Abstract: The electroless deposition of nickel coatings on metals and metal alloy is accomplished with aqueous baths which contain 10-50 g/l of a fluorine-containing nickel compound; 40 to 200 g/l diammonium hydrogen citrate; 20 to 100 g/l ammonium hydrogen difluoride; 5 to 50 g/l 2-hydroxy-4-methyl benzoic acid, (2,4-cresotinic acid); 0.0005-0.05 g/l copper salt; and 10-100 g/l sodium hypophosphite. Nickel fluoride and nickel (II)-hydroxide carbonate dissolved in hydrofluoric acid have been found particularly advantageous. Smooth and uniform, corrosion-resistant coatings are obtained also on complicated formed parts of magnesium and magnesium alloys.

Abstract: A method for metallizing a thermosetting resin is provided comprising:A. etching the surface of said resin with an oxidizing acid;B. activating the surface of said resin with a stannous chloride solution;C. sensitizing said resin in an aqueous solution of from 0.1 to 0.5 g per liter of palladium chloride and 1 to 6 ml of concentrated hydrochloric acid per liter;D. immersing said resin at about 90.degree. C in an accelerator bath having a pH of about 7, said bath containing sodium hypophosphite, trisodium citrate, ammonium chloride and 2,4-dihydroxy benzoic acid;E. electrolessly nickel-plating said resin at a temperature of between about 96.degree. to 99.degree. C in a fast-depositing nickel bath having a pH of about 6.5 to 6.9 to form a nickel layer;F. electroplating said nickel layer with copper; andG. metallizing said copper layer to form a metallized layer.