Abstract: A product article is prepared from a precursor article that has a substrate and a photosensitive thin film or a photosensitive thin film pattern on a supporting side. The product article have an electrically-conductive silver metal-containing film or thin film patterns, each of which contains electrically-conductive metallicsilver obtained by reduction of silver ions in the precursor article, an ?-oxy carboxylate, an oxime compound, and a photosensitizer that can either reduce reducible silver ions or oxidize the ?-oxy carboxylate.

Abstract: Electrically-conductive silver metal can be provided in a thin film or pattern on a substrate from a silver complex having reducing silver ions and represented by: (Ag+)a(L)b(P)c?? (I) wherein L represents an ?-oxy carboxylate; P represents a 5- or 6-membered N-heteroaromatic compound; a is 1 or 2; b is 1 or 2; and c is 1, 2, 3, or 4, provided that when a is 1, b is 1, and when a is 2, b is 2. The silver complex is mixed in a hydroxy-free, nitrile-containing aprotic solvent with a polymer that is either (i) a hydroxy-containing cellulosic polymer or (ii) a non-cellulosic acrylic polymer having a halo- or hydroxy-containing side chain. The reducible silver ions in the a thermally sensitive thin film or pattern can be thermally converted to electrically-conductive metallic silver under suitable heating conditions to provide a product article that can be used in various devices.

Abstract: A precursor article has a substrate and a photosensitive thin film or a photosensitive thin film pattern on a supporting side. The photosensitive thin film and each photosensitive thin film patterns comprises a non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex that is represented by the following formula (I): (Ag+)a(L)b(P)c?? (I) wherein L represents an ?-oxy carboxylate; P represents a 5- or 6-membered N-heteroaromatic compound; a is 1 or 2; b is 1 or 2; and c is 1, 2, 3, or 4, provided that when a is 1, b is 1, and when a is 2, b is 2. A photosensitizer that can either reduce the reducible silver ion or oxidize the ?-oxy carboxylate having a reduction potential can also be present. Such precursor articles can be irradiated with UV-visible radiation to reduce the silver ions to provide electrically-conductive metallic silver in thin films or thin film patterns in product articles or devices.

Abstract: A precursor article has a substrate and a photosensitive thin film or photosensitive thin film pattern on one or both supporting sides. A non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex is present that is represented by the following formula (I): (Ag+)a(L)b(P)c?? (I) wherein L represents an ?-oxy carboxylate; P represents a primary alkylamine; a is 1 or 2; b is 1 or 2; and c is 1, 2, 3, or 4, provided that when a is 1, b is 1, and when a is 2, b is 2. A photosensitizer can also be present to enhance photosensitivity for conversion of reducible silver ions to electrically-conductive silver metal in a resulting product article or device. The electrically-conductive silver metal can be provided as a uniform electrically-conductive silver metal-containing thin film or layer, or as one or more electrically-conductive silver metal-containing thin film patterns.

Abstract: A method is used to prepare silver nanoparticles or copper nanoparticles in the form of a silver nanoparticle cellulosic polymeric composite or a copper nanoparticle cellulose polymeric composite, respectively. A cellulosic polymer, organic solvent having a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of 100° C. to 500° C. and a Hansen parameter (?TPolymer) equal to or greater than that of the cellulosic polymer, ascorbic acid, and a nitrogenous base are mixed to form a premix solution. At room temperature or upon heating the premix solution to a temperature of at least 40° C., a solution of reducible silver ions or reducible copper ions is added. The resulting silver or copper nanoparticle composite is cooled, isolated, and re-dispersed in an organic solvent, providing a non-aqueous silver-containing or copper-containing dispersion that can be disposed on a substrate to form an article.

Abstract: A method is used to prepare silver nanoparticle cellulosic polymer composites. A cellulosic polymer, reducible silver ions in an amount of a weight ratio to the cellulosic polymer of 5:1 to 50:1, and an organic solvent are mixed. Each organic solvent has a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of 100° C. to 500° C. The Hansen parameter (?TPolymer) of the cellulosic polymer is less than or equal to the Hansen parameter (?TSolvent) of the organic solvent. The resulting premix solution is heated to at least 75° C., and a (d) nitrogenous base is added to provide a concentration of the nitrogenous base in an equimolar amount or in molar excess in relation to the amount of reducible silver ions, thereby forming a silver nanoparticle cellulosic polymer composite. After cooling, the silver nanoparticle cellulosic polymer composite is isolated and re-dispersed in an organic solvent to provide a non-aqueous silver-containing dispersion.

Abstract: A non-aqueous silver-containing dispersion is prepared containing a silver nanoparticle composite comprising silver and a cellulosic polymers so that the silver nanoparticle composite is present at a weight ratio to a cellulosic polymers of at least 5:1 and up to and including 50:1. This dispersion also contains an organic solvent that has a boiling point, at atmospheric pressure, of 100° C. to 500° C. The Hansen parameter (?TPolymer) of the cellulosic polymer is less than or equal to the Hansen parameter (?TSolvent) of the organic solvent. A nitrogenous base having a pKa in acetonitrile of 15 to 25 at 25° C. is also present in an equimolar amount or molar excess in relation to the amount of silver.

