Catalyst composition and method of preparation

Claim 2

An essentially dry composition which, upon admixture with an aqueous hydrohalide acid solution having a pH of less than 1, forms a stable colloidal catalyst solution for catalyzing a substrate prior to the deposition of an electroless metal, said essentially dry composition comprising a catalytic metal in a reduced form insoluble in an aqueous acid solution of pH less than 1 and tin compounds, at least a portion of said tin compounds being in stannous form, the molar ratio of stannous tin to catalytic metal being at least 2:1.

Claim 3

The composition of claim 1 containing stannous tin in the form of a member selected from the group of stannous halides, their hydrolysis products and mixtures thereof.

Claim 4

The composition of claim 1 containing stannous tin in the form of a mixture of stannous halide and its hydrolysis products.

Claim 5

The composition of claim 3 where the stannous halide is stannous chloride.

Claim 6

The composition of claim 1 containing an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal or ammonium halide.

Claim 7

The composition of claim 5 where said halide is chloride.

Claim 8

The composition of claim 5 where said halide is sodium chloride.

Claim 9

The composition of claim 1 having a protective colloid for said reduced catalytic metal.

Claim 10

The composition of claim 8 where the protective colloid is stannic acid.

Claim 11

The composition of claim 1 where the dried composition has a moisture content of between 2 and 25% by weight.

Claim 12

The composition of claim 10 where the moisture content varies between 5 and 15% by weight.

Claim 13

The compositions of claim 1 where the ratio of the stannous tin to the catalytic metal is at least 5:1.

Claim 14

The composition of claim 12 where the ratio varies between 10:1 and 50:1.

Claim 15

The composition of claim 1 where the catalytic metal is selected from the group consisting of silver, gold, and the platinum family of metals.

Claim 16

The composition of claim 14 where the catalytic metal is palladium.

Claim 17

The composition of claim 14 where the catalytic metal is platinum.

Claim 18

An essentially dry composition which, upon admixture with an aqueous hydrochloric acid solution having a pH of less than 1, forms a stable colloidal catalyst solution for catalyzing a substrate prior to deposition of an electroless metal, said essentially dry composition comprising palladium in a reduced form insoluble in hydrochloric acid solution of pH less than 1 and tin compounds, a portion of said tin compounds being in stannous form, the ratio of said stannous tin from said tin compounds to said palladium being at least 2:1.

Claim 19

An essentially dry composition which, upon admixture with an aqueous hydrochloric acid solution having a pH of less than 1, forms a stable colloidal catalyst solution for catalyzing a substrate prior to deposition of an electroless metal, said essentially dry composition comprising palladium in a reduced form insoluble in hydrochloric acid solution of pH less than 1 and tin compounds, a portion of said tin compounds being in stannous form, the ratio of said stannous tin from said tin compounds to said palladium being at least 2:1.

Claim 20

The composition of claim 17 containing stannous tin in the form of a member selected from the group consisting of stannous halides, their hydrolysis products and mixtures thereof.

Claim 21

The composition of claim 18 containing stannous tin in the form of a mixture of stannous halide and its hydrolysis products.

Claim 22

The composition of claim 19 where the stannous halide is stannous chloride.

Claim 23

The composition of claim 17 containing an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal or ammonium halide.

Claim 24

The composition of claim 21 where said halide is a chloride.

Claim 25

The composition of claim 21 where said halide is sodium chloride.

Claim 26

The composition of claim 17 having a protective colloid for said reduced catalytic palladium.

Claim 27

The composition of claim 24 where the protective colloid is stannic acid.

Claim 28

The composition of claim 17 having a moisture content varying between 2 and 25% by weight.

Claim 29

The composition of claim 26 where the moisture content varies between 5 and 15% by weight.

Claim 30

The composition of claim 17 where the ratio of the stannous tin to the palladium is at least 5:1.

Claim 31

The composition of claim 28 where the ratio varies between 10:1 and 50:1.

Claim 32

A process for the formation of an essentially dry composition which, upon admixture with an aqueous hydrohalide acid solution having a pH less than 1, forms a stable colloidal catalyst solution for catalyzing a substrate prior to deposition of an electroless metal, said process comprising the steps of providing a liquid catalyst solution that is the colloidal product of admixture in hydrohalide acid of a catalytic metal halide with a stannous halide in molar excess of the catalytic metal halide, said liquid catalyst composition having a pH less than 1; drying said liquid catalyst composition under conditions whereby substantial oxidation of stannous ions from said stannous halide is encountered; and mixing stannous halide with the product obtained by drying said liquid catalyst composition, said stannous halide being added in an amount such that the ratio of stannous tin from said stannous halide to catalytic metal from said catalytic metal salt is at least 2:1.

Claim 33

A process for the formation of an essentially dry composition which, upon admixture with an aqueous hydrohalide acid solution having a pH less than 1, forms a stable colloidal catalyst solution for catalyzing a substrate prior to deposition of an electroless metal, said process comprising the steps of providing a liquid catalyst solution that is the colloidal product of admixture in hydrohalide acid of a catalytic metal halide with a stannous halide in molar excess of the catalytic metal halide, said liquid catalyst composition having a pH less than 1; drying said liquid catalyst composition under conditions whereby substantial oxidation of stannous ions from said stannous halide is encountered; and mixing stannous halide with the product obtained by drying said liquid catalyst composition, said stannous halide being added in an amount such that the ratio of stannous tin from said stannous halide to catalytic metal from said catalytic metal salt is at least 2:1.

Claim 34

The process of claim 30 where the ratio is at least 5:1.

Claim 35

The process of claim 31 where the ratio varies between 10:1 and 50:1.

Claim 36

The process of claim 30 where the catalytic metal halide is a halide of a member selected from the group of silver. Gold and the platinum family of metal halides.

Claim 37

The process of claim 33 where all of said halides are chlorides.

Claim 38

The process of claim 34 where said catalytic metal is palladium.

Claim 39

The product formed by the process of claim 30.

Claim 40

The product formed by the process of claim 35.

Claim 41

A process for making a catalyst composition for catalyzing a substrate prior to electroless metal deposition, said process comprising dispersing the product of claim 36 in an acid solution having a pH less than about 1 and containing dissolved stannous halide.

Claim 42

A process for making a catalyst composition for catalyzing a substrate prior to electroless metal deposition, said process comprising dispersing the product of claim 37 in a hydrochloric acid solution having a pH less than about 1.

Claim 43

A plastic substrate having the catalyst composition of claim 1 dispersed throughout at least its surface.

Claim 44

A plastic substrate having the catalyst composition of claim 8 dispersed throughout at least its surface.

Claim 45

A plastic substrate having the catalyst composition of claim 24 dispersed throughout at least its surface.