Abstract: Non-metallic articles are sensitized for deposition of adherent metal from electroless metal solutions in contact therewith by treatment with a first medium including a compound or combination of compounds containing an element which in one of its states is catalytically active to electroless metal deposition thereby adsorbing on the surface in situ the elemnt(s) and/or compound(s); thereafter treating the surface with a second medium to decrease the solubility of the compound or combination of compounds and/or simultaneously removing the excess; and simultaneously or subsequently, if necessary, treating the surface with one or more agents to transfer said element(s) into a catalytically-active state.

Abstract: Non-metallic articles are sensitized for deposition of adherent metal from electroless metal solutions in contact therewith by treatment with a first medium including a compound or combination of compounds containing an element which in one of its states is catalytically active to electroless metal deposition thereby adsorbing on the surface in situ the element(s) and/or compound(s); thereafter treating the surface with a second medium to decrease the solubility of the compound or combination of compounds and/or simultaneously removing the excess; and simultaneously or subsequently, if necessary, treating the surface with one or more agents to transfer said element(s) into a catalytically-active state.

Abstract: Non-metallic articles are sensitized for deposition of adherent metal from electroless metal solutions in contact therewith by treatment with a first medium including cuprous ions and stannous ions thereby absorbing on the surface in situ at least said cuprous ions; thereafter treating the surface with a second medium to decrease the solubility of the cuprous ions and/or simultaneously removing the excess; and simultaneously or subsequently, if necessary, treating the surface with one or more agents to transfer said cuprous ions into a catalytically-active state.

Abstract: Surfaces of articles are sensitized for the deposition of adherent metal from electroless metal solutions in contact therewith by prior treatment with an activatable complex of copper in a liquid medium formed from a solution comprising a mixture of halogen, cuprous and cupric components and thereafter forming a deposit on the treated article surfaces of a water-insoluble derivative of the said complex. Such surface deposits are treated with a reducing agent or water to enhance their reception of metal in an electroless metal deposition bath.

Abstract: An improved process for removing resin smeared on an interior wall of a hole in a resinous substrate and/or adhesion promoting the substrate which comprises: (a) contacting the substrate with an alkaline permanganate treating solution having a pH between about 11 and about 13 and an elevated temperature for a time period sufficient to remove the resin smear; (b) neutralizing essentially all manganese residue on the substrate; (c) contacting the substrate with an alkaline hydroxide etchant to remove the balance of manganese residue on the substrate. A metal such as copper subsequently may be electrolessly deposited in a more efficient and easily controlled manner on the resin substrate in the formation of a wire scribed circuit board or multilayer printed circuit board. In addition to resin smear removal, the process results in an improved bond between copper and the hole wall.

Abstract: There is provided a method for increasing the useful effective plating rate of an electroless copper deposition solution which comprises copper ion, a complexing agent for copper ion, a reducing agent and a pH adjustor and which is characterized by a plating rate which first increases and passes through a peak plating rate and then decreases as a function of a pH above 10. In accordance with this invention, the plating rate of such a solution may be significantly increased by operation thereof in the presence of an accelerating or depolarizing agent at a pH to achieve a plating rate above the plating rate of the solution without such an agent at the same pH. The accelerating or depolarizing agents for use herein include compounds containing a delocalized pi-bond, such as heterocyclic aromatic nitrogen and sulfur compounds, non-aromatic nitrogen compounds having at least one delocalized pi-bond, and aromatic amines.

Abstract: Surfaces of articles are sensitized for the deposition of adherent metal from electroless metal solutions in contact therewith by prior treatment with a liquid containing an activatable complex of copper. The copper-containing complexes of the instant invention are the product of forming solutions comprising a halogen component, a cuprous component and a cupric component. The solutions may optionally be in contact with elemental metal.

Abstract: Novel liquid seeders and catalyzation processes for the electroless deposition of metal on substrates. The seeders comprise the admixture of sources of cuprous, hydrogen and halogen ions, organic solvent(s), and an agent to convert cupric ions to cuprous ions. The processes include the steps of contacting a substrate with a certain seeder, fixing the seeder to the substrate with water, and catalyzing the fixed seeder by further water treatment, use of a strong reducing agent, or both.

Abstract: Surfaces of articles are sensitized for the deposition of adherent metal from electroless metal solutions in contact therewith by prior treatment with an activatable complex of copper in a liquid medium formed from a solution comprising a mixture of halogen, cuprous and cupric components and thereafter forming a deposit on the treated article surfaces of a water-insoluble derivative of the said complex. Such surface deposits are treated with a reducing agent or water to enhance their reception of metal in an electroless metal deposition bath.

Abstract: Novel liquid seeders and catalyzation processes for the electroless deposition of metal on substrates. The seeders comprise the admixture of sources of cuprous, hydrogen and halogen ions, organic solvent(s), and an agent to convert cupric ions to cuprous ions. The processes include the steps of contacting a substrate with a certain seeder, fixing the seeder to the substrate with water, and catalyzing the fixed seeder by further water treatment, use of a strong reducing agent, or both.

Abstract: Sensitizing processes and the resulting new articles of manufacture, suitable for the production of metallized bodies, such as printed circuits, dials, nameplates, metallized plastics, glass, ceramics and the like, comprising bases coated with a halide containing aqueous sensitizing solution of pH 1.5-4.0 that deposits a layer of copper, nickel, cobalt or iron salts or salt compositions, which on exposure to radiant energy, such as heat, light, etc., is converted to a layer of metal nuclei which is non-conductive, but which is capable of catalyzing the deposition of metal onto the base from an electroless metal deposition solution in contact with the metal nuclei.

Abstract: A process for the production of metallized bodies, such as printed circuits, dials, nameplates, metallized plastics, glass, ceramics and the like, comprising treating a base with a composition comprising a metal salt reducible to catalytically active metal nuclei and a secondary reducing agent, and thereafter exposing the base to a primary chemical reducing agent to produce a layer of metal nuclei on the surface of the base. Exposing the sensitized base to an electroless metal deposition solution causes electroless metal to deposit on the nuclei.