US Patent 7931941 - Synthesis of silver nanoparticles

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7931941.html

This patent from PCHEM Associates deals with the problem of agglomeration of silver nanoparticles based on chemical reduction of metal salts in the presence of organic ligands capable of binding to the metal particle surfaces and stabilizing them against agglomeration. Claim 1 reads:

1. A method of synthesizing a metallic nanoparticle composition, comprising:

dissolving silver nitrate in water and combining the dissolved silver nitrate with an admixture comprising water, a base, a carboxylic acid including from 3 to 7 carbons, and a reducing agent, so as to give rise to one or more metallic nanoparticles comprising silver.

US Patent 7763362 - Metallic nanoparticle shielding

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7763362.html

This patent is from a company called PChem Associates and teaches a printed circuit shielding film for EMI interference based on metal nanoparticles. The film can be applied to a wider variety of substrates than conventional electronic shielding films due to less harsh processing methods and might be suitable for plastic or flexible electronic substrates. Claim 1 reads:

1. A cohesive metallic shielding structure, comprising:

a population of metallic nanoparticles, deposited on a substrate and sintered to form a cohesive metallic shielding structure,

wherein the cohesive metallic shielding structure has a characteristic thickness of less than about 20 micrometers; and

wherein the cohesive metallic shielding structure has a sheet resistance less than about 50 mohms/square/mil.