Prior to electroless copper plating on substrates containing copper, an aqueous composition containing select six-membered heterocyclic nitrogen compounds is applied to the substrate. The aqueous composition containing the select six-membered heterocyclic nitrogen compounds counteract passivation of the copper on the substrate to improve the electroless copper plating process.

Prior to electroless copper plating on substrates containing copper, an aqueous composition containing select imidazole compounds is applied to the substrate. The aqueous composition containing the select imidazole compounds counteract passivation of the copper on the substrate to improve the electroless copper plating process.

In a flow down type surface treating apparatus, a scattering amount of a processing solution is reduced. A film forming mechanism 110 is provided on an inlet side and an outlet side of each treatment chamber. The film forming mechanism 110 ejects a continuous laminar liquid under pressure of about 0.01 MPa at a flow rate of 5 to 10 L/min. Such a liquid film prevents droplets reflected on a surface of an antiscattering member 60 from splashing and entering the adjacent treatment chamber. When a plate-like work 10 is shaken to collide with the liquid film, the film flows down along the plate-like work 10 since the film formed by the film forming mechanism 110 is liquid. Thereby, a shake of the plate-like work 10 is converged. An amount of air flowing in toward a transport direction in each treatment chamber is reduced.

In a flow down type surface treating apparatus, a scattering amount of a processing solution Q is reduced. A honeycomb member 60 is provided vertically below a transport hanger 16. The honeycomb member 60 consists of a plurality of tubular members with hexagonal holes connected together. When the processing solution Q falls in a vertical direction (in the direction of an arrow α), the processing solution Q passes through through-holes of the honeycomb member 60. When the processing solution Q hits liquid level H, a part of it is reflected. Since a part of the reflected processing solution Q is reflected obliquely, it collides with an inner wall of the through-hole of the honeycomb member 60. As a result, the amount of the treatment liquid Q that emerges again on an upper surface of the through-holes is reduced. Thereby, the honeycomb member 60 exhibits a scattering prevention function.

A process for depositing metal or metal alloy on a substrate including treating the substrate surface with an activation solution comprising a source of metal ions so the metal ions are adsorbed on the substrate surface, treating the obtained substrate surface with a treatment solution containing an additive selected from thiols, thioethers, disulphides and sulphur containing heterocycles, and a reducing agent suitable to reduce the metal ions adsorbed on the substrate surface selected from boron based reducing agents, hypophosphite ions, hydrazine and hydrazine derivatives, ascorbic acid, iso-ascorbic acid, sources of formaldehyde, glyoxylic acid, sources of glyoxylic acid, glycolic acid, formic acid, sugars, and salts of aforementioned acids; and subsequently treating the substrate surface with a metallizing solution comprising a source of metal ions to be deposited such that a metal or metal alloy is deposited thereon.

A plated material containing a base material and a metal plating that covers the base material, the base material containing a main raw material free of any carbon materials, and a carbon material that is present inside the main raw material. A plating pretreatment method including a first step of preparing a base material from a main raw material free of any carbon materials and a carbon material, the base material containing the main raw material and the carbon material that is present inside the main raw material; and a second step of charging the base material into a treatment tank, and immersing the base material in a supercritical fluid or subcritical fluid containing an organometallic complex of palladium in the treatment tank.

A method for applying a metal on a substrate comprises: a) applying a coating by treatment in a plasma, comprising a compound selected from alkanes up to 10 carbon atoms, and unsaturated monomers, and b1) producing polymers on the surface of the substrate, the polymers comprising carboxylic groups and adsorbed ions of a second metal, reducing the ions to the second metal, or alternatively b2) producing polymers on the surface, bringing the surface of the substrate in contact with a dispersion of colloidal metal particles of at least one second metal, and c) depositing the first metal on the second metal. Advantages include that materials sensitive to, for instance, low pH or solvents can be coated. Substrates including glass, SiO.sub.2 with very few or no abstractable hydrogen atoms as well as polymer materials containing halogen atoms can be coated with good adhesion.

A one-pot process for the electroless-plating of silver onto graphite powder is disclosed. No powder pretreatment steps for the graphite, which typically require filtration, washing or rinsing, are required. The inventive process comprises mixing together three reactant compositions in water: an aqueous graphite activation composition comprising graphite powder and a functional silane, a silver-plating composition comprising a silver salt and a silver complexing agent, and a reducing agent composition.

A novel pretreating liquid for electroless plating which is used simultaneously with reduction treatment after roughening treatment of a filler-containing insulating resin substrate. A pretreating liquid for electroless plating is used simultaneously with reduction treatment when an insulating resin substrate containing a filler is roughened and residues generated on the insulating resin substrate are reduced. The pretreating liquid contains a reducing agent; and at least one selected from the group consisting of ethylene-based glycol ether represented by CmH(2m+1)-(OC.sub.2H.sub.4)n-OH (m=an integer of 1 to 4, n=an integer of 1 to 4) and propylene-based glycol ether represented by CxH(2x+1)-(OC.sub.3H.sub.6)y-OH (x=an integer of 1 to 4, y=an integer of 1 to 3).

A novel pretreating liquid for electroless plating which is used simultaneously with reduction treatment after roughening treatment of a filler-containing insulating resin substrate. A pretreating liquid for electroless plating is used simultaneously with reduction treatment when an insulating resin substrate containing a filler is roughened and residues generated on the insulating resin substrate are reduced. The pretreating liquid contains a reducing agent; and at least one selected from the group consisting of ethylene-based glycol ether represented by CmH(2m+1)-(OC.sub.2H.sub.4)n-OH (m=an integer of 1 to 4, n=an integer of 1 to 4) and propylene-based glycol ether represented by CxH(2x+1)-(OC.sub.3H.sub.6)y-OH (x=an integer of 1 to 4, y=an integer of 1 to 3).