A copper-based ink contains copper acetate, 3-dimethylamino-1,2-propanediol and a silver salt. The ink may be coated on a substrate and decomposed on the substrate to form a conductive copper coating on the substrate. The ink provides micron-thick traces and may be screen printed and thermally sintered in the presence of up to about 500 ppm of oxygen or photo-sintered in air to produce highly conductive copper features. Sintered copper traces produced from the ink have improved air stability, and have improved sheet resistivity for 5-20 mil wide screen-printed lines with excellent resolution.

A method is provided for metallisation of non-conductive substrates providing a high adhesion of the deposited metal to the substrate material and thereby forming a durable bond. The method applies a metal oxide adhesion promoter which is activated and then metal plated. The method provides high adhesion of the non-conductive substrate to the plated metal layer.

Provided are a compound, including metal atoms for forming metal nano particles through a simple process within a short time at a low production cost for commercial purposes, and a solution including the compound.

Embodiments of the invention include a method of initiating an optical fiber. In some embodiments, a distal portion of the optical fiber is coated with an energy absorbing material. In some embodiments, the material includes a metal flakes or powder dispersed in a solution of organic solvents. After the material dries, laser energy is fired through the optical fiber. The laser energy can be absorbed in the material and ignites the organic solvents. This combustion melts the material of the optical fiber, and impregnates the optical fiber with the metal flakes or powder of the material. The resulting optical fiber is thus permanently modified so that the energy applied through the fiber is partially absorbed and converted to heat.

Described herein are the depositions of conductive metallic films on a surface which contains topography. The deposition uses a metallic precursor comprises a neutral (uncharged) metal compound in which the metal atom is in the zerovalent state and stabilized by ligands which are stable as uncharged, volatile species.

An additive manufacturing process for forming a metallic layer on the surface of the substrate includes fabricating a substrate from a polymerizable composition by a stereolithographic process, and contacting the reactive surface with an aqueous solution including a metal precursor. The metal precursor includes a metal, and the polymerizable composition includes a multiplicity of multifunctional components. Each multifunctional component includes a reactive moiety extending from a surface of the substrate to form a reactive surface. An interface between the reactive surface and the aqueous solution is irradiated to form nanoparticles including the metal. The nanoparticles are chemically coupled to the reactive surface by reactive moieties, thereby forming a metallic layer on the surface of the substrate.

A method of electrochemical deposition of a metallic material onto a substrate is provided. The method includes providing an alkaline solution of hydroxide ions, immersing a metallic material precursor and the substrate into the alkaline solution to form an electrochemical bath, and electrochemically depositing a textured layer of the metallic material onto the substrate. A method of electrochemical deposition of a textured nanoparticle is provided. The method includes providing an alkaline solution of hydroxide ions, immersing the metallic material into the alkaline solution to form an electrochemical bath, and precipitating the textured nanoparticles from the electrochemical bath. A method of electrochemical deposition of a metallic material onto a nanoparticle is provided. The method includes providing an alkaline solution of hydroxide ions, immersing the metallic material and the nanoparticle into the alkaline solution to form an electrochemical bath, and depositing a textured layer of the metallic material onto the nanoparticle.

Disclosed herein are ink compositions for making a conductive palladium structure. For example, the ink composition can comprise a palladium salt and a complex of a complexing agent and a short chain carboxylic acid or salt thereof. In some embodiments, a second or third metal salt is included in the compositions. Also disclosed herein are methods for making and using such conductive ink compositions.

A method for providing electrically-conductive silver-containing metal in a thin film or one or more thin film patterns on a substrate. Electrically-conductive metallic silver is provided from a non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex represented by the following formula (I):
(Ag.sup.+).sub.a(L).sub.b(P).sub.c(I)
wherein L represents an -oxy carboxylate; P represents an oxime compound; a is 1 or 2; b is 1 or 2; and c is 1, 2, 3, or 4, provided that when a is 1, b is 1, and when a is 2, b is 2. A photosensitizer can also be present. The reducible silver ions in the photosensitive thin film or photosensitive thin film pattern can be photochemically converted to electrically-conductive metallic silver in the thin films or thin film patterns by irradiation with electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength within the range of at least 150 nm and up to and including 700 nm.

The invention relates to methods of depositing silver onto a substrate using a dilute silver salt solution.