US4590115A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Metallizing of plastic substrata
Assignee: Rhodia Chimie SAS
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Filing: 1982-12-13
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Granted: 1986-05-20
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Expires: 2002-12-13
Abstract
Abstract Plastic substrata are metallized, preferably by direct electrolytic metallization, by (i) providing a plastic shaped article comprising intimate admixture of a polymeric resin and a plurality of small metallic filler particles of a non-conductive oxide of a non-noble metal uniformly dispersed therethrough, at least one of the face surfaces of said shaped article having exposed thereon such high density of said metallic filler particles as to provide in step (ii) metallization growth nuclei adapted for direct electrolytic metallization; (ii) next subjecting said at least one face surface of said plastic shaped article to the action of a reducing agent to essentially quantitatively convert the non-conductive metal oxide filler particles to conductive free metal, metallization growth nuclei; and (iii) thence electrochemically and/or electrolytically metallizing the at least one reduced face surface of said plastic shaped article with a free metal deposit.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert Cassat
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 14:36
CPC Classifications
C; C25; C25D; C25D5/00; C25D5/54; C25D5/56; C23; C23C; C23C18/00; C23C18/16; C23C18/1601; C23C18/1633; C23C18/1635; C23C18/1639; C23C18/1641; C23C18/18; C23C18/20; C23C18/2006; C23C18/2013; C23C18/2046; C23C18/2053; C23C18/206; H; H05; H05K; H05K3/00; H05K3/10; H05K3/18; H05K3/188; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/24; Y10T428/24628
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
113 words
A process for metallization of a plastic substrate including (i) providing a plastic shaped article comprising intimate admixture of a polymeric resin and a plurality of small filler particles of cuprous oxide uniformly dispersed therethrough, (ii) subjecting at least one of the face surfaces of said plastic shaped article to the action of a reducing agent comprising a borohydride to convert the cuprous oxide filler particles to conductive free metal, the metallization growth nuclei thereby obtained having a surface resistivity ranging from about 0.01 Ω/□ to about 10 3 Ω/□ and thence electrolessly and/or electrolytically metallizing the at least one reduced face surface of said plastic shaped article with a free metal deposit.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
113 words
A process for metallization of a plastic substrate including (i) providing a plastic shaped article comprising intimate admixture of a polymeric resin and a plurality of small filler particles of cuprous oxide uniformly dispersed therethrough, (ii) subjecting at least one of the face surfaces of said plastic shaped article to the action of a reducing agent comprising a borohydride to convert the cuprous oxide filler particles to conductive free metal, the metallization growth nuclei thereby obtained having a surface resistivity ranging from about 0.01 Ω/□ to about 10 3 Ω/□ and thence electrolessly and/or electrolytically metallizing the at least one reduced face surface of said plastic shaped article with a free metal deposit.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The process as defined by claim 1, said plastic shaped article to be metallized comprising from 25 to 90% by weight of the cuprous oxide filler particles, from 0 to 50% by weight of another filler, and from 10 to 75% by weight of the polymeric resin.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process as defined by claim 2, the polymeric resin comprising said plastic shaped article being a thermoplastic resin, thermoset resin, elastomer, or admixture thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process as defined in claim 3, said cuprous oxide filler particles having a particle size distribution ranging from 0.1 to 5 μm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process as defined by claim 3, the polymeric resin comprising a polyolefin, vinyl, polystyrene, polyamide, acrylic, polyurethane, or saturated polyester thermoplastic resin.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process as defined by claim 3, the polymeric resin comprising a hardened phenolic, unsaturated polyester, epoxy or polyimide prepolymer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process as defined by claim 3, the polymeric resin comprising an elastomer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
The process as defined by claim 3, said reducing agent comprising an unsubstituted alkali metal borohydride or a substituted borohydride wherein up to three of the hydrogen atoms which comprise the borohydride ion have been replaced by inert substituents.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
The process as defined by claim 8, said reducing agent comprising an aqueous or aqueous/inert polar solvent solution of the borohydride, the concentration of which, expressed as a percentage by weight of the active hydrogen of the borohydride in solution, ranging from 0.05 to 1%.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process as defined by claim 3, said metallizing being electrolytic.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process as defined by claim 3, the free metal deposited in the metallizing step having a thickness of at least about 20 μm.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process as defined by claim 3 wherein the action of said reducing agent extends from the at least one face surface to within the body of said plastic shaped article.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process as defined by claim 3 wherein the action of said reducing agent extends completely through said plastic shaped article.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process as defined by claim 3, said small filler particles of cuprous oxide having been exposed by face surface cleaning operation.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process as defined by claim 3, said free metal deposited in the metallizing step comprising nickel, cobalt, chromium copper, iron, silver, gold, vanadium, cobalt/nickel alloy or brass.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
10 words
The product of the process as defined by claim 1.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-05-19 | 1989-11-18 | 1990-05-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-05-19 | 1993-11-18 | 1994-05-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-05-19 | 1997-11-18 | 1998-05-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |