With the advancement of science and technology, inventions in the 1950s brought the development of electronic products to a new peak. Among them, the manufacturing process of multi-layer ceramic films, especially tape casting, plays an important role in this change. This article takes you deep into the history of tape casting technology, its manufacturing process, and its use in modern electronics.
Tape casting is widely used in the manufacture of thin ceramic sheets, starting from a ceramic suspension, casting it into thin sheets, and then going through the process of drying and sintering.
Tape casting technology was first described in 1947 as a method of mass producing ceramic capacitors. A description at the time noted: "A machine was designed to extrude a ceramic suspension containing a resin binder onto athletic tape. The dried sheets were strong enough to be peeled off and cut into any desired flat shape. "The development of this technology is an indispensable part of the process of making electronic components smaller and more efficient. In 1960, a patent for multi-layer tape casting appeared, and in 1996, a thin sheet with a thickness of less than 5 microns was cast for the first time.
The process of tape casting can be divided into several key steps. The first is the preparation of the suspension, which is usually mixed with various additives such as ceramic powder, solvent, dispersant, and adhesive. These suspensions are then spread onto a flat surface to form a film of the desired thickness. This stage is called casting, followed by drying, resulting in a dry film known as green flakes.
This stage is crucial to ensure that the film retains its shape and integrity.
Following steps include cutting and stamping to cut the dried green flakes into the desired shape. The sheets can then be laminated and pressed as required, and finally sintered at high temperatures to achieve usable strength and conductivity.
During the tape casting process, the selection of raw materials is critical to the properties of the final product. Ceramic powder is the main material and its suitability affects the performance of the film. The solvents, binders and other ingredients used to make the suspension must be compatible with the properties of the ceramic powder. Each ingredient in the process affects rheological properties, which in turn affects the quality and performance of the final product.
During the drying process, the dried flakes can only be dried from one side, which means that the evaporation of the solvent needs to be controlled to avoid warping or cracking. The drying technique at this stage is very important because uneven drying can adversely affect the properties of the flakes.
Currently, tape casting has been widely used in the production of a variety of electronic devices, including ceramic capacitors, polymer batteries, photovoltaic power supplies, electrodes for molten carbonate fuel cells, etc. Its capabilities enable diaphragms as thin as 5 microns, providing the basis for countless innovations.
The development of multi-layer ceramic films has undoubtedly laid a solid foundation for the future of electronic products.
With the advancement of technology, we can’t help but ask: How will future electronic products use these advanced material technologies to create more amazing applications?