US4803097A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Metal plating of plastic materials
Assignee: Honeywell International Inc
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Filing: 1987-04-20
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Granted: 1989-02-07
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Expires: 2007-04-20
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 exposing such materials to an atmosphere comprising ozone, contacting said exposed materials with a conditioning solvent, such as an aqueous solution of sodium, potassium or lithium hydroxide, contacting said materials with one or more oxidizing acids such as nitric acid and electroless plating of a metal coating on the said material.
Inventors
- 👤 Howard A. Fraenkel
- 👤 Karen A. Davenport
- 👤 Frank A. Spicciati
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 18:03
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C18/00; C23C18/16; C23C18/18; C23C18/20; C23C18/22; H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/38; H05K3/381
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
A process for metal plating a natural or synthetic plastic material to form a metal plated substrate having improved peel strength which process comprises: (a) exposing said material to an atmosphere comprising ozone; (b) contacting said exposed material with a conditioning solvent selected from the group consisting of aqueous conditioning solvents comprising an effective amount of one or more alcohols and one or more strong bases, and solvents comprising one or more strong bases; (c) contacting said material with an effective amount of one or more oxidizing agents; (d) depositing a metal coating upon said conditioned surface from an electroless plating bath to form said metal plated substrate; and (e) annealing the metal coated substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
115 words
A process for metal plating a natural or synthetic plastic material to form a metal plated substrate having improved peel strength which process comprises: (a) exposing said material to an atmosphere comprising ozone; (b) contacting said exposed material with a conditioning solvent selected from the group consisting of aqueous conditioning solvents comprising an effective amount of one or more alcohols and one or more strong bases, and solvents comprising one or more strong bases; (c) contacting said material with an effective amount of one or more oxidizing agents; (d) depositing a metal coating upon said conditioned surface from an electroless plating bath to form said metal plated substrate; and (e) annealing the metal coated substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to claim 1 which further comprising depositing a metal coating upon said electroless plate metal coating from an electrolytic plating bath.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of polymers having sulfur in the polymeric backbone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to claim 3 wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of poly sulfones and polysulfides.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process according to claim 4 wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of polysulfides.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 5 wherein said material is selected from the group consisting of poly(arylene sulfides).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process according to claim 6 wherein said material is poly(phenylene sulfide).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process according to claim 1 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 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 8 wherein the quantity of ozone is at least about 0.5 weight percent.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 9 wherein the quantity of ozone is at least about 2.5 weight percent.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said conditioning solvent comprises a aqueous solution of one or more strong inorganic bases.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
An improved process according to claim 11 wherein said bases are selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and ammonium hydroxide.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
An improved process according to claim 12 wherein said one or more bases are selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
An improved process according to claim 1 wherein said solvent comprises an aqueous solution of one or more strong inorganic bases and one or more alcohols are selected from the group consisting of alkanols having from 1 to about 7 carbon atoms.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
An improved process according to claim 14 wherein said solution comprises a mixture of more than one alcohol.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
An improved process according to claim 15 wherein said one or more alkanols are selected from the group consisting of ethanol, methanol, propanol and ispropanol.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
An improved process according to claim 16 wherein said alcohol is ethanol or methanol.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
12 words
An improved process according to claim 17 wherein said alcohol is ethanol.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the concentration of one or more alcohols in said solution is at least about 2 weight percent based on the total weight of the solution.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 19 wherein said concentration is from about 2 to about 80 weight percent.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 20 wherein said concentration is from about 10 to about 50 weight percent.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 21 wherein said concentration is from about 30 to about 40 weight percent.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the concentration of one or more strong bases is at least about 0.001 weight percent based on the total weight of the conditioning solvent.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 23 wherein said concentration is from about 0.001 to about 50 weight percent.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 24 wherein said concentration is from about 10 to about 40 weight percent.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 25 wherein said concentration is from about 15 to about 20 weight percent.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said oxidizing agent are selected from the group consisting of oxy acids.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to claim 27 wherein said oxy acids are selected from the group consisting of oxy acids containing phosphorus, nitrogen and sulfur.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process according to claim 28 wherein said oxy acids are selected from the group consisting of sulfuric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid and peroxymonophosphoric acid.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said oxidizing agent is nitric acid.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the said oxidizing agent is in a composition wherein the concentration of said agent is at least 0.5N.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to claim 31 wherein said concentration is at least about 2N.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to claim 32 wherein said concentration is at least about 4N.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
123 words
An improved process for plating one or more metals onto the surfaces of a plastic material which comprises: (a) exposing said material to an atmosphere containing ozone; (b) contacting said exposed material with an aqueous conditioning solvent comprising an effective amount of one or more strong bases; (c) reacting said material with an effective amount of nitric acid to form one or more reaction products on the surface of said material; (d) removing all or a portion of said products from said surfaces; and (e) coating said contacted material with a catalyst for electroless plating of metal thereon to form a metal coated substrate; (f) depositing a metal coating on said catalyzed material by electroless plating; and (g) annealing the metal coated substrate.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
123 words
An improved process for plating one or more metals onto the surfaces of a plastic material which comprises: (a) exposing said material to an atmosphere containing ozone; (b) contacting said exposed material with an aqueous conditioning solvent comprising an effective amount of one or more strong bases; (c) reacting said material with an effective amount of nitric acid to form one or more reaction products on the surface of said material; (d) removing all or a portion of said products from said surfaces; and (e) coating said contacted material with a catalyst for electroless plating of metal thereon to form a metal coated substrate; (f) depositing a metal coating on said catalyzed material by electroless plating; and (g) annealing the metal coated substrate.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
23 words
An improved process according to claim 34 and wherein said bases are selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
22 words
An improved process according to claim 34 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of copper, silver, nickel and cobalt.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
31 words
An improved process according to claim 34 which further comprises depositing one or more additional metal coatings onto said metal coated material of step (f) by electrolytic plating or electroless plating.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
26 words
An improved process according to claim 37 wherein said one or more additional metals are selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, silver and chromium.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-02-07 | 1992-08-08 | 1993-02-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-02-07 | 1996-08-08 | 1997-02-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-02-07 | 2000-08-08 | 2001-02-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |