPO) was carried out on the surface of Cu@Ag NPs. Finally, TOPO-capped Cu@Ag NPs were dipped into methanol containing a sintering agent and/or a reducing agent. When HCl was added as a sintering agent to methanol, the crystallite size of Cu@Ag NPs significantly increased. Furthermore, the almost complete removal of organic compounds and suppression of significant oxidation of Ag and Cu were observed. In consideration of these results, a Cu/Ag conductive thin film was prepared from TOPO-capped Cu@Ag NPs by dipping into methanol containing HCl at room temperature under air atmosphere. Electrical resistivity of the obtained Cu/Ag thin film was (5.1 ± 1.7) × 10−5 Ω m. Microstructural observations and X-ray diffractions of the Cu/Ag thin film revealed that Cu@Ag NPs effectively coalesced at room temperature with slight oxidation.