High temperature, high strength, colorable materials for use with electronics processing applications

Abstract

Certain embodiments include an electrostatic-discharge safe tray for receiving and/or storing electronic components, e.g., read/write heads. Such trays may be made from a mixture of at least one high temperature, high strength polymer, at least one metal oxide, and at least one pigment. The use of the metal oxides as conductive materials advantageously allows for light-colored electrostatic-discharge safe materials to be made, so that such materials may be colored with pigments without compromise of material performance specifications.

1 . A colored article for receiving electronic components, the article comprising: 
 a colored tray having a plurality of pockets that each have an electrostatic discharge-safe surface that comprises a mixture of at least one high temperature, high strength polymer, at least one metal oxide, and at least one pigment.    
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the high temperature, high strength polymer comprises a member of the group consisting of polyphenylene sulfide, polyetherimide, polyarylketones, polyetherketone, polyetheretherketone, polyetherketoneketone, polyethersulfone.  
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the metal oxide is present at a concentration of about 40% to about 75% by weight.  
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 3  wherein the surface has a L value of at least about 55.  
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the metal oxide is present at a concentration of about 50% to about 60% by weight.  
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the surface has a L value of at least about 55.  
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the surface has a L value of at least about 65.  
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the surface comprises a bottom of the pocket, with the bottom being flatter than an average of about 0.1 inches per inch.  
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the surface comprises a bottom of the pocket, with the bottom being flatter than an average of about 0.015 inches per inch.  
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the high temperature, high strength polymer comprises a member of the group consisting of polyphenylene oxide, ionomer resin, nylon 6 resin, nylon 6,6 resin, aromatic polyamide resin, polycarbonate, polyacetal, trimethylpentene resin, polysulfone, tetrafluoroethylene/perfluoroalkoxyethylene copolymer, high-temperature amorphous resin, polyallylsulfone, liquid crystal polymer, polyvinylidene fluoride, ethylene/tetrafluoroethylene copolymer, tetrafluoroethylene/hexafluoropropylene copolymer, and tetrafluoroethylene/hexafluoropropylene/perfluoroalkoxyethylene terpolymer.  
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the at least one metal oxide comprises a member of the group consisting of aluminum borate, zinc oxide, basic magnesium sulfate, magnesium oxide, graphite, potassium titanate, magnesium borate, titanium diboride, tin oxide, and calcium sulfate.  
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the at least one metal oxide comprises antimony doped tin oxide.  
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the at least one metal oxide comprises a metal oxide doped ceramic.  
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the at least one metal oxide is disposed in particles.  
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 14  wherein the particles are present in the mixture at a concentration of at least 40 percent by weight.  
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 15  wherein the surface has an L value of at least about 55.  
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 14  wherein the metal oxide is present at a concentration between about 50 and about 70 percent by weight.  
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 14  wherein the particles comprise a ceramic.  
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the metal oxide comprises a whisker.  
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 19  wherein the whisker comprises a material in the group consisting of titanate, potassium titanate, and aluminum borate.  
     
     
         21 . The article of  claim 14  wherein the wherein the particles comprise an isotropic flow shape.  
     
     
         22 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the pigment comprises a member of the group consisting of titanium dioxide, iron oxide, chromium oxide greens, iron blue, chrome green, aluminum sulfosilicate, cobalt aluminate, barium manganate, lead chromates, cadmium sulfides and selenides.  
     
     
         23 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the at least one metal oxide is the at least one pigment.  
     
     
         24 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the surface comprises a resistivity in the range of 10 3  to 10 14  ohms per square.  
     
     
         25 . The article of  claim 1  wherein the surface comprises a resistivity in the range of 10 4  to about 10 7  ohms per square.  
     
     
         26 . A set of colored trays for electronic component processing, the set comprising: 
 at least two subsets of colored trays wherein each colored tray has a plurality of pockets that each comprises an electrostatic discharge-safe surface, with each subset comprising a subset color distinct from the other subset colors, wherein the surfaces comprise a high temperature, high strength polymer, a metal oxide, and a pigment.    
     
     
         27 . The set of trays of  claim 25  wherein each subset of trays corresponds to a different model of tray.  
     
     
         28 . The set of trays of  claim 26  wherein each subset of trays corresponds to a type of component in the pockets of the trays.  
     
     
         29 . The set of  claim 26  wherein the pockets are flatter than an average of about 0.1 inches per inch.  
     
     
         30 . The set of  claim 26  wherein the pockets are flatter than an average of about 0.015 inches per inch.  
     
     
         31 . The set of  claim 26  wherein the surface has an L value of at least about 55.  
     
     
         32 . The set of  claim 26  wherein the at least one metal oxide is chosen from the group consisting of aluminum borate, zinc oxide, basic magnesium sulfate, magnesium oxide, graphite, potassium titanate, magnesium borate, titanium diboride, tin oxide, calcium sulfate, and antimony doped tin oxide.  
     
