Effect of Ligament Morphology on Electrical Conductivity of Porous Silver

We investigate the effect of ligament morphology on electrical conductivity of open cell porous silver (Ag). Porous Ag was formed when silver nanoparticles in an organic phase were annealed at 150°C for durations ranging from 1 to 5 min. Electrical conductivity of porous Ag was about 20% of bulk value after 5 min annealing. Porous Ag was modeled as a collection of Kelvin cell (truncated octahedrons) structures comprised of conjoined conical ligaments and spherical vertices. An analytical expression for electrical conductivity was obtained. Electrical conductivity normal to hexagonal faces of the unit cell was computed. Our model indicates contribution of grain boundary to electrical resistance increases significantly after the first minute of annealing and plateaus thereafter. Using experimental electrical conductivity data as an input, the model suggests that the ratio, n, of surfaces of one half of a conjoined cone ligament is between 0.7 and 1.0. Average deviation from experimentally determined relative electrical conductivity, Δσ r, was minimal when n = 0.9.