Compositions comprising glass particles and methods of depositing the same

Abstract

Glass powders, methods for producing glass powders and compositions comprising glass powders. The powders preferably have a small particle size, narrow size distribution and a spherical morphology. The method includes forming the particles by a spray pyrolysis technique. The invention also includes novel devices and products formed from the glass powders. The compositions may be deposited on a substrate using various techniques including ink-jet printing.

1 . A composition of matter, comprising: 
 a) a liquid vehicle phase; and    b) a functional phase dispersed throughout said vehicle phase, said functional phase comprising complex glass particles having a weight average particle size of not greater than about 10 μm and a particle size distribution wherein at least about 80 weight percent of said glass particles are not larger than twice said average particle size.    
     
     
         2 . A composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said glass particles comprise a complex borosilicate glass.  
     
     
         3 . A composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said glass particles are substantially spherical.  
     
     
         4 . A composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said glass particles comprise no greater than about 0.1 atomic percent impurities.  
     
     
         5 . A composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said glass particles have a density of at least about 90 percent of the theoretical density.  
     
     
         6 . A composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the weight average particle size is from 0.1 μm to 5 μm.  
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the weight average particle size is from 0.3 μm to 5 μm.  
     
     
         8 . A composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the weight average particle size is at least 0.3 μm.  
     
     
         9 . A composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the weight average particle size is not greater than 3 μm.  
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the weight average particle size is at least 0.05 μm.  
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the weight average particle size is at least 0.1 μm.  
     
     
         12 . A composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least about 90 weight percent of said glass particles are not larger than twice said average particle size.  
     
     
         13 . A composition as recited in  claim 1 , wherein not greater than about 1 weight percent of said particles are in the form of hard agglomerates.  
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the complex glass is an oxide glass.  
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 14 , wherein the oxide glass comprises at least: 
 a first component selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 , B 2 O 3 , P 2 O 5  and GeO 2 ; and    a second component selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , Bi 2 O 3  and PbO.    
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 15 , wherein the oxide glass comprises an alkali oxide.  
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 15 , wherein the oxide glass comprises at least one alkali oxide selected from the group consisting of an oxide of Li, an oxide of Na, an oxide of K, an oxide of Rb and an oxide of Cs.  
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 15 , wherein the oxide glass comprises an alkaline earth oxide.  
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 15 , wherein the oxide glass comprises at least one alkaline earth oxide selected from the group consisting of an oxide of Mg, an oxide of Ca, an oxide of Sr and an oxide of Ba.  
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 15 , wherein the oxide glass comprises an alkali oxide and an alkaline earth oxide.  
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the complex glass is silicate glass.  
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the complex glass is borate glass.  
     
     
         23 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the complex glass is phosphate glass.  
     
     
         24 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the complex glass is germanate glass.  
     
     
         25 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the complex glass is aluminosilicate glass.  
     
     
         26 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the complex glass is borosilicate glass.  
     
     
         27 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the complex glass is lead borosilicate glass.  
     
     
         28 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the complex glass is halide glass.  
     
     
         29 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the complex glass is chalcogenide glass.  
     
     
         30 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the complex glass is selected from the group consisting of silicate glass, borate glass, phosphate glass and germinate glass;    the complex glass comprises a component selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , Bi 2 O 3  and PbO; and    the glass comprises at least one component selected from the group consisting of an oxide of Li, an oxide of Na, an oxide of K, an oxide of Rb, an oxide of Cs, an oxide of Mg, an oxide of Ca, an oxide of Sr and an oxide of Ba.    
     
     
         31 . The composition of  claim 30 , wherein the glass comprises multiple components selected from the group consisting of an oxide of Li, an oxide of Na, an oxide of K, an oxide of Rb, an oxide of Cs, an oxide of Mg, an oxide of Ca, an oxide of Sr and an oxide of Ba.  
     
     
         32 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the glass particles comprise at least 90 weight percent glass.  
     
     
         33 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the glass particles comprise at least 95 weight percent glass.  
     
     
         34 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the glass particles are substantially spherical, have a density of at least about 90 percent of the theoretical density, have a weight average particle size of from 0.05 μm to 3 μm; and    the complex glass comprises:    (i) at least one component selected from the group consisting of SiO 2 , B 2 O 3 , P 2 O 5  and GeO 2 ; and    (ii) at least one component selected from the group consisting of Al 2 O 3 , Bi 2 O 3  and PbO;    (iii) at least one component selected from the group consisting of alkali oxides and alkaline earth oxides.    
     
     
         35 . The composition of  claim 34 , wherein the glass particles comprise no greater than about 0.1 atomic percent impurities.  
     
     
         36 . A method for forming a product feature comprising glass, the method comprising depositing on a substrate the composition of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the depositing comprises ink-jet printing.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the depositing comprises delivery of the composition from a syringe.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the depositing comprises delivery of the composition from a micropen.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein depositing comprises slurry deposition.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the depositing comprises electrophoresis.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 36 , comprising: 
 after the depositing, heating the glass particles.    
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 36 , comprising: 
 after the depositing, heating the glass particles with a laser.    
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 36 , comprising: 
 after the depositing, heating the glass particles in a furnace.    
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the product feature is patterned on the substrate.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the substrate is a glass substrate.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the substrate is a polymeric substrate.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein product feature is barrier ribs of a flat panel display.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the flat panel display is a plasma display panel.  
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein product feature is dielectric material of a microelectronic circuit.  
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the product feature is a resistor.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the product feature is a thermistor.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the product feature is a spacer for glass face-plates in a display.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the glass particles are made by pyrolysis in a tubular furnace of an aerosol comprising atomized droplets in a carrier gas, the droplets comprising at least one precursor for the complex glass, wherein the atomized droplets are generated from liquid feed ultrasonically energized by a plurality of ultrasonic transducers underlying the liquid feed.  
     
     
         55 . A thick-film paste composition, comprising: 
 a) a binder phase;    b) an organic vehicle phase; and    c) a functional phase, wherein said functional phase comprises a complex dielectric glass composition in the form of dispersed particles wherein said particles are substantially spherical and have a weight average particle size of from about 0.1 μm to about 10 μm.    
     
     
         56 . A thick-film paste composition as recited in  claim 55 , wherein said average particle size is not greater than about 5 μm.  
     
     
         57 . A thick-film paste composition as recited in  claim 55 , wherein said average particle size is at least about 0.3 μm.  
     
     
         58 . A thick-film paste composition as recited in  claim 55 , wherein said complex dielectric glass is a borosilicate glass.  
     
     
         59 . A thick-film paste composition as recited in  claim 55 , wherein said glass particles are substantially spherical.  
     
     
         60 . A thick-film paste composition as recited in  claim 55 , wherein said glass particles have a particle size distribution wherein at least about 80 weight percent of said particles are not larger than twice said average particle size.  
     
     
         61 . A thick-film paste composition as recited in  claim 55 , wherein said paste is a photoactive paste.