Characteristics of Ag–Pd–glass composite and Ag–Pd alloy powders prepared by spray pyrolysis

Ag–Pd (85:15) alloy and Ag–Pd–glass composite powders comprising spherical particles with dense structures were prepared directly by spray pyrolysis at 1100 °C. The mean sizes of the Ag–Pd alloy and Ag–Pd–glass composite powders were 1.1 and 0.9 μm, respectively, and the crystal phases of the Ag–Pd and Ag–Pd–glass composite powders had alloy compositions. Ag–Pd conductive films formed from the Ag–Pd–glass composite powders had a denser structure than did those formed from the Ag–Pd alloy powders. The shrinkage of the conductive films formed from the Ag–Pd–glass composite powders was 25.9% and 58.6% at firing temperatures of 550 °C and 800 °C, respectively. The specific resistances of the conductive films formed from the Ag–Pd–glass composite powders were found to be as low as 12.7 μΩ cm and 4.9 μΩ cm at firing temperatures of 550 °C and 800 °C, respectively.