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A fiery fashion statement that will have heads turning your way in admiration! Crafted in sterling silver and palladium with 18K yellow gold embraced™ accents, this necklace offers a choice of a gorgeous strand of various round bead cut 10mm dyed red carnelian, pink rose quartz, golden brown tiger's eye or grey labradorite beads strung together. Each choice is accentuated with an additional large round bead cut of the same gemstone. Set in the scrollwork above the large single bead are three color accenting and sparkling gemstones in bead settings. Each choice features its own different accenting gemstones with a single sapphire.Details
One year vendor warranty and includes a gemstone romance card with purchase.
Part of the Gems en Vogue Collection. Made in China. Gemstones may vary in color or pattern. Please allow for these natural variations. All weights pertaining to diamond weights are minimum weights. Additionally, please note that many gemstones are treated to enhance their beauty. Click here for important information about gemstone enhancements and special care requirements.
Vermeil Plating:
Pronounced "vermay," vermeil is an electroplating process in which 14K gold or higher is coated over sterling silver. Officially designated by the jewelry industry, items may only be sold as vermeil if they have a minimum thickness of 100 millionths of an inch (2.5 microns) of gold over the silver. Regular gold plating is less than 2.5 microns.
The "vermeil" technique of plating sterling silver with gold originated in France in the 1750s. It differs from "gold filled" or "gold plated" in terms of the thickness or thinness of the microns over sterling silver. "Gold filled" pieces have a much thicker layer, between 15 and 45 microns, which is mechanically bonded to the base metal with heat and pressure. Vermeil is a more expensive version of "gold plated". It does not wear off as quickly as gold plating does. However, over time, vermeil wears off and therefore will require re-plating.
Gold/Platinum Embraced Silver or Bronze:
Our platinum and gold embraced collections feature layers of platinum or gold over sterling silver or bronze for a lustrous, radiant finish everywhere you look and touch.
To care for your plated jewelry items:
Barrel Clasp: Used on most rope chains to make the chain more secure. The barrel clasp looks like part of the chain and twists to get a pendant on and off.
Lobster Claw Clasp: As a traditional clasp style found in bracelets and necklaces, the lobster claw is generally reserved for heavier styles that may need added strength. The closure's shape is more oblong, similar to a teardrop shape, and is controlled by a tip that opens and closes the spring in the clasp. This type is also considered a more expensive finding that can add to the overall value of the jewelry piece.
Magnetic Clasp: The popularity of the magnetic clasp has greatly increased in recent years. It is a quick and easy way to secure jewelry while not having to fuss with a tiny clasp, which can be difficult if you have long fingernails, arthritic hands or other mobility challenges. A magnetic clasp relies on a strong internal magnet that works to pull both ends of the clasp together. In most cases, a magnetic clasp is used for light to medium weight jewelry pieces that do not put excessive stress on the magnet.
S-Clasp: An S-shaped piece of metal that connects a chain by hooking metal rings on each end of the S-shape.
Slide Insert Clasp: This type of clasp is exactly as it sounds. With a box-like shape that is hollow on the inside, the wearer will slide the nearly-flat tab into the box until it clicks, indicating a secure closure. On some jewelry, a slide insert clasp will be accompanied by a side safety catch, which adds strength and security to the clasp. Although this type of clasp is found on both bracelets and necklaces, it is particularly popular on bracelet styles. These types of clasps are often reserved for more expensive jewelry.
Spring Ring Clasp: One of the most common closure types, the spring ring clasp is typically used for light to medium weight bracelets or necklaces. It is round in its design and features a small tip which controls the opening and closing of the spring. The circle then closes around another smaller loop or link at the other end of the strand.
Toggle Clasp: A toggle clasp is a narrow piece of metal, usually designed in the shape of a bar, which is then pushed through a circular ring to act as a fastener. Unlike the lobster claw or spring ring clasps, a toggle clasp is not controlled by a spring. The pretty design is less secure than other closure types, but is usually meant to be a big part of the design and is meant to "show". The clasp is an attractive way to secure a chunkier link bracelet or necklace.
Necklace Sizing
The length of a necklace or chain you buy depends upon a number of factors, including what you will be wearing with it and your neck size.
To measure your neck, wrap a soft, flexible tape measure around the base of your neck. This is the same measurement used for collar sizes in men's shirts. A good rule of thumb is to buy a necklace or chain a minimum of two sizes up from your neck measurement. Thus, a man with a 17" neck would want to skip the 18" size and get a 20" size to ensure a comfortable fit.
Appropriate women's necklace lengths are more dependent upon the style than neck measurement. Knowing your basic neck measurement, though, will help you decide what length will work best with your outfit and create the look you are after.
Named from the French word for lemon, "citron," citrine is a variety of quartz available in a range of golden hues from lemon, to straw, to sun yellow, to deep gold, to orange, brown and deep red. Darker colors are more highly valued, including the medium golden-orange and dark-sherry colors, sometimes called Madeira citrine after the color of the wine.
Citrine crystals can form together with amethyst to form ametrine, or with smoky quartz to form bicolored quartz. Citrine is generally less expensive than amethyst, and is also available in a wide range of calibrated sizes and shapes, including very large sizes. Considered an alternative to topaz as the birthstone for November, it is also thought to be the traditional gift for couples celebrating their 13 th and 17 th wedding anniversaries. Citrine ranks a 7.0 on the Mohs Scale, and because of this durability, it is ideal for jewelry wear.
Citrine is found in volcanic rocks and quartz veins and owes its color to the presence of iron. Most citrine is mined in Brazil, but almost all of the Brazilian material is heat-treated amethyst. Supplies are most plentiful in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul, particularly from the Serra Mine. The Ira' Mine also produces large quantities of the gem. Citrine can also be found in the Ural Mountains of Russia, in Dauphine, France, and in Madagascar.
In ancient times, citrine was carried as a protection against snake venom and evil thoughts. It was thought to give calmness and mental balance to its wearer. Throughout history, people have confused citrine for topaz. Many citrines were sold as topaz and thus thought to carry the same qualities, such as knowledge and beauty. Today, citrine symbolizes truth and integrity, and is believed to promote creativity and personal clarity. It is also believed to impart happiness and cheer to its wearer while raising self esteem, as well as cleanse, regenerate and attract abundance.
Known for its fiery combination of colors, opal is called the "Cupid stone" because it was said to reflect the complexion of the Greek god of love. The ancient Romans believed the gem was the symbol of hope, good luck and purity. Today, it remains a symbol of hope and inspiration. With a name stemming from the Latin word for "precious stone," opal is considered October's birthstone and is traditionally given as a 14th anniversary gift.
Opals are luminous and iridescent stones with inclusions of many colors called "fire." It is sometimes called the "queen of gems" because it can flash patterns of color representing every hue of the rainbow. In fact, most stones are usually cut into domed cabochons to enhance the color play. The brilliance and pattern of an opal's fire determines its value. Opals with strong flashes of red fire are generally the most prized, while stones with blue or green flashes are more common and subsequently less valuable. Stone size also helps determine price, since the gem is very rare in larger sizes.
In order to produce a stone that is less expensive than a solid opal, an opal doublet can be manufactured. It is composed of a thin layer of opal glued on top of another mineral (usually a black onyx or ironstone, which enhances the opal's color). An opal triplet can be made with a thin layer of opal sandwiched between a layer of clear quartz on top and a layer of obsidian or ironstone on the bottom. The clear quartz top layer makes the gem harder and less susceptible to scratches. Since top-quality natural opals are extremely rare and expensive, many are treated with colorless oil, wax or resin to enhance their appearance. Ranking a hardness of 5.5-6.5 on the Mohs Scale, these treatments also fill cracks in the stone to improve durability.
A species of quartz, opal is one of the few gemstones that are sedimentary in origin. Millions of years ago, after ancient seas receded, silica-laden sediment was deposited around shorelines. Erosion made much of this silica into a solution that filled cracks in rocks, clay and fossils. Layers upon layers of silica jell were added to each other over millions of years and became precious opals. The stones still contain 6 to 10 percent water, a remnant of ancient seas. Because they have high water content, opals should be protected from heat and strong light in order to prevent them from drying out and cracking.
Opal is found in a range of hues, including white opal (the most common), black opal (the most valuable), boulder opal (black opal with iron oxide), crystal or water opal (which is transparent), and fire opal (which features a bright solid color). The body color determines the variety of opal and has a large impact on the value.
White opals tend to have more diffused fire due to their light background color. Rare black opals have a black to dark gray body color that allows for the fire to be the most noticeable, making them the most valuable type of opal. Boulder opals are cut with the natural host rock left on the back. They are found with interesting hills and valleys on the surface and inclusions in the foreground, forming odd shapes that make them a designer's delight. Crystal opal is transparent with flashes of rainbow colors, while fire opal only occasionally has this play of color. Fire opal's backdrop color is the main attraction. With bold yellows, oranges or reds, it is usually faceted to add sparkle and enhance the fabulous color.
The vast majority of the world's opal supply comes from Australia, first discovered there by gold panners in 1863. In addition to a small quantity of opal produced in Kenya and Canada, white opal is mined in Brazil, black opal is found only at Lightning Ridge in Australia, crystal and fire opal can be found in the United States and Mexico, and a blue-green opal is found in the Andes Mountains of Peru.
Opals have been treasured for thousands of years throughout the world. The gem was loved and highly valued by the Romans, who called it "opalus." In fact, a beautiful opal called the "orphanus" was featured in the crown of the Holy Roman Emperor and was said to guard the regal honor. The Aztecs mined opal in South and Central America and archaeologist Louis Leakey found 6,000-year-old opal artifacts in a cave in Kenya. Napoleon gave Josephine a beautiful opal with brilliant red flashes called "The Burning of Troy," making her his Helen. To this day, opals are still set in the crown jewels of France. Queen Victoria loved opals and often gave them as wedding gifts. She was one of the first to appreciate opals from Australia and, along with her daughters, created a fashion for wearing the gemstone.
