Abstract
Conventional copper powder used to form terminations of MLCC generally contains large flakes with high aspect ratios and large agglomerate spherical particles. The use of agglomerate powder and large flakes results in low dry film density, and thus a thicker film. In our research, we focused on highly dispersed, uniform, and fine flakes and powder that did not contain coarse particles, and examined the paste characteristics and their effect on firing conditions. We found that a smaller particle size would increase the thixotropic value and result in an earlier start to firing. We also discovered that the agglomerate condition of powder had a significant influence on the rheology of the paste. A higher degree of agglomeration would result in higher viscosity and a higher thixotropic value, but would not have a major effect on the firing condition.
