Claims
- 1. In a process for treating a polymeric plastic substrate to render it receptive to electroless plating including the steps of etching the substrate with an aqueous acid solution containing hexavalent chromium ions, activating the etched substrate, and accelerating the activated substrate, the improvement comprising contacting the activated substrate during the acceleration step with an aqueous accelerating solution containing an aqueous soluble compatible oxidizing agent present in an amount effective to increase the activity of the accelerating solution, which oxidizing agent is selected from the group consisting of chromic acid, potassium iodate, potassium meta-periodate, ammonium persulfate, vanadium pentoxide, and iodine, as well as mixtures thereof.
- 2. The process as defined in claim 1 in which said oxidizing agent comprises chromic acid in an amount of from about 1 to about 5 mg/L of chromium VI.
- 3. The process as defined in claim 1 in which said oxidizing agent comprises potassium iodate in an amount of from about 0.2 to about 5 mg/L.
- 4. The process as defined in claim 1 in which said oxidizing agent comprises potassium meta-periodate in an amount of from about 0.1 to about 2.5 mg/L.
- 5. The process as defined in claim 1 in which said oxidizing agent comprises ammonium persulfate in an amount of from about 0.2 to about 5.0 g/L.
- 6. The process as defined in claim 1 in which said oxidizing agent comprises vanadium pentoxide in an amount of from about 5 to about 20 mg/L of vanadium V.
- 7. The process as defined in claim 1 in which said oxidizing agent comprises iodine in an amount of from about 1 to about 20 mg/L.
- 8. The process as defined in claim 1 in which the substrate is contacted with said accelerating solution for a period of time of from about 15 seconds to about 30 minutes.
- 9. The process as defined in claim 1 in which said accelerating solution is maintained at a temperature of from about 65 to about 160.degree. F.
- 10. The process as defined in claim 1 in which said accelerating solution has a pH of from about 0 to about 7.
- 11. The process as defined in claim 1 in which said accelerating solution further comprises a surfactant present in an amount effective to increase uniformity of reaction.
- 12. The process as defined in claim 1 in which said surfactant is present in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 5 g/L.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of our earlier application Ser. No. 335,780, filed Dec. 30, 1981 now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
335780 |
Dec 1981 |
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