US5075037A — Selective catalytic activation of polymeric films

Claim 1

Independent Claim 195 words

A solution for forming a film activatable to electroless deposition comprising (a) a compound of a Group 1B or Group 8 metal, (b) a polymer selected from the group consisting of polybutadiene, polychloroprene, and a polyvinyl halide wherein the polymer and metal are present in a molar ratio of monomer units to metal of less than 6000:1 and at least about 35 to 1 for polybutadiene, at least about 28 to 1 for polychloroprene and greater than about 20 to 1 for polyvinyl halide; (c) an organic solvent containing less than 8 percent water; (d) a soluble chloride salt for providing solubilizing anions for said compound; wherein films formed from said solution are catalytically inert and the concentration of metal is less than 0.1 atom percent of said metal at the film surface and higher in the interior of said film and said film is activatable to electroless deposition by exposure for up to 24 hours to UV radiation at about 7.5 milliwatt/square centimeter from a 254 nanometer wavelength mercury arc lamp at about 25 millimeters from said film surface or by exposure to heat in a 180° C. oven for up to 5 minutes.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 195 words

A solution for forming a film activatable to electroless deposition comprising (a) a compound of a Group 1B or Group 8 metal, (b) a polymer selected from the group consisting of polybutadiene, polychloroprene, and a polyvinyl halide wherein the polymer and metal are present in a molar ratio of monomer units to metal of less than 6000:1 and at least about 35 to 1 for polybutadiene, at least about 28 to 1 for polychloroprene and greater than about 20 to 1 for polyvinyl halide; (c) an organic solvent containing less than 8 percent water; (d) a soluble chloride salt for providing solubilizing anions for said compound; wherein films formed from said solution are catalytically inert and the concentration of metal is less than 0.1 atom percent of said metal at the film surface and higher in the interior of said film and said film is activatable to electroless deposition by exposure for up to 24 hours to UV radiation at about 7.5 milliwatt/square centimeter from a 254 nanometer wavelength mercury arc lamp at about 25 millimeters from said film surface or by exposure to heat in a 180° C. oven for up to 5 minutes.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 10 words

A solution of claim 1 wherein said metal is palladium.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 21 words

A solution of claim 2 wherein said organic solvent is substantially anhydrous and comprises tetrahydrofuran, methylene chloride, cyclohexanone or mixtures thereof.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 13 words

A solution of claim 2 wherein said soluble chloride salt comprises lithium chloride.

Claim 6

Independent Claim 168 words

A method for preparing catalytically inert, activatable films comprising: a. applying to a surface a solution comprising a polymer and at least one compound of a Group 1B or Group 8 metal wherein the molar ratio of monomer units of said polymer to atoms of said metal is between 6000:1 to about 20 to 1, thereby providing a film-forming coating; b. drying said coating to provide a catalytically inert, activatable film comprising a complex of said polymer with said compound of a Group 1B or Group 8 metal, wherein the concentration of metal is less than 0.1 atom percent of said metal at the film surface and higher in the interior of said film and said film is activatable to electroless deposition by exposure for up to 24 hours to UV radiation at about 7.5 milliwatt/square centimeter from a 254 nanometer wavelength mercury arc lamp at about 25 millimeters from said film surface or by exposure to heat in a 180° C. oven for up to 5 minutes.

Claim 7

Independent Claim 168 words

A method for preparing catalytically inert, activatable films comprising: a. applying to a surface a solution comprising a polymer and at least one compound of a Group 1B or Group 8 metal wherein the molar ratio of monomer units of said polymer to atoms of said metal is between 6000:1 to about 20 to 1, thereby providing a film-forming coating; b. drying said coating to provide a catalytically inert, activatable film comprising a complex of said polymer with said compound of a Group 1B or Group 8 metal, wherein the concentration of metal is less than 0.1 atom percent of said metal at the film surface and higher in the interior of said film and said film is activatable to electroless deposition by exposure for up to 24 hours to UV radiation at about 7.5 milliwatt/square centimeter from a 254 nanometer wavelength mercury arc lamp at about 25 millimeters from said film surface or by exposure to heat in a 180° C. oven for up to 5 minutes.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 16 words

A method of claim 5 wherein said metal comprises palladium, platinum, iridium, rhodium, ruthenium or gold.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 11 words

A method of claim 6 wherein said medium is substantially anhydrous.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 17 words

A method of claim 7 wherein said applying and evaporating are conducted in a substantially anhydrous environment.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method of claim 7 wherein said applying and evaporating are conducted in an environment having a relative humidity between about 30 and 80 percent.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 21 words

A method of claim 6 wherein said polymer is a saturated and halogenated polymer, an unsaturated polymer or a vinyl polymer.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 16 words

A method of claim 10 wherein said polymer is polyvinyl chloride and said metal is palladium.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 31 words

A method of claim 6 further comprising delaminating the bulk of said film from said surface to provide a surface having an activatable residual layer of polymer complexed with said metal.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 21 words

A method of claim 12 wherein said polymer is a saturated and halogenated polymer, an unsaturated polymer or a vinyl polymer.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 16 words

A method of claim 13 wherein said polymer is polyvinyl chloride and said metal is palladium.

