Conductive nylon substrates and method of producing them

Claim 2

A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A SILVER-COATED FIBROUS NYLON SUBSTRATE WHICH COMPRISES SUBJECTING A FIBROUS NYLON SUBSTRATE TO A SENSITIZING POLYVALENT METAL SALT BATH, THEN WASHING THE SUBSTRATE WITH WATER, SUBJECTING IT TO A BATH OF DEIONIZED WATER, REMOVING IT FROM THE DEIONIZED WATER AND SQUEEZING EXCESS WATER OUT OF IT, THEN ALLOWING THE RESULTING WET FIBROUS SUBSTRATE TO STAND, WITH PERIODIC AGITATION, WITHIN AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF WATER, A SILVER SALT DISSOLVED THEREIN, 3 TO 3.5 MOLS OF AMMONIA PER MOL OF SILVER SALT, 0.025 TO 0.1 PERCENT, BASED ON THE SOLUTION OF AN ANIONIC SURFACTANT, FORMALDEHYDE, AND SUFFICIENT ACID TO BRING THE SOLUTION TO A PH OF ABOUT 8.4 TO ABOUT 9.4 PRIOR TO INTRODUCTION OF THE SUBSTRATE, RINSING THE SILVER-COATED FIBROUS SUBSTRATE, AND DRYING IT, THE TIME OF THE SILVERING STEP BEING SUFFICIENT TO DEPOSIT A SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS COATING OF SILVER ON THE SUBSTRATE FIBER WITHOUT CHANGING THE MODULUS CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FIBER.

Claim 3

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said anionic surfactant is sodium lauryl sulfate.

Claim 4

A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein said nylon substrate is sensitized with an alcohol solution of a stannic salt.

Claim 5

A process for producing a silver-coated fibrous nylon substrate which comprises subjecting a fibrous nylon substrate to a sensitizing ethanol solution of a stannic salt, then washing the substrate with water, subjecting it to a bath of deionized water, removing it from the deionized water and squeezing excess water out of it, then allowing the resulting wet fibrous substrate to stand, with occasionally stirring within an aqueous solution consisting essentially of water, silver nitrate, 3 to 3.5 mols of ammonia per mol of silver nitrate, 0.025 to 0.1 percent, based on the solution of sodium lauryl sulfate, formaldehyde in an amount sufficient to reduce the silver nitrate to metallic silver, and sufficient acid to bring the solution to a pH of about 8.4 to about 9.4 prior to introduction of the substrate, rinsing the silver-coated fibrous substrate, and drying it, the time of the silvering step being sufficient to deposit a substantially continuous coating of silver on the substrate fiber without changing the modulus characteristics of the fiber.

Claim 6

A process for producing a silver-coated fibrous nylon substrate which comprises subjecting a fibrous nylon substrate to a sensitizing ethanol solution of a stannic salt, then washing the substrate with water, subjecting it to a bath of deionized water, removing it from the deionized water and squeezing excess water out of it, then allowing the resulting wet fibrous substrate to stand, with occasionally stirring within an aqueous solution consisting essentially of water, silver nitrate, 3 to 3.5 mols of ammonia per mol of silver nitrate, 0.025 to 0.1 percent, based on the solution of sodium lauryl sulfate, formaldehyde in an amount sufficient to reduce the silver nitrate to metallic silver, and sufficient acid to bring the solution to a pH of about 8.4 to about 9.4 prior to introduction of the substrate, rinsing the silver-coated fibrous substrate, and drying it, the time of the silvering step being sufficient to deposit a substantially continuous coating of silver on the substrate fiber without changing the modulus characteristics of the fiber.