There are also several literary references to the fascinating stone throughout history. Shakespeare regarded opal as a symbol of shifting inconstancy, comparing its play of color to play of mind. In "Twelfth Night" he wrote, "Now the melancholy God protect thee, and the tailor make thy garments of changeable taffeta, for thy mind is opal." In the 19th century, Sir Walter Scott caused a reputation that opals were unlucky. The heroine of his popular novel had her life force caught in the opal she wore in her hair and died when its fire was extinguished.
For thousands of years, opals have been revered for their supposed mystical powers. Romans thought the stone kept the wearer safe from disease and wore it near the heart on necklaces to ward off evil and protect travelers. Ancient Arabs believed that opals fell from heaven in flashes of lightning, which explained their fiery colors. During the Middle Ages, opal was called "ophthalmios," meaning "eye stone," due to a widespread belief that it was beneficial to eyesight. Some thought its effect on sight could render the wearer invisible, and the stone was even recommended for thieves. In medieval Scandinavia, blonde women wore opals in their hair to prevent it from going grey.
Today, opals are still believed to hold magical powers. White opals, when used in rituals on a full moon night, are said to bring the moon goddess' powers into full effect within the practitioner. Specially shaped black opals are often worn on gold jewelry to further enhance their magical properties and powers. A fire opal surrounded with 10 or 12 diamonds and worn on a gold necklace is said to have excellent money-drawing power.
Opals have been said to bring good luck, grant vigor and ideally protect travelers. The stones have long been believed to develop and increase mental capacities and open the unused powers of the mind. The colorful fire in opals is said to develop a more creative imagination and help recall past lives. It is believed that the most magically powerful opals come from Lightning Ridge in Australia and that the gem loses its power once its owner dies.
With its uniquely mystical appearance, quartz was the "rock crystal" used in ancient times to make crystal balls. It was believed to attract energy and is still considered to be spiritual today. The gemstone was once believed to be a compact form of ice. In fact, the Greeks originally named quartz "krystallos," meaning ice, but this terminology soon applied to any type of crystal.
Often identified by its six-sided prism shape, quartz is the most common mineral on Earth, found in nearly every environment throughout the globe. With a ranking of 7.0 on the Mohs Scale, it is a component of almost every rock type and occurs in virtually every color imaginable. Quartz has a great amount varieties that are well-known by other names, including amethyst, citrine, ametrine, rock crystal, agate, druzy, chalcedony, tigers eye and many more. There are also several varieties that hold the name "quartz," including rose quartz, smokey quartz and rutilated quartz.
The pale pink color of quartz is known as rose quartz, the traditional gift for couples celebrating their 2 nd anniversary. It is a delicate powder pink color that ranges from transparent to translucent. Transparent rose quartz is quite rare and is usually so pale that it does not show much color, except in large sizes. The translucent quality of rose quartz is much more common and is used for jewelry and carvings.
Rose quartz is probably one of the most prized stones for its mystical properties. Known as the "Heart Stone," it is believed to have incredible powers to balance emotions and open the heart. Folklore says rose quartz can comfort brokenhearted people, bringing healing and clarity to the heart and allowing the wearer to learn to trust again. The stone is also said to foster happiness and the joy of life by bringing about contentment in love and filling one with optimism, tenderness and gentleness.
In addition to helping with romantic love, rose quartz is believed to enhance all other forms of love as well, including self-love, platonic and maternal. Its loving, nurturing energy is said to take away fears, resentment and anger and replace them with feelings of higher self-esteem and confidence. This soothing stone is also thought to balance emotions and heal emotional wounds. It is said to be especially powerful in times of stress or loss, bringing peace and calm to the wearer.
Ranging in color from nearly black to smoky brown, smoky quartz is transparent and owes its warm earthen hue to exposure to natural radioactivity. Care must be taken since its rich color will fade in the sun. Spelled either "smoky" or "smokey," this variety of quartz is often incorrectly called "smoky topaz."
Smoky quartz is believed to help dissolve negative energy and release stress. It is said to be a mild sedative with a relaxing effect that calms, soothes and restores balance and harmony. Folklore says the gem can embrace dark areas with light and love and therefore clear and cleanse the body both physically and emotionally. Smoky quartz is thought to be a warm, friendly and down-to-earth gem.
Rutilated quartz is a type of transparent rock crystal that contains long, fine needles of rutile crystals (titanium dioxide). These highly valued inclusions form a landscape of shining gold needles in an array of patterns that is breathtakingly beautiful. These golden inclusions are also known as Venus hair, Cupid's darts and fleches d'amour ("arrows of love"). There is a less well-known variety called tourmalinated quartz that, instead of golden rutile, forms black or dark green tourmaline crystals.
Although rutilated quartz is usually cut as a cabochon, it can be a difficult stone to attain a smooth surface without pits. This is because rutile ranks a 6.0 on the Mohs Scale , while quartz ranks 7.0. The difference in hardness between the two materials, and because of the way rutile forms inside, causes problems when cutting. Each final cut piece is unique, with no two being exactly alike. Modern folklore says rutilated quartz brings forth each person's strengths, originality and ability to relate to others.
Tourmalinated quartz is a clear form of quartz with silver-tone filaments and threads of black tourmaline running through it. Because tourmalinated quartz is a combination of quartz and tourmaline, it has influences and characteristics of both these gems.
All quartz rock that is absent of color is deemed rock crystal. This category of quartz has the clarity of pure water, without as much as a hint of pigment. While this colorless quartz is too common to be considered a precious gemstone, it is still beautiful, as well as affordable. Rock crystal is commonly used in decorative carvings, figurines and chandeliers. It is also easy to cut, making it well suited in the creation of eye-catching jewelry.
Phantom quartz is a variety of quartz which, over the course of millions of years, forms over existing rock crystals. It takes its name from the particular structure of the trigonal crystals that form within its shape, known as the phantom. Found mostly in Austria, Brazil, Madagascar, Switzerland and the United States, phantom quartz can also be found in smoky quartz, citrines and amethysts. These phantoms, or the inner crystals, are usually composed of other minerals such as chlorite, goethite, hematite or even other kinds of quartz like the smoky and milky quartz.
Mention of phantom quartz is found in 2000-year-old texts where it was believed to have formed on ice hidden in dark caverns for millions of years. This ice, when exposed to extreme cold, got encased with the quartz, thus trapping the phantom within. Perhaps because of their elusive beginnings, phantom quartz are sometimes referred to as ghost crystals, specter crystals or even shadow crystals.
An ancient Persian legend states the Earth rests on a gigantic sapphire that gives its blue reflection to the sky. The most popular colors for sapphires range from light blue to a blue that appears black. Hence, the name was derived from the Latin form of the Greek word for blue, "sapphirus." These blue colors are caused by iron and titanium in the stone. Bright daylight makes most sapphires shine more vividly than the somewhat muted artificial light. So the most highly cherished color for blue sapphires is not the darkest blue, but a deep and satiated blue, which even in dim, artificial light remains to appear blue.
While sapphires are best known for being velvety blue, it was decided long ago to consider all gemstones of the mineral family corundum to be sapphires. Non-blue sapphires are termed "fancy" and can be nearly any color, including yellow, green, white, pink, orange, brown, purple and even black. Red corundum is the exception, however, and was given the special name of "ruby."
In lighter-colored sapphires, the shade of color is determined by how the stone is cut. A cutter must take special care with sapphires. Not only do they rank a 9.0 on the Mohs Scale, second only to diamonds in hardness, but they display a different coloring and satiation depending on the perspective. The cutter must align the orientation of the stone in such a way as to bring about the best possible display of color.
There are a great number of varieties of sapphire, many of which are quite rare and highly sought-after in the gemstone market. A rare orange-pink variety, known as padparadscha, can be even more valuable than blue sapphire. Given the poetic name meaning "lotus blossom," it features a delicate orange color with pink undertones
Another rare variety of sapphire is known as the color-changing sapphire. This stone exhibits different colors in different light. In natural light, color-changing sapphire is blue, but in artificial light, it is violet. This effect is the same phenomenon seen in alexandrite.
For experts and connoisseurs, the Kashmir-color is considered the most beautiful and valuable shade. It features a pure and intensive blue, which is enhanced by a fine, silky gloss. Its color does not change in artificial light, but remains intense with a deep, velvety sheen. Setting the standard for the color of top-quality sapphires, Kashmir sapphires were found in 1880 after an avalanche. They were intensely mined for only eight years until the source was depleted. The Burma-color is also considered especially valuable, ranging from rich royal blue to deep cornflower blue. Ceylon sapphires are prized as well for the luminosity and brilliance of their light to medium blue color.
There is a translucent variety of sapphire, called star sapphire, which displays a six-point star when cut into a smooth domed cabochon. The mineral rutile is embedded in an asterisk-shape within the stone, causing light to reflect in a phenomenon called "asterism." Six- or twelve-ray stars appear to magically glide across the surface of the stones as they are moved. Star sapphires and rubies are expensive rarities and should always display the stars exactly in the center of the gem. The star stone is said to be the home of each person's angel, who lives there in contentment with the sapphire's spirit.
White sapphires have become a very suitable diamond substitute. With their high light refraction and level of hardness, they provide a less expensive alternative that is still very capable of turning heads with a very convincing sparkle.
The oldest sapphire mines are situated in Ceylon, where gemstones were mined in ancient times. Most blue sapphires today come from Thailand or Australia, but sapphires from Kashmir and Myanmar are highly prized. A large sapphire occurrence stretches across several miles in Madagascar. There are also two large occurrences in Tanzania, where smaller, yet high-quality sapphires are found. The stone is also mined in many other parts of the world.
