Catalytic promoters in electroless plating catalysts applied as an emulsion

Claim 1

A process for the electroless plating of a non-conductor surface comprising (1) contacting said surface with an emulsion comprising the admixture of a principal catalytic agent wherein said principal catalytic agent is a compound of a metal selected from the group of metals consisting of copper, nickel, cobalt and iron and mixtures thereof and a catalytic promoter agent wherein said catalytic agent is a compound of a metal selected from the group of metals consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, Sc, Y, La, Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, Wv, Mn, Tc and Re and mixtures thereof and further wherein the concentrations for the principal catalytic agent and the catalytic promoter agent are so adjusted as to yield enhanced catalytic activity for electroless plating initiation in comparison to the same emulsion in the absence of said catalytic promoter agent, and (2) contacting the treated non-conductor surface with an electroless (chemical) plating bath.