Method for selectively plating plastics

Claim 1

A method for selectively plating a platable non-conductive plastic substrate to provide a conductive coating over first selected surfaces of the substrate and no conductive coating over second selected surfaces of the substrate comprising: plating the substrate in an electroless plating process wherein a first metal is deposited over substantially all of the first selected surfaces and at least a portion of the second selected surfaces; mounting the electrolessly plated substrate on an electroplating rack so that the current density at the second selected surfaces is lower during subsequent electroplating than at the first selected surfaces; electroplating the electrolessly plated substrate with a second metal different from the first metal under conditions where the second metal deposits over the first selected surfaces but not over the second selected surfaces; and immersing the electroplated substrate in a stripping solution capable of dissolving the first metal but not the second metal for a time sufficient to dissolve substantially all of the first metal deposited over the second selected surfaces.

Claim 2

A method for selectively plating a platable non-conductive plastic substrate to provide a conductive coating over first selected surfaces of the substrate and no conductive coating over second selected surfaces of the substrate comprising: plating the substrate in an electroless plating process wherein a first metal is deposited over substantially all of the first selected surfaces and at least a portion of the second selected surfaces; mounting the electrolessly plated substrate on an electroplating rack so that the current density at the second selected surfaces is lower during subsequent electroplating than at the first selected surfaces; electroplating the electrolessly plated substrate with a second metal different from the first metal under conditions where the second metal deposits over the first selected surfaces but not over the second selected surfaces; and immersing the electroplated substrate in a stripping solution capable of dissolving the first metal but not the second metal for a time sufficient to dissolve substantially all of the first metal deposited over the second selected surfaces.

Claim 8

A method for selectively plating a platable non-conductive substrate to provide a conductive coating over first selected surfaces of the substrate but not over second selected surfaces of the substrate comprising: electrolessly plating the substrate with a first metal whereby the first metal is electrolessly deposited over substantially all of the first selected surfaces and at least a portion of the second selected surfaces; mounting the electrolessly plated substrate on an electroplating rack so that, during subsequent electroplating, the current density at the second selected surfaces is lower than at the first selected surfaces; electroplating the substrate with at least one intermediate metal under conditions whereby the intermediate metal is deposited over at least substantially all of the first selected surfaces; electroplating the substrate with a final metal at a voltage whereby the current density at the first selected surfaces is sufficiently high for the final metal to be deposited over substantially all of the first selected surfaces but is sufficiently low at the second selected surfaces that the final metal does not deposit over the second selected surfaces; and immersing the electroplated substrate in a stripping solution capable of dissolving the first metal and intermediate metal but not the final metal, for a time sufficient to dissolve substantially all of the first metal and intermediate metal deposited over the second selected surfaces.

Claim 9

A method for selectively plating a platable non-conductive substrate to provide a conductive coating over first selected surfaces of the substrate but not over second selected surfaces of the substrate comprising: electrolessly plating the substrate with a first metal whereby the first metal is electrolessly deposited over substantially all of the first selected surfaces and at least a portion of the second selected surfaces; mounting the electrolessly plated substrate on an electroplating rack so that, during subsequent electroplating, the current density at the second selected surfaces is lower than at the first selected surfaces; electroplating the substrate with at least one intermediate metal under conditions whereby the intermediate metal is deposited over at least substantially all of the first selected surfaces; electroplating the substrate with a final metal at a voltage whereby the current density at the first selected surfaces is sufficiently high for the final metal to be deposited over substantially all of the first selected surfaces but is sufficiently low at the second selected surfaces that the final metal does not deposit over the second selected surfaces; and immersing the electroplated substrate in a stripping solution capable of dissolving the first metal and intermediate metal but not the final metal, for a time sufficient to dissolve substantially all of the first metal and intermediate metal deposited over the second selected surfaces.