Sapphires are readily available in sizes of up to 2.00ct, but gems weighing 5.00-10.00ct are not unusual. The cushion-cut Logan Sapphire from Sri Lanka weighs an astounding 423.00ct and can be seen at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. There is also a 258.00ct stone set in the Russian crown, which is kept in the Diamond Fund in Moscow.
Because the gem has long symbolized sincere love and enduring faithfulness, blue sapphires are often given in engagement rings to express commitment and loyalty. Many women throughout the world decide on the blue stone for their engagement rings, as the gem also represents truth, friendship, harmony and consistency. Sapphire blue has become a color related to anything permanent and reliable, making it an ideal stone to symbolize the promise of marriage.
Often referred to as "Gem of the Heavens," sapphire also symbolizes a noble soul. It is September's birthstone and is traditionally given as 5th and 45th wedding anniversary gifts. Star sapphires are given for the 65th anniversary. The color sapphire-blue is known for representing clarity and competence. In fact, the first computer to ever declare victory over a chess grandmaster and world champion was named "Deep Blue."
Sapphires have been associated with magical powers throughout the ages. The Greeks identified white sapphires with Apollo and the oracles at Delphi used them to tap into the subconscious and super conscious. In the 13th century, it was said that when worn, sapphires cooled the inner heat of anger. Soldiers wore them to prevent capture by enemies and kings wore the gemstone to defend against harm and put themselves in divine favor. This supposed "divine favor" is why sapphires were often the gemstone of choice for high priests and royalty throughout history. In fact, the British Crown Jewels contain a number of notable sapphires.
During the Middle Ages, sapphires symbolized the tranquility of the heavens and wearing them was thought to bring peace, happiness and purity of the soul. Medieval priests and monks would wear sapphire jewelry believing it had the ability to quell wicked impulses and impure thoughts. The color blue became the symbol of the union between a priest and the heavens, so sapphires came to be adorned on the rings of bishops.
Today, sapphires are still believed to hold special powers. It can be considered an aid to psycho kinesis, telepathy and clairvoyance, while providing spiritual enlightenment and inner peace. White sapphires, like diamonds, are considered the guardians of love, enhancing it and ensuring fidelity in marriage. The most powerful type of the gem is said to be the star sapphire. They are believed to protect against negative energy and have a calming effect that allows the mind to experience tranquility, joy and clear thinking.
A symbol of strength and intelligence, topaz derives its name from Topazios, an island in the Red Sea that is known today as Zabargad. The Greek word "topazios" means "to seek," since the island was covered with a thick fog and difficult to find. Gemstones found on the island were called topaz, although the stones were eventually found to actually be peridot. The real gem of topaz is found throughout the world, with different occurrences producing specific colors.
Brown, yellow, orange and red topaz are found in Brazil, Sri Lanka and Siberia. Most brownish topaz is heated to produce a permanent and glamorous pink color. Following the discovery of pink topaz in Russia during the 19th century, Imperial topaz was found. Featuring a sherry red, deep pink or reddish-orange color, the gem was so coveted that its ownership was restricted to the Czar, his family and those who received it as a royal gift. Today, Imperial shades are the most rare and, therefore, the most valuable.
Blue topaz is rarely found in nature and is most often created through a combination of heat treatment and irradiation. It is found in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and China. Topaz is often colorless, too, and can be found in the United States, Mexico, Russia and Pakistan. In 1998, a new type of enhanced topaz made its appearance with a greenish-blue or emerald green color. All colors of topaz rank an 8.0 on the Mohs Scale of hardness.
Yellow topaz is November's birthstone and blue topaz is December's birthstone. Blue topaz is also the traditional gift for 4th and 19th wedding anniversaries, while Imperial topaz is celebrated as a 23rd anniversary gift. Perhaps the most famous topaz is a large, colorless stone known as the Braganza. It was discovered in Brazil in 1740 and was originally thought to be a priceless diamond. Today, the giant 1,680.00ct stone is set in the Portuguese Crown.
The mystery and allure of topaz goes back thousands of years. To the ancients, it was a symbol of love and affection and was thought to ward off sudden death. The Romans associated topaz with Jupiter, the god of the sun. The Greeks called it the Stone of Strength, believing it had the power to increase strength and make its wearer invisible in times of emergency. The Egyptians said the gem was colored with the golden glow of the sun god, Ra, making topaz a powerful amulet that protected its wearer against harm.
Topaz' mystical curative powers were believed to wax and wane with the phases of the moon. The gem was said to change color in the presence of poisoned food or drink and falcons were carved on the stones to help earn the goodwill of kings and magnates.
Today, topaz is said to be the gem that has the widest range of curative powers. It is believed to dispel enchantment and protect against negative emotions such as anger, fear, greed and envy. Its properties are supposedly enhanced when the gem is mounted in gold. Because of this association with gold, topaz is used to bring or enhance the wearer's money-gathering abilities and has long been used in money and wealth rituals.
Wearing topaz is said to improve and deepen relationships, promote patience, ensure fidelity and enhance the ability to love. The gem is also believed to bring friendship, intelligence, long life, beauty and a pleasant disposition.
Tourmaline occurs in virtually every color of the spectrum, with an unlimited range of solid and mixed colors in all imaginable shades. According to an ancient Egyptian legend, this is the result of the gemstone traveling along a rainbow from the Earth's heart, up to the sun. On its journey, the legend says that tourmaline collected all the colors of the rainbow, which is why it is called the "Rainbow Gemstone."
The gem is found in hues of red, pink, green, blue, yellow, black, brown and colorless. It also can be bi-colored or multi-colored. Some tourmalines are very faint in color, while others are so dark that the color is only discernible when light is shone through the stone. There are even tourmalines that change their color from daylight to artificial light.
Tourmalines displaying just one color are quite rare since one crystal usually shows two or more shades or colors. In fact, the name "tourmaline" has been derived from the Singhalese expression "tura mali," which translates to "stone of mixed colors." Even two stones cut from the same rough mother crystal will often show different colors, a characteristic that makes tourmalines so attractive and sought-after.
Tourmaline also shows a remarkable dichroism. This means that when viewed from different directions, the stone will display different colors, or at least show different intensities. The deepest color always appears along the main axis, a fact that is important for the gem cutter to focus upon when cutting the stone. Tourmalines rank a hardness of 7.0-7.5 on the Mohs Scale and may be as small as a knitting needle or as thick as a thigh. They are easily available in sizes of up to 5.00ct.
Different shades of colored tourmalines have been assigned specific names in the gemstone world. Bi-colored and multi-colored tourmalines have several names for the common combinations of colors. Crystals with red or pink cores and green borders are called watermelon-tourmalines. Stones with colorless crystals and black tips are called Maur's Head or Moor's Head, while colorless crystals with red tips are called Turk's Head. If the color zones are arranged one on top of the other, the stone is considered a rainbow tourmaline.
The red variety of tourmaline changes its name based on the coloring in different types of lighting. Deep red tourmaline named rubellite shows the same fine ruby-red shade in daylight and in artificial light. Should the color change when the source of light changes, the stone is simply called a pink tourmaline. With its exquisitely intense coloring, rubellite was once the victim of misidentification for rubies in the Russian crown jewels.
Green tourmalines come in a variety of shades, including leek-green, intense yellow-green, olive-green and brownish-green. Chromium-tourmaline is the trade name for the emerald-green variety. Its beautiful color is strikingly similar to the fine color of emeralds. Blue-green and dark bottle-green are the most rare and highly coveted green hues.
Perhaps the most beautiful variety is the Paraiba tourmaline. It ranges in color from electric blue to neon blue-green to sizzling turquoise. Discovered in the Brazilian state of Paraiba, its vivid color has not been consistently seen in any other gemstone variety. Its spectacular color is due to the presence of a small amount of copper. A study by the German Foundation for Gemstone Research also discovered a surprisingly high content of gold in the stones.
Until recently, there was one striking gap in the range of colors displayed by tourmaline. Pure yellow shades were missing and most of the yellow tourmalines that were found showed a slightly brownish tinge. In the year 2000, however, electric yellow tourmalines were found in Malawi in East Africa. With a clear and pure color, they were deemed "canary tourmalines" and the formerly missing color of yellow was added in excellent quality to the unlimited range of tourmaline colors.
Larger yellow tourmalines rarely occur. Only 10 percent of all the mined yellow stones are gem-quality and when cut, more than 95 percent of the harvest will weigh less than 1.00ct. Regardless of their smaller size, experienced cutters love working with the stones. Not only do they have brilliant color, yellow tourmalines are considered to be the only gemstones that have a fine scent. This is because in the place of their occurrence, tourmaline crystals are often embedded into black material that must be removed before the stones are cut. An owner of a Malawi gemstone mine discovered the black matter was easily removed when the rough crystals were boiled in water and lemon juice. Ever since then, yellow tourmalines from Malawi not only resemble fresh lemons in color, but also in their scent before they are cut.
Other tourmalines are called "indigolith" if they are blue and "dravite" if they are golden to dark brown. Black tourmalines are known as "schorls" and are mainly used for engraving. Although they were used as mourning jewelry, ancients believed black tourmalines to be stones that protected against negativity and strengthened the heart.
Tourmalines are piezoelectric, meaning they can generate electrical charges when heated, compressed or vibrated. They then become polarized crystalline magnets and can attract light objects. The Dutch knew about this effect and used heated tourmalines to extract ashes from their pipes. The stones were even favorite toys of Dutch children before their gem quality was established. Because the gem's electrical charges attract dust and small materials, some believe that wearing pink tourmalines will attract love and green ones will attract success.
