Process for producing composite product having patterned metal layer

Claim 1

The process for forming a composite product which comprises applying directly to a base a patterned layer of curable resin, curing said resin in said pattern, etching said patterned cured resin in the absence of a mask with an etchant which will permit absorption onto said patterned cured resin of a metal catalyst capable of promoting electroless metal deposition selectively but which will not chemically modify said base so as to permit absorption onto said base of a metal catalyst capable of promoting electroless metal deposition selectively, contacting said etched cured resin with a catalyst composition capable of promoting electroless metal deposition on said etched cured resin without effecting, absorption of said catalyst on said base, activating the absorbed catalyst, and electrolessly depositing a metal layer on said etched cured patterned resin selectively without effecting electroless deposition of said metal layer on the base.