Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1 where the concentration of said heterocyclic compound in solution is less than that which would cause a cloudy dispersion to form when 10. grams of said acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene are left standing in 200 milliliters of said solution for 24 hours.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 2 where the heterocyclic compound corresponds to the formula
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 3 where the heterocyclic compound is a mixture of a propylene carbonate and a lactone.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 3 where the heterocyclic compound is a mixture of propylene carbonate and gamma butyrolactone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 5 where the volume ratio of the propylene carbonate to the butyrolactone varies between 5 to 1 and 1 to 1.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 5 where the volume ratio of the propylene carbonate to the butyrolactone is about 2 to 1.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 5 where the solution temperature varies between 90*F and the thermal softening point of the resin.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 5 where the solution temperature varies between 90*F and 130*F.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 5 where the concentration of heterocyclic compound in solution varies between about 5 and 30 percent by volume.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
114 words
A method for metal plating an article formed from an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin including the following steps: a. pre-etching said article with an aqueous solution of at least one five-membered heterocyclic compound containing a nuclear carbonyl group and a heterocyclic oxygen atom, the concentration of said heterocyclic compound in water being less than that which would make said solution a solvent for said resin and cause a cloudy dispersion to form when 10 grams of said acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene are left standing in 200 milliliters of said solution for 24 hours, b. etching said article with an oxidizing acid, c. catalyzing said article with a noble metal catalyst system, and D. depositing electroless metal over the article.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 11 where the oxidizing acid is a chromic acid etch.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 12 where the chromic acid etch contains from about 8.5 to 10.5 pounds of chromic acid per gallon.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 12 where the heterocyclic compound is a mixture of a propylene carbonate and a lactone.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 12 where the heterocyclic compound is a mixture of unsubstituted propylene carbonate and the lactone is gamma-butyrolactone.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 15 where the volume ratio of the propylene carbonate to the butyrolactone varies between 5 to 1 and 1 to 1.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 16 where the solution temperature varies between 90* and 130*F.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 16 where the total concentration of heterocyclic in solution varies between 5 and 30 percent by volume.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 16 where the catalyst for catalyzing the resin substrate is the product of admixture of palladium chloride and stannous chloride in acid medium having a pH below 1 and a stannous ion content in molar excess of the palladium content.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 16 where the electroless metal is selected from the group of copper and nickel and alloys thereof.