Tourmaline has often been called the "muses' stone" because it is believed that its imaginative colors contain inspirational powers that grant enlightenment, enable creativity and express an artist's mood. Due to the stones' energetic conductivity and vast array of elements, they are thought to have powerful healing abilities and protect against many dangers. Tourmaline is supposed to be an especially powerful influence on love and friendship, fostering compassion and cool headedness. It is considered the traditional gift to give couples celebrating their 8th wedding anniversary.
Ever since the ancient days, the gem has been attributed with magical powers. Today, specific colors of tourmaline are thought to hold individualized powers. Black is believed to bring luck and happiness when rubbed. Green is said to encourage communication and bring success, while blue is a balancer that stimulates other tourmalines' effectiveness. Watermelon tourmaline is believed to increase perception and creativity, while balancing passivity and aggressiveness. Pink is thought to promote peace, increase spiritual understanding and bring forth love and friendship.
Labradorite is a beautiful mineral whose charm is not fully noticed and may be overlooked if not viewed from the proper position. Generally a gray to smoky black color, it displays a strong iridescence when cut correctly. In fact, labradorite's value increases with the skill of the lapidary and strength of the iridescence. Ranking a 6.0-6.5 on Mohs Scale, its name is derived from Labrador, Canada, which is the main source of the stone. Modern folklore says that labradorite brings forth each person's strengths, originality and ability to relate to others.
Tiger's Eye:
Tiger's eye received its name because it has rich yellow and golden brown bands resembling an eye of a tiger. The stone is a common form of brown quartz that has parallel stripes and lustrous colors. It comes in various, luminous shades of light or dark brown due to iron oxides. Tiger's eye has the property of chatoyancy, meaning that when cut into a cabochon, it can shine with only a small ray of light on its surface, much like the eyes of a cat.
Also called crocidolite cat's-eye or African cat's-eye, the gem has a hardness of 7.0 on the Mohs Scale. Its most important deposit is in South Africa, though it is also found in western Australia, Myanmar (formerly Burma), India and California. Tiger's eye has recently become a modern anniversary gemstone for the 9 th year of marriage.
Roman soldiers wore tiger's eye for protection in battle and the stone is said to enhance courage and bring physical strength. Tiger's eye is also believed to offer protection during travel and dispel negative energies. The gem is said to strengthen confidence, willpower and convictions, which in turn help people to accomplish goals, increase wealth and achieve a joyful outlook. Tiger's eye is thought to help people recognize their inner power, leading them to attain their dreams and bring passion and vitality to their lives.
Perhaps tiger's eye's greatest folklore is that it is believed to promote mental clarity and balance. The gem is said to focus the mind and teach people to see with the eye of the tiger, clearly and without illusion. It is believed that tiger's eye's soothing vibrations can generate a calming effect that diminishes unclear thinking. The stone's subtle energies are thought to bring order, stability and discipline to life. Tiger's eye is closely attuned to Earth energies, but its yellow highlights are linked to the sun. Because it is believed to be a bridge between Earth and sky, it is considered a tool for balance between the physical and the spiritual. As a link between Father Sky and Mother Earth, the stone's influence is thought to be one of harmony between yin and yang.
Carnelian, also spelled cornelian, ranges in color from light brownish-red, to dark reddish-orange, to deep transparent red, to bright orange. The rich color is due to the iron content and can be placed in the sun to change brown tints to red. A translucent to opaque stone, carnelian is moderately hard with a hardness of 6.5-7.0 on the Mohs Scale. This relatively inexpensive gem features great warmth and beauty and is often found as engraved cameos in antique jewelry. It is the stone of happiness and harmony in love.
Some of the oldest examples of jewelry contain carnelian and it has been featured in nearly every great civilization. The greatest myths surrounding the stone come from the Egyptian culture. At an excavation site in Ur, archaeologists uncovered the tomb of Pu-Abi, a Sumerian Queen from the third millennium, B.C. She wore a robe that contained carnelian, along with other precious and semi-precious materials. Ancient Egyptian tombs are full of examples of carnelian jewels because of the Egyptians' belief in the stone's power in the afterlife. According to their system, the Egyptian goddess Isis used amulets of carnelian to ensure a soul's safe passage into the next world. The Egyptians so revered the power of the stone that it was one of three used most often in their jewelry, along with turquoise and lapis lazuli. Carnelian was a symbol of life in Pharaonic Egypt, and adorns the precious funerary pectoral of Tutankhamon.
Because carnelian has been revered for its healing, spiritual and creative qualities, Buddhists in China and India created amulets inlaid with carnelian and other semi-precious stones, ascribing to them powers of protection and utilizing them for many rituals. To this day, Buddhists in China, India and Tibet believe in the protective powers of carnelian and often follow the Egyptian practice of setting the stone with turquoise and lapis lazuli for enhanced power. The stone also appears in the Bible as one of the stones included on Aaron's breastplate.
Carnelian has been recommended as an aid for anyone having a weak voice or being reluctant to speak. The belief was that carrying or wearing carnelian would give the person courage both to speak boldly and loudly. In fact, Napoleon is recorded to have carried one he found in Egypt and to have had faith in it as a talisman. Perhaps he followed the belief reported by Merrill: "The wearing of carnelian insured victory in all contests save those of love."
Carnelian is a form of chalcedony, which is the microcrystalline form of quartz. Because quartz is the most common crystal on Earth, deposits of carnelian are found throughout the world. The most famous sites are in India, Brazil, Uruguay and Japan. The deposits are usually found in the lower temperature and lower pressure zones near the Earth's surface, but the best carnelian is found in India.
A selection of our jewelry is made of sterling palladium alloy. Palladium is a member of the platinum group of precious metals. By replacing a portion of the copper content used in standard sterling silver with palladium, this proprietary formula renders a precious metal with superior performance attributes. Sterling palladium is five times more tarnish-resistant than standard sterling silver and has strength similar to that of 14K gold.
Palladium has been used as a precious metal in jewelry since 1939, originally as an alternative to platinum for making white gold. Its naturally white color requires no rhodium plating. Additionally, palladium is proportionally much lighter than platinum and is ideal for use in heavier gemstone jewelry. It is a more expensive alloy than nickel, but it seldom causes the allergic reactions that nickel alloy can.
To care for your plated jewelry items:


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To meet a critical need on the NDSU campus to support and retain an emerging group of biomedical scientists, the Center for Protease Research COBRE program will establish a Pilot Project Program in interdisciplinary biomedical studies. The purpose ofthe program will be to develop interdisciplinary biomedical research in order that the Pis will be more competitive for extramural funding at the R01 level. The project will be funded at $250,000 per year of the 5-year grant period. Following an annual call for competitive proposals, an external grant review committee, the Internal Advisory Board, and the Pilot Project Program Director will critically evaluate projects. Upon consultation with the External Advisory Committee, pilot projects of one- or two-year duration will be prioritized and awarded based on merit, interdisciplinary, and ability to generate preliminary data for an NIH R01 application. Research pilot grant investigators will receive mentoring and guidance through the Center in the writing of required extramural grant proposals, as well as formal and informal mentoring through science seminars and presentations offered by the Center.
|Wu, Jingjing; Zhu, Yingyue; Xue, Feng et al. (2014) Recent trends in SELEX technique and its application to food safety monitoring. Mikrochim Acta 181:479-491
|Singh, Neha; Vasam, Goutham; Pawar, Rahul et al. (2014) Angiotensin-(1-7) reverses angiogenic dysfunction in corpus cavernosum by acting on the microvasculature and bone marrow-derived cells in diabetes. J Sex Med 11:2153-63
|Dhillon, Harsharan; Chikara, Shireen; Reindl, Katie M (2014) Piperlongumine induces pancreatic cancer cell death by enhancing reactive oxygen species and DNA damage. Toxicol Rep 1:309-318
|Zhang, Q; Padi, S K R; Tindall, D J et al. (2014) Polycomb protein EZH2 suppresses apoptosis by silencing the proapoptotic miR-31. Cell Death Dis 5:e1486
|Mahdi, Osama; Eklund, Bridget; Fisher, Nathan (2014) Laboratory culture and maintenance of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Curr Protoc Microbiol 32:Unit 6F.1.
|Mei, Yang; Su, Minfei; Soni, Gaurav et al. (2014) Intrinsically disordered regions in autophagy proteins. Proteins 82:565-78
|Su, Minfei; Mei, Yang; Sanishvili, Ruslan et al. (2014) Targeting ?-herpesvirus 68 Bcl-2-mediated down-regulation of autophagy. J Biol Chem 289:8029-40
|Xu, Hui; Chen, Jiao; Birrenkott, Joseph et al. (2014) Gold-nanoparticle-decorated silica nanorods for sensitive visual detection of proteins. Anal Chem 86:7351-9
|Mao, Xun; Gurung, Anant; Xu, Hui et al. (2014) Simultaneous detection of nucleic acid and protein using gold nanoparticles and lateral flow device. Anal Sci 30:637-42
|Li, Bo; Liu, Qing; Xuan, Chengluan et al. (2013) GABAB receptor gene transfer into the nucleus tractus solitarii induces chronic blood pressure elevation in normotensive rats. Circ J 77:2558-66
Showing the most recent 10 out of 18 publications

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A reinterpretation of one of Keith Haring's iconic dog paintings, the piece was spray painted in the heart of London in the artist's unique X-ray style using a classic neon 80's colour scheme. The piece is an unexpected and witty twist on an animal X-ray.
The post Shok-1's "Dog with Bones"! appeared first on Kidrobot Blog.


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Categories: Blowjob, Handjob, Jeans, Leather
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Description: Sorry, there is no description for this movie
Our site has a zero-tolerance policy against illegal pornography.
All galleries and links are provided by 3rd parties. We have no control over the content of these pages.