Abstract: A method is used to prepare silver nanoparticles in the form of a silver nanoparticle cellulosic polymeric composite. A cellulosic polymer, organic solvent having a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of 100° C. to 500° C. and a Hansen parameter (?TPolymer) equal to or greater than that of the cellulosic polymer, and a nitrogenous base are mixed to form a premix solution. Upon heating the premix solution to a temperature of at least 75° C., a solution of reducible silver ions is added that is equimolar or less in relation to the nitrogenous base. The weight ratio of reducible silver ions to the cellulosic polymer is 5:1 to 50:1. The resulting silver nanoparticle composite is cooled, isolated, and re-dispersed in an organic solvent, providing a non-aqueous silver-containing dispersion comprising the silver nanoparticle cellulosic polymeric composite.

Abstract: A non-aqueous silver precursor composition is composed of (a) one or more cellulosic polymers; (b) reducible silver ions that are present at a weight ratio to the one or more cellulosic polymers of 5:1 to 50:1; (c) an organic solvent that has a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of at least 100° C. and up to but less than 500° C.; and (d) a nitrogenous base having a pKa in acetonitrile of at least 15 and up to and including 25 at 25° C. The Hansen parameter (?TPolymer) of each cellulosic polymer is less than or equal to the Hansen parameter (?TSolvent) each organic solvent. In addition, the (d) nitrogenous base is present in an equimolar amount or molar excess in relation to the amount of (b) reducible silver ions.

Abstract: A non-aqueous silver precursor composition contains at least 1 weight % of one or more (a) polymers that are certain cellulosic polymers; (b) reducible silver ions; and (c) an organic solvent medium consisting of: (i) a hydroxylic organic solvent having an ?-hydrogen atom and a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of 100-500° C., and, optionally, (ii) a nitrile-containing aprotic solvent or a carbonate-containing aprotic solvent different from the (i) organic solvent, each having a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of 100-500° C. The (b) reducible silver ions are present in an amount of 0.1-400 weight %, based on the total weight of the one or more (a) polymers. This composition can be used to form silver nanoparticles under silver ion reducing conditions and then applied to various substrates to provide silver nanoparticle patterns.

Abstract: A non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition comprises: component (a) comprising a water-insoluble stannous alkoxide complex comprising stannous ions in an amount of at least 1 weight %, and a photocurable component (b), non-photocurable water-insoluble polymer component (c) having a molecular weight of at least 10,000, or both the photocurable component (b) and the non-photocurable water-insoluble polymer component (c). When photocurable component (b) is present, the non-aqueous stannous alkoxide composition further comprises photosensitizer component (d) that is different from all of components (a) through (c), in an amount of at least 1 weight %. These compositions can be used to prepare silver particles as “seed” catalysts in various articles that can then be used for other purposes such as electroless plating.

Abstract: Electrically-conductive silver metal can be provided in a thin film or pattern on a substrate from a silver complex having reducing silver ions and represented by: (Ag+)a(L)b(P)c?? (I) wherein L represents an ?-oxy carboxylate; P represents a 5- or 6-membered N-heteroaromatic compound; a is 1 or 2; b is 1 or 2; and c is 1, 2, 3, or 4, provided that when a is 1, b is 1, and when a is 2, b is 2. The silver complex is mixed in a hydroxy-free, nitrile-containing aprotic solvent with a polymer that is either (i) a hydroxy-containing cellulosic polymer or (ii) a non-cellulosic acrylic polymer having a halo- or hydroxy-containing side chain. The reducible silver ions in the a thermally sensitive thin film or pattern can be thermally converted to electrically-conductive metallic silver under suitable heating conditions to provide a product article that can be used in various devices.

Abstract: Electrically-conductive silver metal can be provided in a thin film or pattern on a substrate from a silver complex having reducing silver ions and represented by: wherein L represents an ?-oxy carboxylate; P represents a primary alkylamine compound; a is 1 or 2; b is 1 or 2; and c is 1, 2, 3, or 4, provided that when a is 1, b is 1, and when a is 2, b is 2. The silver complex is mixed in a hydroxy-free, nitrile-containing aprotic solvent with a polymer that is either (i) a hydroxy-containing cellulosic polymer or (ii) a non-cellulosic acrylic polymer having a halo- or hydroxy-containing side chain. The reducible silver ions in the a thermally sensitive thin film or pattern can be thermally converted to electrically-conductive metallic silver under suitable heating conditions to provide a product article that can be used in various devices.

