jmagill41
Harmless
Posts: 3
Registered: 28-1-2012
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
copper conductive epoxy...
hello,
is it possible to make conductive epoxy by adding copper powder?
i have copper powder but it does not seem to be conductive?
the graphite powder i have is conductive.
do i need to somehow wash (reduce) the copper powder to make it conductive?
i apologise for asking such simple questions.
thanks
john
|
|
|
Mr. Wizard
International Hazard
Posts: 1042
Registered: 30-3-2003
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Theoretically, yes it is possible. You can make copper powder by reducing a copper sulfate solution with vitamin c. I dissolved both in a small
amount of water and mixed the clear liquids only. It gave a very fine copper powder. What will happen though is it will corrode or turn dark over time
when exposed to air. You powder may have some kind of coating on it to keep it shiny. You seem to suspect this, as you asked about washing it. Some
simple evaporating solvent like acetone might work. Be careful of the inflammable fumes. Nothing ruins a day like having your hands catch fire and
dropping a bucket of burning solvent. Yes maybe overdramatic, but it happens all the time.
The most common metals used for conductive paints are silver and nickel; the silver being more expensive. I have a jar of each, and they are in a
clear liquid that has a faint smell. They both tend to settle out and form a lump in the bottom of the jar.
I recently saw an advertisement for a conductive silver epoxy, so I know it can be made. I don't know what the carrier is for conductive paints.
There is also a zinc powder spray paint sold as 'Cold Galvanizing'. It is very useful for protecting galvanized steel that has been welded. When you
weld the zinc galvanizing gets removed and leaves bare steel. A coating of this paint protects it very well. It is conductive when sprayed on paper. I
made a dry battery
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zamboni_pile
by spraying graphite on one side of a sheet of paper and zinc on the other. I used a regular sheet of printer paper with a criss-cross pattern of
paper to keep the conductors from getting to the edge. I did this as a test and got measurable voltage when I cut and stacked 10 of the 'cells'
together. I tossed the stuff out in a clean up one day and haven't been able to reproduce it again. It may have been moisture in the air, or maybe I
changed graphite spray.
[Edited on 29-1-2012 by Mr. Wizard]
|
|
|
Pulverulescent
National Hazard
Posts: 793
Registered: 31-1-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: Torn between two monikers ─ "hissingnoise" and the present incarnation!
|
|
| Quote: | | . . . i have copper powder but it does not seem to be conductive? |
The cupric oxide that forms on copper exposed to air is an insulator ─ cuprous oxide is a semiconductor and was used as such in
older-type rectifiers . . .
P
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones"
A Einstein
|
|
|
jmagill41
Harmless
Posts: 3
Registered: 28-1-2012
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
conductive paint
here is some information.
http://www.laurapullig.com/index.php?/experiments/conductive...
does the mixing with acrylic varnish and a very small amount of water help to make the copper conductve ?
|
|
|
Pulverulescent
National Hazard
Posts: 793
Registered: 31-1-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: Torn between two monikers ─ "hissingnoise" and the present incarnation!
|
|
| Quote: | | . . . does the mixing with acrylic varnish and a very small amount of water help to make the copper conductve ? |
Welcome to SciMad Laura ─ artists here are thin on the ground despite what the slogan up top says!
But science and art really are two sides of the same coin . . .
The scientist, ironically enough, when a breakthrough is made, marvels at the sheer beauty of the thing, while for the artist, it's 'rightness' that
counts above all else!
You may, though, find your conductive copper project peppered with problems.
PVA is itself an insulator and water will oxidise the semiconducting cuprous oxide to the insulating cupric oxide!
I think you may have set yourself a very onerous task . . .
Don't give up just yet, though?
P
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones"
A Einstein
|
|
|
jmagill41
Harmless
Posts: 3
Registered: 28-1-2012
Member Is Offline
Mood: No Mood
|
|
Electrically conductive epoxy adhesive
i wonder how these fellows do this?
http://www.directindustry.com/prod/master-bond/electrically-...
|
|
|
Pulverulescent
National Hazard
Posts: 793
Registered: 31-1-2008
Member Is Offline
Mood: Torn between two monikers ─ "hissingnoise" and the present incarnation!
|
|
Hydrogen reduces cupric oxide to the metal, so presumably preparation of these conductive polymers possibly involves the use of a glove-box containing
pure H<sub>2</sub>!
P
"I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones"
A Einstein
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xpblue/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