We take no responsibility for the content on any website which we link to. Copyright 2014


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Well, that power outage turned into a mess. But as much as the "big bad airlines" can disrupt our plans, are we going too hard on Delta?
Step onboard as we take a tour of Qatar Airways A380 during a recent visit to Atlanta.
Contributor Andrew Poure warns of the pitfalls that RFID-enabled checked bag tags will bring and why he thinks it won't work.
Standards Editor Ben Granucci explores all of the benefits of using RFID Technology for tracking checked bags, just like Delta Air Lines will soon do.
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker held a press conference on Tuesday in advance of his airline's inaugurating service to Atlanta to discuss their competitive strategy, service offering and future plans.
Delta Air Lines has committed to purchasing 75 aircraft to add to its fleet from the manufacturer, along with the option for an additional 50.
Employees from Alaska Airlines, Delta and Southwest, along with an airport service contractor all worked together in the intense Colorado sun to sort bags and get them to the right airlines and the right flights as they came off the trucks. I even overheard someone say, "One airport, one team."
The Department of Justice's charges of collusion at multiple airlines should come as no surprise to the ironic actions of none other than…
The Department of Justice.
A Delta Air Lines MD-88 slid off a runway and crashed into an embankment at New York's La Guardia Airport this morning.
Writing quality aviation content that gets people's attention isn't easy. Why go through all that hard work when there's an easy way to create a viral article that will get you crazy page views?


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It was particularly satisfying to see an increase in both age divisions, boys and girls, in the Techno 293 Championship - the class supported by all windsurfing classes for the junior (under 17) development pathway. Over 360 young windsurfers from 25 countries, representing 4 continents, assembled in Martigues, Provence, in the South of France.
Many of those selected to represent their countries in the forthcoming Singapore Youth Olympics were present to hone their skills for the fortnight ahead.
The championship entry was made up from competitors in two further age divisions of the International Raceboard Class - Youth (under 20) and Masters (over 35). Masters windsurfing, as in many other sports, is growing in popularity and strength.
The venue for this event next year, San Francisco, USA, is sure to attract a large number of competitors in both classes. Bic Sport have extended their already generous support of the T293 class by committing to supply 150 charter boards and rigs to the USA event
Meanwhile - Martigues produced challenging conditions for all - competitors, coaches and race committee! The unexpected weather pattern produced a very wide range of winds - very light to very strong 'mistral'!
To read the daily reports on the racing, and to find the full results, visit the following websites:
Techno 293 Class - http://www.techno293.org/
Raceboard Class - http://www.raceboard.org/
International Windsurfing Association - http://www.internationalwindsurfing.com/
Techno 293 Under 15 Girls: Marta Maggetti (ITA)
Techno 293 Under 15 Boys: Andrey Zagaynov (RUS)
Techno 293 Under 17 Girls: Neomi Cohen (ISR)
Techno 293 Under 17 Boys: Gael Cousin (FRA)
Raceboard Youth: Louis Giard (FRA)
Raceboard Masters: Patrik Pollak (SVK)
World Sailing Newsletter
World Sailing Newsletter is the weekly online newsletter of World Sailing.
It features the latest news and events from the sailing world together with features and info in an easy-to-use format.
It features the latest news and events from the sailing world together with features and info in an easy-to-use format.


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These GLOW S T R O N G glow-in-the-dark silicone wristbands were created in an effort to visually promote thyroid and prostate cancer
awareness and to financially benefit thyroid and prostate cancer research.
Having been personally affected by thyroid cancer and having family and friends that have been affected by prostate cancer,
I have seen the importance of supporting both endeavors first hand.
All profits from the sale of these wristbands will go to
the Light of Life Cancer Foundation, which is dedicated to thyroid cancer research and to the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Each band is $5.00 USD including shipping to most worldwide locations.
For the quickest and easiest checkout use the PayPal "Buy Now" button below, so you can select the quantity desired and make your purchase.
Thank you for your support in this worthwhile cause and remember
This website and its content is copyright of GlowYoYo.Com - © GlowYoYo.com 2010-2011. All rights reserved. - last modified: 03-06-2011- Internet service : WEBMASTER


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Season 2 of the Overtime podcast is here! Listen to the first episode with Meg Robichaud now.
Billable invoices page where you can see invoice by tickets and recurring invoices also user can use filter according date and i have improved right bar as logged in user would be able to access his/her personal info, team members whether it is client user that are involved with him/her on current tickets and activity like what user had done in past 5 6 days as a record and list of all companies/clients in far right tab. that right bar will stay on every page.
don't forget to see attachments as actual pixels.
feedback is welcome like always.
more shots coming soon...stay tuned ;)
Feel free to follow me on Twitter :P
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Show and tell for designers
What are you working on? Dribbble is a community of designers sharing screenshots of their work, process, and projects.
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The word philistine is in fact a neologism. Its application to the ignorant and those of little culture stems from the word philister as used from the seventeenth century by German university students to denote common townspeople. The word probably "travelled" to America with German emigrants and entered the language there along with zeitgeist, before returning to British shores in the Americanised form - philistine - circa 1815.
The reputation of the Philistine people has suffered immeasurably as a result. They deserve a better, and more informed, press if one of history's great wrongs is to be put right.
London EC1Reuse content


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For 16 years, I have been working with the federal government. And in that time, nothing has ever happened efficiently. It's not that the government's regulations and laws aren't well thought out. The problem is the people responsible for interpreting the laws and regulations. Quite often they're construed in a way that best suits the interpreters and their success. In ...Read More »
Tag Archives: security compliance
Are you Worthy? The Importance of a Certificate of Networthiness
It's no surprise that the U.S. Army takes security very seriously. Yet, for enterprise software companies pursuing contracts with this branch of the armed services, a look at the strict regulations and standards involved can be a panic-inducing affair. Beyond simply demanding tight security controls, the Army has made it a top priority to ensure that every facet of its ...Read More »
Lunarline Announces New Training Program to Help DoD Adapt to the new RMF for DoD IT
Arlington, VA, April 21 – After many long years and a few false starts, The DoDI 8510.01, Department of Defense Information Assurance Certification and Accreditation Process (DIACAP) has been officially superseded. As of March 12, 2014, DoDI 8510.01 has been re-issued. The process is now referred to as the Risk Management Framework (RMF) for DoD Information Technology (IT), or simply the ...Read More »
Cloud Security in the Heartbleed Era
With the discovery and announcement of the Heartbleed Bug, internet security is once again at the forefront of public interest. Although this revelation came only after a fix was developed and widely implemented, it's understandable if the vulnerability – potentially compromising some two out of three servers on the web – has left some a uneasy about the security of ...Read More »


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CSS Web Designer & Developer Volunteer
Publicado el 23/08/2016
New York, NY, US
You Can Thrive!
Únete como voluntario
Sobre nosotros
You Can Thrive! Foundation began in 2005 with a wide mission. The community mobilized to provide holistic palliative services regardless of the stage of diagnosis. These services give alleviation of psychosocial and physical distress and promote healing and better health after breast cancer. The overall mission is to create healthier communites. Our vision is a large hybrid community that combines caring for your neighbors with self-care and preventative measures. This is accomplished by creating and facilitating a multi-disciplinary holistic program that combines access to prevention and symptom relief services like acupuncture and reiki, exercise and nutritional/holistic lifestyle support in a volunteer based replicable paradigm. Join us.
Palabras clave
Información de contacto
Fecha de creación: 2005
Número de identificación del gobierno: 830143033
Email: Ingresa para ver las direcciones de email.
Página(s) web:
youcanthrive.org twitter.com/youcanthrive facebook.com/youcanthrive.org youtube.com/youcanthrive
Teléfono: 917.463.4267
535 W 23rd St. S8R, New York, NY, 10011, US


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Wordpress Plugin that authenticates with IContact and Aweber Email Autoresponder API's
- Status Closed
- Budget $30 - $5000 USD
- Total Bids 5
Project Description
I am looking for someone to write a wordpress plugin that communicates with both Aweber and Icontact API's. The contractor needs has in depth knowledge of Icontact and Aweber API's.
## Deliverables
I need a plugin that can work with the either the Aweber or Icontact API's. The plugin is designed to sit on any wordpress post or page, that can lock access to all or part of the content on that page or post.
The plugin is designed to work with any Aweber or Icontact email autoresponder account. The way it works is this:-
When plugin is installed it has to be selected to Aweber or Icontact, this can be changed at anytime in the settings.
The end user of the wordpress blog goes to any locked page or post on the wordpress blog, it could be about anything, for example its a fat loss article.
(a) The user is checked to see if they have a "right to pass" cookie. If so they can see the content automatically. If not they go to step b.
(b) User is asked to authenticate with their email address (no password needed, just the email address variable) which they used to sign up for the website newsletter (NOTE THIS CAN BE CHANGED TO ANY TEXT THE BLOG OWNER WANTS UNDER SETTINGS OF PLUGIN), in order to view the fat loss article. If authentication is unsuccessful the plugin asks the end user to try another email address if they have multiple addresses. If its still unsuccessful they can try another email address to will be asked if they want to sign up for the newsletter (NOTE THIS CAN BE CHANGED TO ANY TEXT THE BLOG OWNER WANTS UNDER SETTINGS of PLUGIN). In which case they get redirected to the newsletter email optin squeeze page.
(c) if they successfully authenticate their email address, 2 things happpen. Firstly they get "right to pass" cookie placed on their system to speed up authentication for next time (this cookie needs to be set to maximum time of 60 days to expiry). Secondly the content gets unlocked to they can now view the fat loss article and also have access to any other locked parts of the site/blog.