Abstract: A method for providing electrically-conductive silver-containing metal in a thin film or one or more thin film patterns on a substrate. Electrically-conductive metallic silver is provided from a non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex represented by the following formula (I): (Ag+)a(L)b(P)c?? (I) wherein L represents an ?-oxy carboxylate; P represents a 5- or 6-membered N-heteroaromatic compound; a is 1 or 2; b is 1 or 2; and c is 1, 2, 3, or 4, provided that when a is 1, b is 1, and when a is 2, b is 2. A photosensitizer can also be present. The reducible silver ions in the photosensitive thin film or photosensitive thin film pattern can be photochemically converted to electrically-conductive metallic silver in the thin films or thin film patterns by irradiation with electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength within the range of at least 150 nm and up to and including 700 nm.

Abstract: Articles can be prepared having silver layers or patterns using a non-aqueous silver precursor composition consisting essentially of: at least 1 weight % of one or more (a) cellulosic polymers, (b) at least 0.1 weight % of reducible silver ions, and (c) an organic solvent medium consisting of: (i) one or more hydroxylic organic solvents, and, optionally, (ii) a nitrile-containing or carbonate-containing aprotic solvent. This composition is subjected to a temperature of at least 20° C. for a time sufficient to convert at least 90 mol % of the (b) reducible silver ions to (d) silver nanoparticles having a mean particle size of at least 25 nm and up to and including 750 nm. Additional (ii) nitrile-containing or carbonate-containing aprotic solvent can be added, and (e) carbon black can be added sufficient to provide at least 5 weight % carbon black.

Abstract: A non-aqueous silver precursor composition contains at least 1 weight % of one or more (a) polymers that are certain cellulosic polymers; (b) reducible silver ions; and(c) an organic solvent medium consisting of: (i) a hydroxylic organic solvent having an ?-hydrogen atom and a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of 100-500° C., and, optionally, (ii) a nitrile-containing aprotic solvent or a carbonate-containing aprotic solvent different from the (i) organic solvent, each having a boiling point at atmospheric pressure of 100-500° C. The (b) reducible silver ions are present in an amount of 0.1-400 weight %, based on the total weight of the one or more (a) polymers. This composition can be used to form silver nanoparticles under silver ion reducing conditions and then applied to various substrates to provide silver nanoparticle patterns.

Abstract: An article has a substrate and a pattern of a dry silver nanoparticle-containing composition comprising at least 20 weight % of one or more (a) polymers, that are cellulosic polymers; (d) silver nanoparticles having a mean particle size of 25-750 nm and present in an amount of 0.1-400 weight %, based on the total weight of the one or more (a) polymers; and (e) carbon black in an amount of 5-50 weight %, based on the total weight of the one or more (a) polymers. Such patterns can have multiple fine lines of any geometric arrangement. The article can have multiple patterns of this type, and each pattern can be electrolessly plated with a suitable metal such as copper to provide electrically-conductive product articles.

Abstract: A precursor article has a substrate and a photosensitive thin film or a photosensitive thin film pattern on a supporting side. The photosensitive thin film and each photosensitive thin film patterns comprises a non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex that is represented by the following formula (I): (Ag+)a(L)b(P)c ??(I) wherein L represents an ?-oxy carboxylate; P represents an oxime compound; a is 1 or 2; b is 1 or 2; and c is 1, 2, 3, or 4, provided that when a is 1, b is 1, and when a is 2, b is 2. A photosensitizer that can either reduce the reducible silver ion or oxidize the ?-oxy carboxylate having a reduction potential can also be present. Such precursor articles can be irradiated with UV-visible radiation to reduce the silver ions to provide electrically-conductive metallic silver in thin films or thin film patterns in product articles or devices.

Abstract: A method for providing electrically-conductive silver-containing metal in a thin film or one or more thin film patterns on a substrate. Electrically-conductive metallic silver is provided from a non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex represented by the following formula (I): (Ag+)a(L)b(P)c ??(I) wherein L represents an ?-oxy carboxylate; P represents an oxime compound; a is 1 or 2; b is 1 or 2; and c is 1, 2, 3, or 4, provided that when a is 1, b is 1, and when a is 2, b is 2. A photosensitizer can also be present. The reducible silver ions in the photosensitive thin film or photosensitive thin film pattern can be photochemically converted to electrically-conductive metallic silver in the thin films or thin film patterns by irradiation with electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength within the range of at least 150 nm and up to and including 700 nm.

Abstract: A method for making electrically-conductive articles utilizes a non-aqueous metal catalytic composition that includes: (a) a silver complex comprising reducible silver ions, (b) a silver ion photoreducing composition, (c) a photocurable component, non-curable polymer, or combination of a photocurable component and a non-curable polymer, and (d) nanoparticles of a semi-conducting metal oxide in an amount of at least 0.1 weight %. This composition can be disposed on a substrate, uniformly or in a patternwise fashion. The composition can be dried and then exposed to suitable radiation to reduce the reducible silver ions to silver particles that can then be electrolessly plated with a metal to provide an electrically-conductive article.