A method for producing a conductive film having a substrate and a conductive layer disposed on the substrate has a first step of forming a precursor layer on the substrate, the precursor layer including a metal component or its precursor, a water-insoluble polymer X having a cross-linking group, a water-insoluble polymer Y having a reactive group that reacts with the cross-linking group, and a water-soluble polymer Z different from polymer X and polymer Y; a second step of reacting the cross-linking group in the water-insoluble polymer X with the reactive group in the water-insoluble polymer Y; and a third step of forming the conductive layer by removing the water-soluble polymer Z.

A method for producing a conductive film having a substrate and a conductive layer disposed on the substrate has a first step of forming a precursor layer on the substrate, the precursor layer including a metal component or its precursor, a water-insoluble polymer X having a cross-linking group, a water-insoluble polymer Y having a reactive group that reacts with the cross-linking group, and a water-soluble polymer Z different from polymer X and polymer Y; a second step of reacting the cross-linking group in the water-insoluble polymer X with the reactive group in the water-insoluble polymer Y; and a third step of forming the conductive layer by removing the water-soluble polymer Z.

A photosensitive reducible silver ion-containing composition can be used to provide electrically-conductive silver metal in thin film or patterns on a substrate after irradiation with UV-visible light. The composition comprises: a) a non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex represented by the following formula (I):

##STR00001##

wherein L represents an -oxy carboxylate; P represents a primary alkylamine; a is 1 or 2; b is 1 or 2; and c is 1, 2, 3, or 4, provided that when a is b, b is 1, and when a is 2, b is 2; b) optionally, a photosensitizer that can either reduce the reducible silver ion or oxidize the -oxy carboxylate; and c) a solvent medium comprising at least one non-hydroxylic solvent.

A photosensitive reducible silver ion-containing composition can be used to provide electrically-conductive silver metal in thin films or patterns. This composition comprises: a) a non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex represented by the following formula (I):

(Ag.sup.+).sub.a(L).sub.b(P).sub.c (I)

wherein L represents an -oxy carboxylate; P represents a 5- or 6-membered N-heteroaromatic compound; a is 1 or 2; b is 1 or 2; and c is 1, 2, 3, or 4, provided that when a is 1, b is 1, and when a is 2, b is 2; b) optionally, a photosensitizer that can either reduce the reducible silver ion or oxidize the -oxy carboxylate; and c) a solvent medium comprising at least one non-hydroxylic solvent. Electrically-conductive silver can be provided by photochemical conversion of the reducible silver ions in the complex.

A method is used to provide electrically-conductive silver metal from a photosensitive thin film or photosensitive thin film pattern on a substrate using a non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex represented by the following formula (I):

(Ag.sup.+).sub.a(L).sub.b(P).sub.c(I)

wherein L represents an -oxy carboxylate; P represents a primary alkylamine; a is 1 or 2; b is 1 or 2; and c is 1, 2, 3, or 4, provided that when a is 1, b is 1, and when a is 2, b is 2. A photosensitizer can also be present with the complex. The reducible silver ions in the photosensitive thin film or photosensitive thin film pattern photochemically can be reduced to provide electrically-conductive silver metal by irradiation with UV-visible electromagnetic radiation.

A method for forming a structure for a radio frequency identification device includes dispensing a photosensitive compound onto a substrate. Subsequently, first portions of the photosensitive compound are exposed to a light pattern from a light source, while second portions of the photosensitive compound remain unexposed to the light source. Exposing the photosensitive compound to light reduces the photosensitive compound to a metal layer. The unexposed second portions of the photosensitive compound may be rinsed away to leave the metal layer. Processing may continue to form an RFID circuit from the metal layer, and a completed RFID transponder comprising the RFID circuit.

A non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex has a reducible silver ion complexed with an -oxy carboxylate and a primary alkylamine. This non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex can be represented by the following formula (I):
(Ag.sup.+).sub.a(L).sub.b(P).sub.c (I)
wherein L represents the -oxy carboxylate; P represents the primary alkylamine; a is 1 or 2; b is 1 or 2; and c is 1, 2, 3, or 4, provided that when a is 1, b is 1, and when a is 2, b is 2. Such complexes can be incorporated into photosensitive compositions that are then used to provide photosensitive thin films or photosensitive thin film patterns. The reducible silver ions can be quickly and efficiently reduced to electrically-conductive silver metal upon exposure to UV-visible radiation in various methods.

A non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex has a reducible silver ion complexed with an -oxy carboxylate and a primary alkylamine. This non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex can be represented by the following formula (I):
(Ag.sup.+).sub.a(L).sub.b(P).sub.c (I)
wherein L represents the -oxy carboxylate; P represents the primary alkylamine; a is 1 or 2; b is 1 or 2; and c is 1, 2, 3, or 4, provided that when a is 1, b is 1, and when a is 2, b is 2. Such complexes can be incorporated into photosensitive compositions that are then used to provide photosensitive thin films or photosensitive thin film patterns. The reducible silver ions can be quickly and efficiently reduced to electrically-conductive silver metal upon exposure to UV-visible radiation in various methods.

Articles are prepared to have a substrate and a silver-containing composition on either or both supporting sides of the substrate. The silver-containing composition can comprise either reducible silver ions or silver nanoparticles, complexed with a reactive polymer. The reactive polymer comprises: (a) greater than 1 mol % of recurring units comprising sulfonic acid or sulfonate groups, (b) at least 5 mol % of recurring units comprising a pendant group capable of crosslinking via [2+2] photocycloaddition, and optionally (c) at least 1 mol % of recurring units comprising a pendant amide, hydroxyl, lactam, phosphonic acid, or carboxylic acid group. Some other articles have a water-insoluble complex of reacted (crosslinked) polymer with reducible silver ions or silver nanoparticles on either or both supportive sides of the substrate. Such reacted polymer is derived from the noted reactive polymer.

Articles are prepared to have a substrate and a silver-containing composition on either or both supporting sides of the substrate. The silver-containing composition can comprise either reducible silver ions or silver nanoparticles, complexed with a reactive polymer. The reactive polymer comprises: (a) greater than 1 mol % of recurring units comprising sulfonic acid or sulfonate groups, (b) at least 5 mol % of recurring units comprising a pendant group capable of crosslinking via [2+2] photocycloaddition, and optionally (c) at least 1 mol % of recurring units comprising a pendant amide, hydroxyl, lactam, phosphonic acid, or carboxylic acid group. Some other articles have a water-insoluble complex of reacted (crosslinked) polymer with reducible silver ions or silver nanoparticles on either or both supportive sides of the substrate. Such reacted polymer is derived from the noted reactive polymer.