Plating adherent metal coatings onto polymethyl methacrylate materials

Claim 1

A method of enhancing adherence of plated metal coatings on polymethyl methacrylate substrates comprising the steps of: abrading an entire polymethyl methacrylate surface area where enhanced metal adherence is desired with an abrasive of about 600 grit size, applying methanol to said abraded surface area, electrolessly plating a layer of copper onto said surface area, and electroplating a layer of a metal that adheres to copper onto said copper layer.

Claim 2

A method of enhancing adherence of plated metal coatings on polymethyl methacrylate substrates comprising the steps of: abrading an entire polymethyl methacrylate surface area where enhanced metal adherence is desired with an abrasive of about 600 grit size, applying methanol to said abraded surface area, electrolessly plating a layer of copper onto said surface area, and electroplating a layer of a metal that adheres to copper onto said copper layer.

Claim 3

A method of producing a more adherent plated pattern on the surface of a polymethyl methacrylate transparent body without deleteriously affecting optical properties of said surface comprising the steps of: abrading a surface of a polymethyl methacrylate body with an abrasive of about 600 grit size, applying methanol to said surface, electrolessly depositing a blanket layer of copper onto said surface, electroplating an additional blanket layer of a metal that adheres to copper onto said electrolessly deposited copper layer, selectively etching away congruent portions of said layers to define an adherent metal pattern on said surface and concurrently expose selected parts of the abraded substrate surface area, and buffing said polymethyl methacrylate body surface with the metal pattern thereon to remove abrasive marks in said exposed surface parts and substantially restore original surface finish To these parts without deleteriously affecting the metal pattern.

Claim 4

A method of producing a more adherent plated pattern on the surface of a polymethyl methacrylate transparent body without deleteriously affecting optical properties of said surface comprising the steps of: abrading a surface of a polymethyl methacrylate body with an abrasive of about 600 grit size, applying methanol to said surface, electrolessly depositing a blanket layer of copper onto said surface, electroplating an additional blanket layer of a metal that adheres to copper onto said electrolessly deposited copper layer, selectively etching away congruent portions of said layers to define an adherent metal pattern on said surface and concurrently expose selected parts of the abraded substrate surface area, and buffing said polymethyl methacrylate body surface with the metal pattern thereon to remove abrasive marks in said exposed surface parts and substantially restore original surface finish To these parts without deleteriously affecting the metal pattern.

Claim 5

A METHOD OF PRODUCING A BRIGHT, ADHERENT, AND WEAR RESISTANT PLANTED PATTERN ON THE SURFACE OF A POLYMETHYL METHACRYLATE TRANSPARENT BODY WITHOUT DELERIOUSLY AFFECTING OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF SAID SURFACE COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: COMPLETELY ABRADING AN ENTIRE PRESELECTED AREA ON AASURFACE OF A POLYMETHYL METACRYLATE BODY, USING AN ABRASIVE OF ABOUT 600 GRIT SIZE, IMMERSING SAID BODY IN METHANOL, ELECTROLESSLY DEPOSITING A BLANKET LAYER OF COPPER ONTO SAID SURFACE, ELECTROPLATING A BLANKET LAYER OF COPPER ONTO SAID ELECTROLESSLY DEPOSITED COPPER LAYER, ELECTROPLATING A BLANKET LAYER OF NICKEL ONTO SAID ELECTROPLATED COPPER LAYER, ELECTROPLATING A BLANKET LAYER OF CHROMIUM ONTO SAID ELECTROPLATED NICKEL LAYER, SELECTIVELY ETCHING AWAY CONGRUENT PORTIONS OF ALL SAID LAYERS TO DEFINE A BRIGHT, ADHERENT, AND WEAR RESISTANT METAL PATTERN ON SAID SURFACE AND CONCURRENTLY EXPOSED SELECTED PARTS OF THE ABRADED SUBSTRATE SURFACE AREA, AND BUFFING SAID POLYMETHYL METACRYLATE BODY SURFACE WITH THE METAL PATTERN THEREON TO REMOVE ABRASIVE MARKS IN SAID EXPOSED SURFACE PARTS AND SUBSTANTIALLY RSTORE ORIGINAL SURFACE FINISH TO THESE PARTS WITHOUT DELETERIOUSLY AFFECTING THE METAL PATTERN.

Claim 6

A METHOD OF PRODUCING A BRIGHT, ADHERENT, AND WEAR RESISTANT PLANTED PATTERN ON THE SURFACE OF A POLYMETHYL METHACRYLATE TRANSPARENT BODY WITHOUT DELERIOUSLY AFFECTING OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF SAID SURFACE COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: COMPLETELY ABRADING AN ENTIRE PRESELECTED AREA ON AASURFACE OF A POLYMETHYL METACRYLATE BODY, USING AN ABRASIVE OF ABOUT 600 GRIT SIZE, IMMERSING SAID BODY IN METHANOL, ELECTROLESSLY DEPOSITING A BLANKET LAYER OF COPPER ONTO SAID SURFACE, ELECTROPLATING A BLANKET LAYER OF COPPER ONTO SAID ELECTROLESSLY DEPOSITED COPPER LAYER, ELECTROPLATING A BLANKET LAYER OF NICKEL ONTO SAID ELECTROPLATED COPPER LAYER, ELECTROPLATING A BLANKET LAYER OF CHROMIUM ONTO SAID ELECTROPLATED NICKEL LAYER, SELECTIVELY ETCHING AWAY CONGRUENT PORTIONS OF ALL SAID LAYERS TO DEFINE A BRIGHT, ADHERENT, AND WEAR RESISTANT METAL PATTERN ON SAID SURFACE AND CONCURRENTLY EXPOSED SELECTED PARTS OF THE ABRADED SUBSTRATE SURFACE AREA, AND BUFFING SAID POLYMETHYL METACRYLATE BODY SURFACE WITH THE METAL PATTERN THEREON TO REMOVE ABRASIVE MARKS IN SAID EXPOSED SURFACE PARTS AND SUBSTANTIALLY RSTORE ORIGINAL SURFACE FINISH TO THESE PARTS WITHOUT DELETERIOUSLY AFFECTING THE METAL PATTERN.