     
         33 . The set of  claim 26  wherein the at least one metal oxide is present at a concentration between 50 and 70 percent by weight.  
     
     
         34 . An article for receiving electronic components, the article comprising: 
 a structure for contacting and supporting an electronic component, the structure comprising at least one electrostatic discharge-safe surface that comprises a mixture of at least one high temperature, high strength polymer and at least one metal oxide, wherein the surface has an L value of more than about 55.    
     
     
         35 . The article of  claim 34  wherein the surface comprises a bottom of a pocket.  
     
     
         36 . The article of  claim 34  wherein the surface is flatter than an average of about 0.1 inches per inch.  
     
     
         37 . The article of  claim 34  wherein the polymer has a stiffness of at least about 1 GPa and a glass transition temperature or melting point higher than about 150° C.  
     
     
         38 . The article of  claim 34  wherein the metal oxide is present at a concentration of about 40% to about 75% by weight.  
     
     
         39 . The article of  claim 34  wherein the at least one metal oxide comprises a member of the group consisting of aluminum borate, zinc oxide, basic magnesium sulfate, magnesium oxide, graphite, potassium titanate, magnesium borate, titanium diboride, tin oxide, calcium sulfate, and antimony doped tin oxide.  
     
     
         40 . The article of  claim 34  wherein the surface further comprises a pigment.  
     
     
         41 . A colored article for receiving electronic components, the article comprising: 
 a colored tray comprising a plurality of pockets, each pocket comprising at least one electrostatic discharge-safe surface that comprises a mixture of at least one high temperature, high strength polymer, at least one metal oxide, and at least one pigment, wherein the surface has an L value of more than about 55.    
     
     
         42 . The article of  claim 41  wherein the surface is flatter than an average of about 0.1 inches per inch.  
     
     
         43 . The article of  claim 41  wherein the polymer has a stiffness of at least about 1 GPa and a glass transition temperature or melting point higher than about 150° C.  
     
     
         44 . The article of  claim 41  wherein the at least one metal oxide is present at a concentration of about 40% to about 75% by weight.  
     
     
         45 . The article of  claim 41  wherein the at least one metal oxide is present at a concentration of about 40% to about 75% by weight.  
     
     
         46 . The article of  claim 34  wherein the at least one metal oxide comprises a member of the group consisting of aluminum borate, zinc oxide, basic magnesium sulfate, magnesium oxide, graphite, potassium titanate, magnesium borate, titanium diboride, tin oxide, calcium sulfate, and antimony doped tin oxide.  
     
     
         47 . The article of  claim 41  wherein the pigment is the metal oxide.  
     
     
         48 . A method for processing electronic components, the method comprising placing an electronic component on an electrostatic discharge-safe surface of a colored tray that comprises a plurality of pockets, with the surface being a bottom of a pocket and comprising a mixture of at least one high temperature, high strength polymer, at least one metal oxide, and at least one pigment.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the at least one the high temperature, high strength polymer comprises a member of the group consisting of polyphenylene sulfide, polyetherimide, polyarylketones, polyetherketone, polyetheretherketone, polyetherketoneketone, polyethersulfone.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the at least one metal oxide is present at a concentration is about 40% to about 75% by weight.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the surface has a L value of at least about 55.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 48  wherein at least a portion of the surface is flatter than an average of about 0.1 inches per inch.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the at least one metal oxides comprises particles are present in the mixture at a concentration of at least 40 percent by weight.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 48  wherein at least a portion of the at least one metal oxide comprises a whisker.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the at least one metal oxide comprises particles that comprise an isotropic flow shape.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the at least one pigment is the at least one metal oxide.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the surface comprises a resistivity in the range of 10 3  to 10 14  ohms per square.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the colored tray is a read/write head tray.  
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 48  wherein the at least one pigment comprises a member of the group consisting of titanium dioxide, iron oxide, chromium oxide greens, iron blue, chrome green, aluminum sulfosilicate, cobalt aluminate, barium manganate, lead chromates, cadmium sulfides and selenides.  
     
     
         60 . A method of producing an article for electronic processing, the method comprising: 
 molding a tray having a plurality of pockets that each comprise an electrostatic discharge-safe surface that comprises a high temperature, high strength polymer and a conductive filler, an L value of at least about 55, and a resistivity in the range of 10 3  to 10 14  ohms per square, wherein the surface is flatter than an average of about 0.1 inches per inch.    
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 60  wherein the polymer has a glass transition temperature or melting point higher than about 150° C. and a stiffness of at least about 1 GPa.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 60  wherein the conductive filler is a metal oxide present in a concentration of about 40% to about 75% by weight.  
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 60  wherein the article is a read/write head tray.