The whole point to this plugin is to make sure ONLY end users that are subscribed to the website/blog owners email optin list have access to locked pages or posts. This plugin should be able to authenticate with the Aweber or Icontact email list to check the users email list is subscribed, and granting access if it is.Get free quotes for a project like this
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Big Laughs at Flappers Comedy in Claremont
Our Price
Full Price
$10 - $30
Flappers Comedy Club brings Los Angeles' top comics to Claremont's historic Packing House building. A wide variety of shows include stand-up talent from national headliners seen on network TV, HBO, BET and Comedy Central, comedy contests with up-and-coming performers, hilarious themed shows and more. The club also hosts variety nights and other one-of-a-kind events. Plus, you never know what celebrity comics might drop by for a guest set. Please see the full event description for a link to information on upcoming shows.
* Additional fees apply. No coupon or promo codes necessary to enjoy the displayed discount price.
All offers for Flappers Comedy Club in Claremont have expired.
The last date listed for Flappers Comedy Club in Claremont was Sunday February 26, 2017 / 7:00pm (Kel Mitchell).
Venue Details
More Information
For a complete lineup list and show descriptions, check out
Flappers Claremont calendar
Lineups are current at time of publication, but subject to change without notice.
You must arrive no later than 15 minutes before the listed start time. Tickets are not guaranteed to be available after this time.


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Phantom Entertainment Inc., submitted by Video Games. Alright, maybe there is ONE stock that's not worth investing in... Phantom Entertainment Inc., formerly known as Infinium Labs... the creators of the Phantom video game console. It is currently worth... 0.0049 a share. Ooops. Oh well, that's up from its low of 0.0012!
More fake science from the mainstream scientists: Dr. Schrodinger claims cat is dead, but cat is alive and a dog.
Yeah, I went there. And I'll go there again. Don't believe me? I'm there ALREADY.
These all just look like normal cats to me.
From what I understand, this genre is about getting eaten by crocodiles. I excel at this.
Ah yeah, that's the stuff
Awful Links of the Day spotlights the worst and weirdest websites on the internet. And we're not talking "weird" in a good way either.
Copyright ©2017 Rich "Lowtax" Kyanka & Something Awful LLC.


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Join FREE | Login
+ Celebrations
+ How-To
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Lemon Tarts
Meyer Lemon and Strawberry Tart
Strawberry S'more Tart
Lemon Meringue Pie
Lemon Mini Tarts
Strawberry-Kiwi Tart
Looking for a homemade fruit dessert? Then enjoy this wonderful strawberry tart.
Melting jelly to glaze fruit tarts is a bakery secret. In place of the apple jelly called for in this recipe, peach or apricot jelly could be used to equally good advantage.
© 2016 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved


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|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Feb 27, 1996
|Filing date
|Feb 8, 1994
|Priority date
|Feb 26, 1988
|Fee status
|Also published as
|Publication number
|Cylde D. Calhoun, Maurice J. Fleming, George D. Foss, Richard L. Renstrom
|Original Assignee
|Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (17), Referenced by (11), Classifications (41), Legal Events (3)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This is a division of application Ser. No. 07/874,553 filed Apr. 22, 1992, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,340, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/160,773 filed Feb. 26, 1988, now abandoned.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns adhesive tape, preferably pressure-sensitive adhesive tape, the adhesive layer of which contains particles affording electrical conductivity through the thickness of the layer while being electrically insulating in lateral directions.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is pointed out in U.S. Pat. No. 4,548,862 (Hartman): "Modern electronic devices are becoming so small and their electrical terminals are so delicate and closely spaced that it is difficult and expensive to make electrical connections by soldering or other established techniques. U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,981 (Fujita et al.) uses an adhesive layer for individually electrically interconnecting multiple pairs of arrayed electrodes. The adhesive layer includes spherical electrically conductive particles of substantially the same thickness as the adhesive, thus providing a conductive path through each particle that bridges facing pairs of electrodes. The particles are randomly distributed throughout the adhesive layer, but the Fujita patent indicates that if the particles comprise less than 30% by volume of the layer, they will be sufficiently spaced so that the intervening adhesive will insulate against short circuiting between laterally adjacent electrodes. Carbon powder, SiC powder and metal powder are said to be useful.
"U.S. Pat. No. 3,475,213 (Stow) discloses a tape having an electrically conductive backing and a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer which contains a monolayer of electrically conductive particles that could be identical to the adhesive layer of the Fujita patent if Fujita were to use a pressure-sensitive adhesive" (col. 1, lines 15-38 of the Hartman patent). The Stow patent says that the particles should "have a substantial thickness slightly less than the thickness of the adhesive film" (col. 3, lines 1-2), and "essentially none of the particles should extend above the surface of the adhesive to preserve satisfactory adhesion values" (col. 3, lines 39-41). The Stow patent indicates a preference for metal particles, preferably flattened to appropriate thickness before being added to an adhesive-coating mixture, while also suggesting the use of "[m]etallized plastic or glass beads or spheres" and that "the particles can be metal alloys, or composites in which one metal is coated on another" (col. 4, lines 52-55).
The Hartman patent concerns a flexible tape that, like the adhesive layer of the Fujita patent, can adhesively make individual electrical connections between multiple pairs of electrode arrays without short circuiting electrodes of either array by means of small particles that form electrically conductive bridges extending through the thickness of the layer. Each of the particles has a ferromagnetic core and an electrically conductive surface layer such as silver.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,962 (Reylek et al.), like the above-discussed patents, discloses a tape that provides electrical conductivity through the thickness of an adhesive layer, and is especially concerned with adhesively attaching a semiconductor die or chip to a substrate to dissipate both heat and static electricity. The adhesive layer of the Reylek tape, which preferably is heat-activatable, contains electrically and thermally conductive particles that at the bonding temperature of the adhesive are at least as deformable as are substantially pure silver spherical particles. The thickness of the particles exceeds the thickness of the adhesive between particles. When the particle-containing adhesive layer is removed from the carrier layer of the transfer tape and compressed between two rigid plates, the particles are flattened to the thickness of the adhesive between particles, thus providing small, flat conductive areas at both surfaces of the adhesive layer. The particles preferably are substantially spherical and made of a metal such as silver or gold or of more than one material such as "a solder surface layer and either a higher melting metal core such as copper or a nonmetallic core" (col. 4, lines 20-21).
The Reylek patent says: "To economize the use of the electrically conductive particles, they may be located only in segments of the novel adhesive transfer tape which are to contact individual electrical conductors" (col. 2, lines 39-42). One technique suggested for so locating the particles is outlined at col. 2, lines 42-55, where the patentee (1) forms a viscous adhesive coating, (2) renders areas of the coating substantially tack-free, (3) applies electrically conductive particles that adhere only to the viscous portions of the coating, and then (4) polymerizes the viscous areas to a substantially tack-free state. When the viscous areas remaining after step (2) are small, the electrically conductive particles are individually positioned in a predetermined pattern.
The present invention provides pressure-sensitive adhesive tape that can be used to make reliable electrical connections merely by applying ordinary hand pressure. Like adhesive tapes of the Reylek patent, the adhesive layer of the novel tape contains electrically conductive particles that are equiax, i.e., particles having approximately the same thickness in every direction. An equiax particle can be considered to have a diameter, whether or not it is spherical. Like the electrically conductive particles of the Reylek patent, those of the novel tape are of substantially uniform diameter, preferably within the range of 25 to 150 μm and about equal to or somewhat larger than the adhesive thickness in order to conduct electricity through the thickness of the adhesive layer. The particles should be spaced laterally so that the adhesive layer is laterally electrically insulating. As can be provided by the above-outlined technique of the Reylek patent, the electrically conductive particles of the novel tape are individually positioned in the adhesive layer in a predetermined pattern. In doing so, substantially every particle is partially uncoated at one face of the adhesive.
The tape of the invention differs from tapes of the Reylek patent in that each equiax particle is hard relative to the electrodes or other electrically conductive elements which it is to interconnect. In view of Reylek's express teaching that the particles should be soft and readily conformable in order to establish good electrical contact, it is surprising that hard electrically conductive particles can be employed effectively. Contrary to what might have been expected, however, it is now believed that the hard particles are actually superior to soft particles, since the mere application of hand pressure causes them to penetrate into the conductive elements. To attain sufficient penetration, the equiax particle should have a Knoop Hardness Value (as herein defined) of at least 300. This penetration is believed to perform a sort of wiping action, removing oxides and other surface contamination and thereby creating a metallurgically and electrically superior connection. Additionally, in presently preferred embodiments of the invention, the hard particles are less expensive than Reylek's soft particles.
As demonstrated by electronmicrographs, each electrically conductive particle of the novel tape forms a tiny crater in any electrode or other conductive element of the substrate to which the tape is applied under hand pressure. The formation of a crater assures good electrical connection as well as good thermal conductivity when desired.
A pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the invention can be a transfer tape if it has a flexible backing, each surface of which is low-adhesion. The transfer tape can be wound upon itself into a roll and used to provide multiple electrical connections between electrodes on two substrates or used between electrical components to provide grounding, static elimination, and electromagnetic shielding in a variety of applications. For such uses, the electrically conductive equiax particles can be widely spaced laterally and still provide adequate electrical interconnection between the adhered objects, because the individual positioning assures the presence of an electrically conductive equiax particle wherever one is needed. Wide lateral spacing also permits the formation of strong adhesive bonds and minimizes the cost of the novel tape, even when the equiax particles are expensive. Wide spacing also ensures against shorting when the novel transfer tape is used for electrically interconnecting closely spaced electrodes on two substrates.
Other useful backings include flexible webs to which the particle-containing adhesive layer is permanently adhered, e.g., an electrically conductive web such as a metal foil or an electrically insulative web bearing electrically conductive elements such as parallel metal strips. For example, a metal foil-backed pressure-sensitive adhesive tape of the invention can be used to provide an electrical connection across a seam between two abutting electrically conductive panels such as may be used as part of an electromagnetically shielded enclosure.