Claim 17

Independent Claim 217 words

A method of providing an article that is activated to electroless deposition comprising: a. applying to the surface of a mold a wet film comprising a solution of polymer and at least one compound of a Group 1B or Group 8 metal wherein the molar ratio of monomer units of said polymer to atoms of said metal is between about 6000 to 1 and about 20 to 1; b. drying said wet film to provide a stable catalytically inert, activatable film comprising a complex of said polymer with said compound of a Group 1B or Group 8 metal, wherein the concentration of metal is less than 0.1 atom percent of said metal at the film surface and higher in the interior of said film and said film is activatable to electroless deposition by exposure for up to 24 hours to UV radiation at about 7.5 milliwatt/square centimeter from a 254 nanometer wavelength mercury arc lamp at about 25 millimeters from said film surface or by exposure to heat in a 180° C. oven for up to 5 minutes; c. contacting said film with a molten thermoplastic material, having a temperature sufficient to activate said film; and d. solidifying said thermoplastic material to provide a laminate of solid thermoplastic material and said film having a catalytically active surface.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 217 words

A method of providing an article that is activated to electroless deposition comprising: a. applying to the surface of a mold a wet film comprising a solution of polymer and at least one compound of a Group 1B or Group 8 metal wherein the molar ratio of monomer units of said polymer to atoms of said metal is between about 6000 to 1 and about 20 to 1; b. drying said wet film to provide a stable catalytically inert, activatable film comprising a complex of said polymer with said compound of a Group 1B or Group 8 metal, wherein the concentration of metal is less than 0.1 atom percent of said metal at the film surface and higher in the interior of said film and said film is activatable to electroless deposition by exposure for up to 24 hours to UV radiation at about 7.5 milliwatt/square centimeter from a 254 nanometer wavelength mercury arc lamp at about 25 millimeters from said film surface or by exposure to heat in a 180° C. oven for up to 5 minutes; c. contacting said film with a molten thermoplastic material, having a temperature sufficient to activate said film; and d. solidifying said thermoplastic material to provide a laminate of solid thermoplastic material and said film having a catalytically active surface.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 21 words

A method of claim 15 wherein said polymer is a saturated and halogenated polymer, an unsaturated polymer or a vinyl polymer.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 16 words

A method of claim 16 wherein said polymer is polyvinyl chloride and said metal is palladium.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 27 words

A method of claim 15 further comprising separating said laminate from said surface, wherein said surface is catalytically active to the electroless deposition of metals from solutions.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 21 words

A method of claim 18 wherein said polymer is a saturated and halogenated polymer, an unsaturated polymer or a vinyl polymer.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 16 words

A method of claim 19 wherein said polymer is polyvinyl chloride and said metal is palladium.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 210 words

A method of providing electrolessly deposited metal onto selected areas of a surface comprising: a. applying to a substrate a film-forming solution of a polymer and at least one compound of a Group 1B or Group 8 metal, wherein the molar ratio of monomer units of said polymer to atoms of said Group 1B or Group 8 metal is between about 6000 to 1 and about 20 to 1; b. solidifying said solution to provide a catalytically inert, activatable film comprising a complex of said polymer with said compound of a Group 1B or Group 8 metal, wherein the concentration of metal is less than 0.1 atom percent of said metal at the film surface and higher in the interior of said film and said film is activatable to electroless deposition by exposure for up to 24 hours to UV radiation at about 7.5 milliwatt/square centimeter from a 254 nanometer wavelength mercury arc lamp at about 25 millimeters from said film surface or by exposure to heat in a 180° C. oven for up to 5 minutes; c. applying radiant energy or heat to selected areas of said film to activate said areas; and d. contacting said film with an electroless plating solution to deposit reduced metal on said areas.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 210 words

A method of providing electrolessly deposited metal onto selected areas of a surface comprising: a. applying to a substrate a film-forming solution of a polymer and at least one compound of a Group 1B or Group 8 metal, wherein the molar ratio of monomer units of said polymer to atoms of said Group 1B or Group 8 metal is between about 6000 to 1 and about 20 to 1; b. solidifying said solution to provide a catalytically inert, activatable film comprising a complex of said polymer with said compound of a Group 1B or Group 8 metal, wherein the concentration of metal is less than 0.1 atom percent of said metal at the film surface and higher in the interior of said film and said film is activatable to electroless deposition by exposure for up to 24 hours to UV radiation at about 7.5 milliwatt/square centimeter from a 254 nanometer wavelength mercury arc lamp at about 25 millimeters from said film surface or by exposure to heat in a 180° C. oven for up to 5 minutes; c. applying radiant energy or heat to selected areas of said film to activate said areas; and d. contacting said film with an electroless plating solution to deposit reduced metal on said areas.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 21 words

A method of claim 21 wherein said polymer is a saturated and halogenated polymer, an unsaturated polymer or a vinyl polymer.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 16 words

A method of claim 22 wherein said polymer is polyvinyl chloride and said metal is palladium.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-12-23	1995-06-24	1995-12-24	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-12-23	1999-06-24	1999-12-24	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-12-23	2003-06-24	2003-12-24	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Selective catalytic activation of polymeric films

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