Metal plated polymeric article

Claim 1

A metal plated article of manufacture which exhibits low smoke evolution under flaming conditions which article comprises a molded thermoplastic article having a metal plated exterior surface wherein the metal plating is approximately 2 mils thick and wherein the metal used is selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper and chromium and wherein the thermoplastic article is molded from a polyblend composition comprising: A. a polymer of a monovinylidene aromatic monomer and an ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer wherein the ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer moiety constitutes from 20% to about 70% by weight of the polymer; B. from 15 to 40% by weight, based on the total weight of the polyblend, of a crosslinked polychloroprene rubber having a Mooney viscosity of at least 200 (MS-21/2 min., 212° F.), which is grafted with: 1. at least one monovinylidene aromatic monomer; and 2. an ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer; wherein the ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer moiety constitutes from 20% to about 70% by weight of the grafted polymer; wherein the percent graft of aromatic monomer and nitrile monomer onto the polychloroprene rubber is in the range of from 10 to 100% by weight, based on the weight of the polychloroprene rubber; C. from 5 to 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the polyblend of an inorganic compound selected from the group consisting of Sb 2 O 3 , Bi 2 O 3 , MoO 3 , SnO 2 , WO 3 , and mixtures of the same; and D. from 0.5 to 5.0% by weight of a butadiene rubber said butadiene rubber being grafted with 1. at least one monovinylidene aromatic monomer, and 2. an ethylenically unsaturated nitrile monomer, wherein the total amount of polymer formed from the vinylidene aromatic monomer and the unsaturated nitrile monomer in the polyblend composition is in the range of from 45 to 84% by weight, based on the total weight of the polyblend.