Abstract: A conditioning agent is disclosed, for the pre-treatment of base materials for subsequent complete and uniform chemical metallization, characterized by a content of a quaternary organic nitrogen compound. Also disclosed is a process for the pre-treatment of base materials, employing said conditioning agent. Preferred embodiments include as active agent at least one compound of the general formula ##STR1## represents a cyclical nitrogen compound, R is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl or hydroxy-C.sub.1 -C.sub.2 -alkyl,n is 0 or 1, andX.sup.(-) is the anion of an inorganic or an organic acid.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the adhesive metallization of synthetic materials, by means of pre-treatment of the synthetic materials and subsequent activation, as well as chemical and, if necessary, galvanic metal deposition, characterized by pre-treating the synthetic materials initially with an alkaline solution of an oxidation agent and then with a metal salt solution.

Abstract: A conditioning agent is disclosed, for the pre-treatment of base materials for subsequent complete and uniform chemical metallization, characterized by a content of a quaternary organic nitrogen compound. Also disclosed is a process for the pre-treatment of base materials, employing said conditioning agent. Preferred embodiments include as active agent at least one compound of the general formula ##STR1## represents a cyclical nitrogen compound, R is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl or hydroxy-C.sub.1 -C.sub.2 -alkyl,n is 0 or 1, andx.sup.(-) is the anion of an inorganic or an organic acid.

Abstract: New surface active compounds are disclosed having the Formula (I) ##STR1## in which X is an unsubstituted C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkylene group, a C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 alkylene group substituted by one or more hydroxy, oxo, methyl or carboxy groups, an unsubstituted p-phenylene group, or a p-phenylene group substituted by one or more halo or C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 alkyl groups;M is hydrogen or a salt-forming cation;n is a whole number from 6 to 60; andm is 0 or 1.The new surface active compounds are employed in aqueous acid galvanic zinc baths to improve the quality of the resulting zinc coating.