Prospects of the room temperature fabrication method for electroceramics. Feasibility for printing techniques and integration with temperature-sensitive materials

Thesis event information

Date and time of the thesis defence

Place of the thesis defence

Linnanmaa campus, lecture hall L10

Topic of the dissertation

Prospects of the room temperature fabrication method for electroceramics. Feasibility for printing techniques and integration with temperature-sensitive materials

Doctoral candidate

Master of Science Maria Väätäjä

Faculty and unit

University of Oulu Graduate School, Faculty of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, Microelectronics research unit

Subject of study

Electrical engineering

Opponent

Professor Leena Ukkonen, Tampere university

Custos

Professor Heli Jantunen, University of Oulu

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All-ceramic components can be printed without high temperature processing

The dissertation research combined the room temperature fabrication method for electroceramics with printing techniques.

The dissertation research developed further the room temperature fabrication method for electroceramics, which allows manufacturing of ceramic components even at room temperature instead of the over 1000 ° C used in conventional fabrication. The method takes advantage of the water solubility of certain ceramic materials and pressing pressure. A key research objective was the development of ceramic pastes for realization of components by 3D printing with extrusion and 2D stencil printing.

The paste compositions were adjusted mainly by changing the amount of added water. Because of the lower pressures available in printing, the samples had lower relative densities and thus lower values of dielectric properties compared to the conventional samples formed with pressing. They were still feasible for microwave applications.

Nowadays printing technologies offer the means for easy and cost-efficient manufacture of electronic devices, especially from plastics. However, the dissertation research showed that corresponding methods can also be used in the fabrication of electroceramic components. In addition, sample preparation became straightforward, as the pastes did not require organic solvents or a separate heating step to remove them.

In addition, the research verified that simultaneous processing and direct integration of electroceramics with temperature-sensitive materials is possible using the room temperature fabrication method. The high-temperature processing used in conventional method alter temperature-sensitive compositions and thus cannot be integrated into plastic substrates, for example.

The results pave the way for fabrication of electronics and telecommunication devices with significant savings in time, cost, and energy.
Last updated: 23.1.2024