The electrically conductive particles of the novel tape may have cores that need not be electrically conductive when they have electrically conductive surface layers. The Knoop Hardness Value of the core should be at least 300. An especially useful particle is a glass bead having an electrically conductive surface layer such as a metallic coating that is preferably only thick enough to provide the desired electrical conductivity, e.g., from 0.1 to 2 μm. Other useful core materials that have a Knoop Hardness Value of at least 300 include other ceramics, steel, nickel, and work-hardened copper. Even when the conductive surface layer is quite soft, typical electrodes and other electrical elements to be interconnected should be penetrated by the particles upon applying hand pressure whenever the thickness of the conductive surface layer is no more than 10% of the diameter of the hard core.
To ensure good penetration of a particle, the thickness of a relatively soft surface layer should be no more than 5% of the diameter of a hard core. A gold surface layer may be economical only when its thickness is about 0.1% or less of the thickness of the core of the particle. Other useful metal surface layers include silver, copper, aluminum, tin and alloys thereof.
When the particles are metal or have metallic surface layers, the novel tape is both electrically and thermally conductive through its adhesive layer and so is useful for applications requiring thermal conductivity.
A conventional adhesive tape having an exposed adhesive layer can be converted into an adhesive tape of the invention by the sequential steps of
1) attracting electrically conductive equiax particles only to separated dots in a predetermined pattern on a carrier, and
2) while advancing the exposed adhesive layer in synchronism with the carrier, pressing to transfer the attracted particles into the adhesive layer in said pattern.
When the carrier is a rotating drum, this 2-step method can produce electrically conductive tape of almost unlimited length, and the tape can be wound up in roll form for convenient storage and shipment. In such a roll of tape, the determined pattern of electrically conductive particles repeats many times.
When the adhesive is a pressure-sensitive adhesive, the pressure applied in step 2) can be very light, just enough to tack the particles to the adhesive layer. If the adhesive layer is then wound with a low-adhesion backing into roll form, the winding operation inherently forces the conductive particles into the adhesive layer. Even when the particles are forced below the face of the adhesive layer, a pressure-sensitive adhesive does not flow to cover completely the embedded particles at that face.
For most applications of the novel tape, the breadth of the dots formed in step 1,) of the above 2-step process should be small enough that only one equiax particle is attracted to each position, but when each dot is large enough to make it fairly certain that there will be a particle at every dot, it can be expected that two or possibly three particles will be deposited side by side at a few positions. When only one equiax particles per dot is desired, each dot preferably is roughly circular and has a diameter within the range of 30 to 90% of the diameter of the equiax particles. When using spherical particles 55 μm in diameter, good results have been attained with dots 45 μm in diameter. When the diameter of the dots substantially exceeds the diameter of the equiax particles, a monolayer of several particles may be attracted to each dot.
Preferably the dots and the particles they attract are as widely spaced as possible while still providing the desired conductivity through the adhesive layer. Wide spacing provides the strongest possible bonding as well as economy, especially when the particles include expensive material such as silver or gold. Wide spacing of the particles also ensures that the adhesive layer of the novel tape is laterally nonconductive and can be used for making electrical connections between two arrays of electrical terminals without any danger of shorting closely spaced electrodes. To this end, the electrically conductive equiax particles preferably occupy no more than about 5% of the area of the adhesive layer of the novel tape, and more preferably occupy from 0.05 to 1.0% of that area.
The electrically conductive particles may be arranged in rows extending both longitudinally and laterally over the full area of the adhesive layer, so that there is no need to align pieces of the tape with substrates to which they are to be adhered. However, to form electrical connections at specific locations, e.g., to pads of an integrated circuit chip, the electrically conductive particles may be positioned only in areas of the tape that will contact the pads, the other areas of the tape preferably being substantially free from the particles. For this application, it is sometimes desirable to locate a plurality of particles at each pad-contacting area.
Preferably the thickness of the adhesive layer of the novel tape between the electrically conductive particles is from 25 to 150 μm. Adhesive thicknesses above that range may be uneconomical, while thicknesses below that range may not provide full contact between the adhesive layer and a substrate which is not perfectly flat. When the adhesive is pressure-sensitive and is coated from solution or emulsion, it is difficult to obtain uniform coatings much greater than 50 μm.
For most uses, the average diameter of the conductive equiax particles should be from 5 to 50% greater than the thickness of the adhesive layer between particles. When the novel adhesive tape is used for electrically connecting two arrays of tiny metal electrodes or pads which are slightly raised above the adjacent surfaces, the application of ordinary hand pressure can cause the adhesive to flow into the depressions between the electrodes, thus permitting the diameters of the particles to be somewhat less than the original thickness of the adhesive layer.
The equiax particles of the novel tape preferably are substantially spherical. This ensures that the pressure applied when bonding two subtrates together is concentrated at very small areas of each particle. When the spherical particles are about 50 μm in diameter, hand pressure may force them into solder-coated or soft-copper electrodes to about 10% of their height, thus forming craters about 30 μm in breadth and extending across about 74 degrees of arc. Further penetration tends to be limited, due to the rapidly increasing area of contact between the spherical particle and electrode and possibly also due to dissipation of the applied pressure into particle-free areas of the adhesive layer.
The carrier of step 1) of the above-outlined 2-step process can be provided by a printing plate marketed by Toray Industries as "Toray Waterless Plate." It has a flexible sheet of aluminum bearing a layer of photosensitive material covered with a layer of silicone rubber. Upon exposure to light through a half-tone screen, the silicone rubber of a positive-acting plate causes the photosensitive material to bind itself firmly to the silicone rubber in areas where the light strikes, after which the silicone rubber in unexposed areas can be brushed off, leaving the silicone rubber only in the predetermined pattern provided by the light exposure. The printing plate is then wrapped onto a cylinder, and the cylinder is rotated through a fluidized bed of electrically conductive particles. The particles are attracted to the printing plate only where the silicone rubber remains and are repelled by the ink-receptive areas. Upon moving an adhesive tape in synchronism with the rotating printing plate, the particles are picked up by and become embedded into the adhesive layer in the pattern of the printing plate. That pattern repeats a large number of times over a long length of the tape.
The adhesive of the novel tape preferably is a pressure-sensitive adhesive that is aggressively tacky and so forms strong bonds on contact with substrates such as printed circuit panels. The pressure-sensitive adhesive may be substantially nontacky at room temperature if it becomes tacky at an elevated temperature at which it is used to provide electrically conductive connections.
Preferred pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes of the invention have silicone pressure-sensitive adhesives which form exceptionally strong bonds to a wide variety of surfaces, including low energy surfaces of materials that are widely used in printed circuitry, e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, and poly(tetrafluoroethylene). Furthermore, the bonds remain intact when exposed to large fluctuations in temperature. Especially good in these respects are siloxane pressure-sensitive adhesives such as poly(dimethylsiloxane) pressure-sensitive adhesive (Dow Corning DC 284) and phenyl-containing siloxane pressure-sensitive adhesive (GE 6574). These siloxane pressure-sensitive adhesives are so aggressively tacky that when marketed as transfer tapes, specially prepared backings are required, e.g., a biaxially oriented poly(ethyleneterephthalate) film, each surface of which has been treated to make it low-adhesion.
Among other classes of adhesives that can be used in the novel tape are thermoplastic adhesives (such as polyolefins, polyurethanes, polyesters, acrylics, and polyamides) and thermosetting adhesives (such as epoxy resins, phenolics, and polyurethanes).
When the adhesive of the novel tape is a silicone pressure-sensitive adhesive and the moving carrier of the above-outlined two-step process is a "Toray Waterless Plate," a transfer roll should be positioned between the exposed adhesive layer and the silicone rubber of the printing plate in carrying out the above-outlined 2-step process. This avoids the danger of the adhesive transferring to the printing plate. The surface of the transfer roll should be selected to cause the electrically conductive particles to transfer from the silicone rubber of the printing plate, while acting as a release surface in relation to the silicone pressure-sensitive adhesive.
Because silicone adhesives are coated from solution or emulsion, it is difficult to obtain uniform coatings greater than about 50 μm in thickness. Where thicker pressure-sensitive adhesive coatings are desired, it may be desirable either to apply multiple layers of the adhesive or to photopolymerize an adhesive in situ. For example, monomeric mixtures of alkyl acrylates and copolymerizable monomers such as acrylic acid can be copolymerized by exposure to ultraviolet radiation to a pressure-sensitive adhesive state.
The use of a printing plate mounted on a cylinder in the above-outlined 2-step process results in a seam that may produce discontinuities in the pattern of electrically conductive particles embedded into the adhesive layer. A conventional adhesive tape that has an exposed adhesive layer can be converted into an adhesive tape of the invention, having no seam in its pattern, by sequentially coating onto a cylinder formulations that provide a cylindrical printing plate, preferably including a silicone rubber layer. Preferred sequential coating formulations are those of U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,178 (Curtin).
If a seam in the pattern is not objectionable, step 1) of the above-outlined 2-step process for making an adhesive tape of the invention can use a carrier provided by the steps of
a) coating one face of a sheet of metal foil with rubber and the other face with a photoresist,
b) exposing the photoresist to light in a predetermined pattern,
c) removing areas of the photoresist corresponding to said pattern, and
d) removing the metal foil in said areas to expose the rubber in said predetermined pattern.
Step d) is preferably followed by step
e) removing the remaining photoresist.
The hardness of the core of a tiny electrically conductive particle can be measured after hot-pressing the particle into a fused resin while it is being thermoset and then polishing to remove about half of the particle. See "Metals Handbook", American Society for Metals, 8th Ed., Vol. 8, pages 117-118. The hardness then is measured by ASTM Test Method E384-84 using the Knoop indenter.