Claim 15

A method for selectively plating a platable non-conductive substrate to provide a conductive coating over first selected surfaces of the substrate but not over second selected surfaces of the substrate comprising: electrolessly plating the substrate with a first metal in a first metal electroless plating solution whereby the first metal is electrolessly deposited over substantially all of the first selected surfaces and at least a portion of the second selected surfaces; positioning at least one shield adjacent the substrate so that during subsequent electrolytic deposition, the current density at the second selected surfaces is lower than at the first selected surfaces of the substrate; electrolytically plating the substrate with a second metal in a second metal electrolytic plating solution under conditions whereby the second metal is electrolytically deposited over at least substantially all of the first selected surfaces; electrolytically plating the substrate with a third metal in a third metal electrolytic plating solution under conditions wherein the current is adjusted so that the third metal is electrolytically deposited over substantially all of the first selected surfaces but is not depostied over the second selected surfaces; and immersing the plated substrate in a stripping solution capable of dissolving the first and second metals but not the third metal, for a time sufficient to dissolve substantially all of the first and second metals deposited over the second selected surfaces.

Claim 16

A method for selectively plating a platable non-conductive substrate to provide a conductive coating over first selected surfaces of the substrate but not over second selected surfaces of the substrate comprising: electrolessly plating the substrate with a first metal in a first metal electroless plating solution whereby the first metal is electrolessly deposited over substantially all of the first selected surfaces and at least a portion of the second selected surfaces; positioning at least one shield adjacent the substrate so that during subsequent electrolytic deposition, the current density at the second selected surfaces is lower than at the first selected surfaces of the substrate; electrolytically plating the substrate with a second metal in a second metal electrolytic plating solution under conditions whereby the second metal is electrolytically deposited over at least substantially all of the first selected surfaces; electrolytically plating the substrate with a third metal in a third metal electrolytic plating solution under conditions wherein the current is adjusted so that the third metal is electrolytically deposited over substantially all of the first selected surfaces but is not depostied over the second selected surfaces; and immersing the plated substrate in a stripping solution capable of dissolving the first and second metals but not the third metal, for a time sufficient to dissolve substantially all of the first and second metals deposited over the second selected surfaces.

Claim 22

A method for selectively plating a platable non-conductive substrate to provide a conductive coating over first selected surfaces of the substrate but not over second selected surfaces of the substrate comprising: electrolessly plating the substrate with a first metal selected from the group consisting of copper and nickel in a first metal electroless plating solution whereby the first metal is electrolessly deposited over substantially all of the first selected surfaces and at least a portion of the second selected surfaces; mounting the electrolessly plated substrate on an electroplating rack so that the current density at the second selected surfaces of the substrate is lower during subsequent electroplating than at the first selected surfaces of the substrate; electroplating the substrate with copper in a copper electroplating solution under conditions whereby the copper is electrolytically deposited over at least substantially all of the first selected surfaces; electroplating the substrate with nickel in a nickel electroplating solution under conditions whereby the nickel is deposited over at least substantially all of the first selected surfaces; electroplating the substrate with chromium in a chromium electroplating solution at a voltage whereby the chromium is electrolytically deposited over substantially all of the first selected surfaces but is not deposited over the second selected surfaces; and immersing the electrolytically plated substrate in a stripping solution comprising chromic acid and sulfuric acid for a time sufficient to dissolve substantially all of the copper and nickel deposited on the second selected surfaces.

Claim 23

A method for selectively plating a platable non-conductive substrate to provide a conductive coating over first selected surfaces of the substrate but not over second selected surfaces of the substrate comprising: electrolessly plating the substrate with a first metal selected from the group consisting of copper and nickel in a first metal electroless plating solution whereby the first metal is electrolessly deposited over substantially all of the first selected surfaces and at least a portion of the second selected surfaces; mounting the electrolessly plated substrate on an electroplating rack so that the current density at the second selected surfaces of the substrate is lower during subsequent electroplating than at the first selected surfaces of the substrate; electroplating the substrate with copper in a copper electroplating solution under conditions whereby the copper is electrolytically deposited over at least substantially all of the first selected surfaces; electroplating the substrate with nickel in a nickel electroplating solution under conditions whereby the nickel is deposited over at least substantially all of the first selected surfaces; electroplating the substrate with chromium in a chromium electroplating solution at a voltage whereby the chromium is electrolytically deposited over substantially all of the first selected surfaces but is not deposited over the second selected surfaces; and immersing the electrolytically plated substrate in a stripping solution comprising chromic acid and sulfuric acid for a time sufficient to dissolve substantially all of the copper and nickel deposited on the second selected surfaces.