Learonal, Inc.

John E McCaskie

Chris Tsiamis

Michael P Toben

James L Martin

Fred I Nobel

An electroplating bath composition is disclosed which permits high speed palladium deposition. The bath comprises carbonate or phosphate anion in a critical amount and is otherwise additive free. A pH of 7-9 is used.

Palladium plating

A process for metal plating plastic or elastomeric materials which produces a coating of high conductivity which does not reduce over time is disclosed in this application to provide electro-magnetic interference shielding for said materials. This process uses either a particular special plating bath containing stabilizer additions with any surface preparation technique, or a certain specific surface preparation technique along with the use of a standard plating bath or the special stabilized plating bath to obtain metal coatings with the desired properties.

Process for electro-magnetic interference shielding

The invention relates to a method for high speed palladium electroplating by immersing the object to be plated in an ammoniacal solution of a palladium tetra-amino complex ion, palladium metal in a concentration of at least 10 g/l, and at least one carbonate or phosphate anion in a concentration of more than about 7.5 g/l and less than about 150 g/l. The solution has a pH of between about 7 and 9 and is free of quaternized pyridinium brightening agents. Palladium is plated into a substrate with high speed plating equipment which provides sufficient agitation, and current densities of 100 ASF and above to produce lustrous crack free deposits.

A simple and highly effective process for preparing the surface and plating a plastic or elastomer material is disclosed by the present invention. A uniform, highly adherent metal layer is deposited by the claimed process. The surface of the materials to be plated is prepared by exposure to a gas etch atmosphere and activation of the etched surface by providing a metal colloid thereon. Another aspect relates to the use of a one-step or two-step conditioner treatment in the process for improved results. After the surface preparation and activation, a desired metal coating can be electroless metal plated in a conventional manner.

Metal plating on plastics

Water soluble quarternized pyridine salts are used in amounts from about 0.001 g/l up to their solubility limit of about 10 g/l in aqueous palladium electrolyte plating baths to greatly enhance brightness even to the point of brilliance.

Growing community of inventors

No. Merrick, NY, United States of America

John E McCaskie