Processes and materials for casting and sintering green garnet thin films

Abstract

Set forth herein are processes and materials for making ceramic thin films by casting ceramic source powders and precursor reactants, binders, and functional additives into unsintered thin films and subsequently sintering the thin films under controlled atmospheres and on specific substrates.

1 .- 118 . (canceled) 
     
     
         119 . A green tape, comprising:
 a source powder, wherein the source powder is Li a La b Zr c Al d Me″ e O f , wherein 5<a<7.7; 2<b<4; 0≤c≤2.5; 0≤d≤2; 0≤e≤2, 10<f<13 and Me″ is Ga;   a solvent;   a binder; and   a dispersant;   wherein the amount of source powder in the green tape is at least 75%, 80%, 85%, or 90% by weight; and   wherein the source powder has a particle size distribution having a d 50  of 50 nm to 5 μm.   
     
     
         120 . The green tape of  claim 119 , further comprising a member selected from a plasticizer, a pH modifier, and a sintering aid. 
     
     
         121 . The green tape of  claim 119 , comprising a pH modifier selected from citric acid or ammonia hydroxide. 
     
     
         122 . The green tape of  claim 119 , comprising a sintering aid selected from MgO, Al 1 O 3 , and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         123 . The green tape of  claim 119 , wherein the solvent is an azeotrope. 
     
     
         124 . The green tape of  claim 119 , wherein the solvent comprises a member selected from methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), tetrahydrofuran, toluene, acetone, 1-butanol, 2-butanol, cyclohexane, cyclohexanol, ethanol, isopropanol, methanol, 1-propanol, propylene carbonate, hexane, m-xylene, pentane, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         125 . The green tape of  claim 124 , wherein the solvent comprises methyl-ethyl ketone (MEK). 
     
     
         126 . The green tape of  claim 124 , wherein the solvent comprises isopropanol (WA). 
     
     
         127 . The green tape of  claim 119 , wherein the solvent comprises cyclohexanone. 
     
     
         128 . The green tape of  claim 119 , wherein the solvent comprises MEK and WA. 
     
     
         129 . The green tape of  claim 128 , wherein the ratio of MEK:WA is 8:2, 7:3, 6:4, 5:5, 4:6, 3:7, or 2:8 w/w. 
     
     
         130 . The green tape of  claim 119 , wherein the lithium-stuffed garnet has a density of 4 g/cm 3 . 
     
     
         131 . The green tape of  claim 119 , comprising MEK, IPA, and cyclohexanone. 
     
     
         132 . The green tape of  claim 119 , wherein the particle size distribution has a d 50  of about 100 nm, 200 nm, 300 nm, 400 nm, 1 μm, 2 μm, 3 μm, or 4 μm. 
     
     
         133 . The green tape of  claim 119 , wherein the source powder has a surface area of at least 5 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         134 . The green tape of  claim 133 , wherein the surface area is less than 15 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         135 . The green tape of  claim 119 , wherein the binder is selected from the group consisting of fish oil, PVB, KD1, an acrylic acid, triton, phosphate esters, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         136 . The green tape of  claim 120 , wherein the plasticizer is elected from the group consisting of a benzyl butyl phthalate and di-butyl phthalate. 
     
     
         137 . The green tape of  claim 136 , wherein the amount of binder and plasticizer in the green tape is about 10-25% w/w organic content, wherein the organic content refers to green tape components other than the source powder.