The invention may be more understandable by reference to the drawing, FIGS. 1-3 of which are schematic, wherein:
FIG. 1 shows a method of printing electrically conductive particles onto the adhesive layer of a transfer tape to provide a preferred electrically conductive adhesive tape of the invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section through the tape of FIG. 1 before it has been wound up into a roll;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section through a piece of the tape of FIG. 1 by which an electrical connection has been made adhesively; and
FIG. 4 is a photomicrograph of the exposed surface of a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape made as shown in FIG. 1.
In FIG. 1, a printing plate 10 has been attached to a rotating cylinder 12 with its outer surface developed to leave roughly circular rubber dots 13. The cylinder is rotated through a fluidized bed of electrically conductive spherical particles 14 of uniform diameter somewhat larger than the diameter of the dots. Each of the particles has a glass bead core 17 having a thin electrically conductive surface layer 18 as seen in FIG. 2. While the cylinder is rotating, the particles are attracted to the rubber dots, and excess particles are removed by suction at 15, leaving only one particle at almost every dot. The adhered particles are transferred to the surface of a rubber-covered roll 16. Moving in synchromism with the roll 16 is a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape 20 having a flexible backing 22 bearing an exposed adhesive layer 24 facing downwardly. The adhesive layer is pressed against the roll 16 by a nip roll 26, thus tacking the attracted particles 14 to the adhesive layer 24. Upon winding the resulting tape 28 into a roll, the electrically conductive particles 14 become embedded into the adhesive layer. Because both faces of the flexible backing 22 have low-adhesion surfaces, the tape 28 can later be unwound for use.
Shown in FIG. 3 are two substrates 30 and 31 which have been adhered together with a piece of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape 28 of FIG. 2. The illustrated fragment of the resulting composite shows two of the particles 14 electrically connecting two pads or electrodes 32 and 33 on each of the substrates 30 and 31, respectively. Upon application of ordinary hand pressure to the composite, the particles 14 have formed shallow craters in each of the electrodes.
A negative-acting "Toray Waterless Plate" was exposed to a half-tone screen having 200 lines per inch (79 lines per cm) of circular dots spaced equally in both directions. After being developed, the face of the Toray printing plate had a uniform pattern of silicone rubber dots, each about 60 μm in diameter and on 125-μm centers. The imaged plate was then flooded with an excess of silvered glass beads of substantially uniform diameter (about 50 μm), having a silver surface layer of 0.5 μm thick. Excess beads were removed by turning the plate over and tapping it. As viewed with a microscope, the spherical particles were held by the silicone rubber dots of the plate in substantially the pattern of the half-tone screen. There was only one spherical particle at almost every dot, but at a few dots were 2 or 3 particles side by side and at an occasional dot there was no particle.
Onto the particle-bearing plate was laid a piece of a pressure-sensitive adhesive transfer tape, the adhesive layer of which was a 96/4 copolymer of isooctyl acrylate/acrylamide polymer about 40 μm thick, on a silicone-precoated, biaxially oriented poly(ethyleneterephthalate) film that was about 30 μm thick. After pressing the tape against the plate using a small hand-held printer roller, the tape was lifted from the plate. In its exposed adhesive-coated face were embedded the particles that had been held by the plate.
The resulting particle-bearing adhesive transfer tape was used to adhere a flexible printed circuit (on polyimide film obtained from E.I. du Pont) to a rigid printed circuit board. At the face of each of the flexible and rigid printed circuits was a series of parallel solder-coated copper electrode strips, each 1.4 mm in width and spaced 1.1 mm apart. With the electrode strips of the printed circuits aligned, they were bonded together by a piece of the adhesive transfer tape which was 0.635 cm wide in the lengthwise direction of the electrode strips. The bonding was made in a press at 150� C. for 6 seconds under a pressure of about 1400 kPa.
After cooling, testing with a Simpson continuity meter showed that a good electrical connection had been established between each pair of the electrodes and that no shorting had occurred between adjacent electrodes.
A negative-acting "Toray Waterless Plate" 47.8 cm in length and 12 cm in width was developed to have a uniform pattern of roughly circular silicone rubber dots in rows extending longitudinally and transversely. The dots were uniformly about 60 μm in diameter on 0.29-mm centers. The developed plate was mounted on a cylinder with its length in the circumferential direction, leaving a seam of about 1 mm. Using apparatus as shown in FIG. 1, the cylinder was rotated in a fluidized bed of particles, each having a glass bead core about 60 μm in diameter and a silver surface layer about 0.5 μm thick. Particles carried by the Toray plate to the transfer roll were pressed into the adhesive layer of a transfer tape. Its adhesive was a phenyl-containing siloxane pressure-sensitive adhesive (GE 6574), 50 μm thick, and its backing was 60 μm biaxially oriented poly(ethyleneterephthalate) film, each surface of which had been provided with a low-adhesion backsize coating of a perfluoropolyether polymer as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,472,480 (Olson). The resulting electrically conductive adhesive transfer tape was wound upon itself into a roll for storage. After being unwound, a photomicrograph was made of the face of the tape, a fragment of which is shown in FIG. 4 of the drawing. The full photomicrograph showed only one particle at almost every dot and two side-by-side particles at a few dots. A highlight at the top of each particle suggests that each particle is partially uncoated.
Two electrically conductive pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes were made as in Example 2 except that the silicone rubber dots were about 100 μm in diameter. The dots were on 1.27-mm centers when making the tape of Example 3 and on 0.63-mm centers when making the tape of Example 4. Each of these tapes was tested for 180� peel adhesion in comparison to a "control" tape which was identical except having no particles. The 180� peel adhesion was measured from glass under ASTM D330-81, Method B, except using an "I-mass" adhesion tester 3M-90 in a controlled atmosphere of 22� C. and 50% relative humidity. Initial adhesion measurements were made within five minutes after adhering a tape to the glass at 22� C. Some of the specimens were placed in an oven at 70� C. for either 3 or 5 days and then held at the aforementioned controlled atmosphere overnight before testing. Results reported in Table I include testing of both the face side (FS) and the back side (BS). Also reported in Table I are tests for electrical resistance at 22� C., 50% RH, between two electrodes, each about 2.5 cm square, adhered to each other by one of these tapes.
TABLE I______________________________________180� Peel Adhesion (N/dm) After 3 days After 5 days ElectricalTape of Initial at 70� C. at 70� C. ResistanceExample FS BS FS BS FS BS (ohms/cm2)______________________________________3 13.1 17.1 15.1 18.0 17.1 17.1 0.00714 13.7 17.4 12.6 14.8 15.4 15.7 0.0069Control 17.5 17.4 15.9 15.9 15.9 16.5 108______________________________________
Although the initial 180� peel adhesion of the face side (FS) of each of the tapes of Examples 3 and 4 was somewhat lower than that of the control, the values are close enough to indicate that strong bonds can be made at ambient temperatures. The differences in 180� peel adhesion values of the tapes of Examples 3 and 4 versus the control tape are within experimental error. Hence, the electrically conductive particles are not interfering with adhesive values. The electrical conductivities of the tapes of Examples 3 and 4 are surprisingly good, considering the relatively wide spacing between their electrically conductive particles.
An electrically conductive pressure-sensitive adhesive transfer tape was made as in Example 2 except that the particles were on 125-μm centers. Used to test the electrical conductivity of this tape was a rigid printed circuit board having a first set of 17 parallel solder-coated copper electrode strips, each 35 μm thick and 1.4 mm wide, spaced 1.1 mm from adjacent electrode strips, and a second identical set of 17 electrically conductive electrode strips aligned lengthwise with and spaced 2.5 cm from the first set. A strip of this adhesive transfer tape was used to adhere, to each of the two sets, one end of a 6-cm long flexible printed circuit (on polyimide film 25 μm thick) having a third identical set of electrically conductive strips, with one strip at each end of the flexible printed circuit overlying one set of 17 strips of the rigid printed circuit over a length of 1 cm. Good adhesive contact was assured by pressing with a hand-held wooden roller. The flexible printed circuit formed a loop rising above the rigid printed circuit, thus creating a modest lifting force that did not cause any adhesive failure.
A load of 7 amperes at 12 volts DC was carried between aligned pairs of conductive strips of the first and second sets, but at 8 amperes the conductive strip of the flexible printed circuit failed in the manner of a wire fuse. The same result was obtained between other aligned conductors of the first and second sets. From this, it was determined that the adhesive transfer tape could carry at least 60 amperes/cm2 DC through its thickness.
An electrically conductive pressure-sensitive adhesive transfer tape was made as in Example 2 except that the silicone rubber dots were about 100 μm in diameter and on 0.625-mm centers. Every dot attracted at least one particle, and there were at least 2 particles, and occasionally 3, at about half of the dots.
The resulting electrically conductive adhesive layer of the transfer tape was used to interconnect two sets of 17 electrode strips in the same manner as in Example 5.
A power source was connected to each electrode of one set on the rigid printed circuit board, and a box containing 14 LEDs (light emitting diodes) was connected to 14 of the 17 electrode strips of the other set. The power source pulsed current sequentially through the 14 connected pairs so as to sequentially illuminate each of the 14 LEDs. This assembly was used for demonstration purposes for about three months, running some days for 6 or 7 hours. Every LED always lighted, and no more than one LED ever lighted at one time, thus indicating that there was no shorting caused by the strips of adhesive transfer tape.
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|Minnesota Mining & Mfg
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|U.S. Classification
|428/164, 428/200, 428/328, 428/206
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Jun 24, 1999
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Aug 27, 2003
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8
|Aug 27, 2007
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 12