Thick film paste and use thereof

1. A thick film paste composition comprising:

(a) inorganic constituents that consist of:

a platinum source that is at least one of a particulate platinum (alloy) or a particulate platinum (alloy)/metal oxide composite, and

at least one metal compound selected from the group consisting of particulate metal oxides and precursor compounds capable of forming a metal oxide on firing, the metal oxide in each case being selected from the group consisting of NiO, SiO 2 , RuO 2 , Rh 2 O 3 , IrO 2 , Cu 2 O, CuO, TiO 2 , ZrO 2 , PbO, SnO 2 , CeO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , MgO, and MnO 2 ; and

(b) an organic vehicle,

and wherein:

the proportion of the at least one metal compound is 0.001 to 1 wt. %, based on the total thick film paste composition; and

the thick film paste composition is capable of being fired to form an electrically conductive metallization that is electrically connected with an electrode on a ceramic sensor substrate.

2. The thick film paste composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one metal compound is selected from the group consisting of precursor compounds capable of forming a metal oxide on firing, the metal oxide being selected from the group consisting of NiO, SiO 2 , RuO 2 , Rh 2 O 3 , IrO 2 , Cu 2 O, CuO, TiO 2 , ZrO 2 , PbO, SnO 2 , CeO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , MgO, and MnO 2 .

3. The thick film paste composition of claim 1 , wherein the precursor compound is a metal carbonate, a metal carboxylic acid salt, or a metal resinate.

4. The thick film paste composition of claim 1 , wherein the platinum source is at least one particulate platinum (alloy).

5. The thick film paste composition of claim 1 , wherein the platinum source is at least one particulate platinum (alloy)/metal oxide composite, in which the metal oxide is at least one oxide selected from the group consisting of NiO, SiO 2 , RuO 2 , Rh 2 O 3 , IrO 2 , Cu 2 O, CuO, TiO 2 , ZrO 2 , PbO, SnO 2 , CeO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , MgO, and MnO 2 .

6. The thick film paste composition of claim 1 , comprising 84 to 95 wt. % of the platinum source, based on total thick film paste composition.

7. The thick film paste composition of claim 1 , wherein the at least one particulate platinum (alloy)/metal oxide composite has a weight ratio of elemental platinum plus optionally present alloying metal(s):metal oxide of 100:1 to 1000:1.

8. The thick film paste composition of claim 1 , wherein the platinum source comprises the particulate platinum (alloy) and the particulate platinum (alloy)/metal oxide composite, and a weight ratio of particulate platinum (alloy):particulate platinum (alloy)/metal oxide composite is in the range of 20:80 to 99.9:0.1.

9. The thick film paste composition of claim 1 , wherein the platinum (alloy) is elemental platinum without an alloyed metal.

10. The thick film paste composition of claim 1 , wherein the organic vehicle content is in the range of 4.9 to 15.9 wt. %.

11. A method for the manufacture of a sensor having an electrically conductive metallization, comprising the steps:

(a) applying the thick film paste composition of claim 1 to a sensor substrate which is provided with an electrode;

(b) drying the thick film paste composition so applied; and

(c) firing the dried thick film paste composition to form an electrically conductive metallization on the sensor substrate, wherein the metallization is electrically connected with the electrode on the sensor substrate.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein firing is performed for a period of 16 to 24 hours with the sensor substrate reaching a peak temperature in the range of 1200 to 1350° C.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step sequence (a) to (c) is repeated 1 to 4 times.

14. A sensor, comprising a sensor substrate having an electrode thereon and an electrically conductive metallization electrically connected with the electrode, the metallization having been formed by a process comprising:

(a) applying the thick film paste composition of claim 1 to the sensor substrate;

(b) drying the thick film paste composition so applied; and

(c) firing the dried thick film paste composition to form the electrically conductive metallization on the sensor substrate.

15. A thick film paste composition comprising:

(a) inorganic constituents that consist of:

a platinum source that comprises a particulate platinum (alloy) and a particulate platinum (alloy)/metal oxide composite, wherein a weight ratio of particulate platinum (alloy):particulate platinum (alloy)/metal oxide composite is in the range of 20:80 to 99.9:0.1, and

at least one metal compound selected from the group consisting of particulate metal oxides and precursor compounds capable of forming a metal oxide on firing, the metal oxide in each case being selected from the group consisting of NiO, SiO 2 , RuO 2 , Rh 2 O 3 , IrO 2 , Cu 2 O, CuO, TiO 2 , ZrO 2 , PbO, SnO 2 , CeO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , MgO, MnO 2 and MoO 2 ; and

(b) an organic vehicle,

and wherein:

the proportion of the at least one metal compound is 0.001 to 1 wt. %, based on the total thick film paste composition; and

the thick film paste composition is capable of being fired to form an electrically conductive metallization that is electrically connected with an electrode on a ceramic sensor substrate.

16. The thick film paste composition of claim 15 , wherein the at least one particulate platinum (alloy)/metal oxide composite has a weight ratio of elemental platinum plus optionally present alloying metal(s):metal oxide of 100:1 to 1000:1.