US4505786A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pretreatment of plastic materials for metal plating
Assignee: Honeywell International Inc
•
Filing: 1983-08-08
•
Granted: 1985-03-19
•
Expires: 2003-08-08
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to a process for conditioning the surfaces of natural and synthetic plastic materials for electroless plating of a metal coating thereon by exposing such materials to an atmosphere comprising an effective amount of ozone and thereafter contacting said exposed materials with an effective amount of a conditioning solvent, such as an aqueous solution of sodium, potassium or lithium hydroxide.
Inventors
- 👤 Albert A. Birkmaier
- 👤 Gary A. Harpell
- 👤 Bruce E. Kurtz
- 👤 Gordhanbhai N. Patel
- 👤 Rustom P. Poncha
- 👤 Adam L. Skovrinski
- 👤 James M. Lesco
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 01:05
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C18/00; C23C18/16; C23C18/18; C23C18/20; C23C18/22; H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/10; H05K3/18; H05K3/181; H05K3/38; H05K3/381
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
69 words
In an improved process for metal plating a natural or synthetic plastic material by conditioning said material to improve metal adhesion and depositing a metal coating upon said conditioned surface from an electroless plating bath, wherein said improvement comprises a conditioning step in which said material is exposed to an atmosphere comprising an effective amount of ozone and is then contacted with an effective amount of a conditioning solvent.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
69 words
In an improved process for metal plating a natural or synthetic plastic material by conditioning said material to improve metal adhesion and depositing a metal coating upon said conditioned surface from an electroless plating bath, wherein said improvement comprises a conditioning step in which said material is exposed to an atmosphere comprising an effective amount of ozone and is then contacted with an effective amount of a conditioning solvent.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of polydiphenylene sulfones, polyacetals, polyphenylene sulfides and polyphenylene oxides.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 2 wherein said material is a polydiphenylene sulfone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process according to claim 2 wherein said material is polyphenylene sulfide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process according to claim 2 wherein said material is polyphenylene oxide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process according to claim 2 wherein said material is a polyacetal.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
An improved process according to claim 2 wherein the quantity of ozone in said atmosphere is at least about 0.1 weight percent based on the total weight of the atmosphere.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
An improved process according to claim 7 wherein said quantity is at least about 0.5 weight percent.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
An improved process according to claim 8 wherein said quantity is at least about 0.8 weight percent.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
An improved process according to claim 9 wherein said quantity is at least about 2.5 weight percent.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
An improved process according to claim 2 wherein said conditioning solvent comprises a solution of one or more strong organic or inorganic bases.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
An improved process according to claim 11 wherein said bases are selected from the group consisting of strong inorganic bases.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
An improved process according to claim 12 wherein said exposed material is contacted with an aqueous solution containing an effective amount of said strong inorganic base.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
An improved process according to claim 13 wherein said base is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and ammonium hydroxide.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
An improved process according to claim 11 wherein the concentration of base in said solution is at least about 0.001 weight percent based on the total weight of the solution.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
An improved process according to claim 15 wherein said concentration is from about 0.5 to about 50 weight percent.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
An improved process according to claim 16 wherein said concentration is from about 1 to about 50 weight percent.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
An improved process according to claim 17 wherein said concentration is from about 5 to about 10 weight percent.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
71 words
An improved process for plating one or more metal onto the surfaces of a plastic material which comprises: (a) exposing said material to an atmosphere containing an effective amount of ozone; (b) contacting said exposed material with an effective amount of a conditioning solvent; (c) coating said contacted material with a catalyst for electroless plating of metal thereon; and (d) depositing a metal coating on said catalyzed material by electroless plating.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
71 words
An improved process for plating one or more metal onto the surfaces of a plastic material which comprises: (a) exposing said material to an atmosphere containing an effective amount of ozone; (b) contacting said exposed material with an effective amount of a conditioning solvent; (c) coating said contacted material with a catalyst for electroless plating of metal thereon; and (d) depositing a metal coating on said catalyzed material by electroless plating.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
An improved process according to claim 19 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of copper, silver, nickel and cobalt.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
An improved process according to claim 20 which further comprises depositing one or more additional metal coatings onto said metal coated material of step d, by electroplating.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
An improved process according to claim 21 wherein said one or more additional metals are selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, silver and chromium.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to claim 2 wherein said ozone exposure temperature is from about -30° C. to about 120° C.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 23 wherein said temperature is from about 45° C. to about 100° C.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 24 wherein said temperature is from about 50° C. to about 90° C.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
A natural or synthetic material which has been conditioned in accordance with the process of claim 1.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
A metal plated natural or synthetic plastic material one or more surfaces of which have been metal plated in accordance with the process of claim 19.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4422907A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-03-18 | 1988-09-17 | 1989-03-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-03-18 | 1992-09-17 | 1993-03-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-03-18 | 1996-09-17 | 1997-03-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |