Provided is a method and apparatus for improving adhesion between a polymer article and a metal plate. The method includes providing a polymer article, and hydrolyzing a surface of the polymer article using an acidic solution to obtain carboxylic acid groups at the surface. The method also includes grafting polyphenols to the carboxylic acid groups by esterification that is catalyzed by the acidic solution, and chelating metal ions to the grafted polyphenols to form polyphenol-metal complexes. The apparatus includes a body formed by additive manufacturing, and a metal plating formed on a surface of the body by electroless metal plating after a surface preparation process. The surface preparation process includes treating the surface with an acidic solution to obtain carboxylic acid groups at the surface, treating the surface with a polyphenol solution to obtain polyphenols grafted to the carboxylic acid groups, and chelating metal ions to the polyphenols.

A method for the production of metal-plated articles, including the step of depositing an electrically-conductive metallic layer on a surface of an article comprising a polymer composition comprising by weight: a) 40-60% of a propylene homopolymer, or propylene copolymer containing up to 5% by weight of ethylene and/or another C.sub.4-C.sub.10 α-olefin, and having a melting temperature of 155° C. or higher and/or a fraction soluble in xylene at 25° C. of 10% by weight or less; b) 10-20% of an ethylene-based elastoplastic copolymer, optionally, a copolymer of ethylene with C.sub.4-C.sub.10 α-olefin; c) 2-6% of a styrene block copolymer; d) optionally, up to 3% of a propylene homopolymer having a Melt Flow Rate (230° C./2.16 kg) of 500 g/10 min. or more; e) 15-50% of a filler; and f) optionally, up to 6% of a color pigment.

A graphene reinforced aluminum matrix composite with high electrical conductivity and a preparation method thereof. The method includes: obtaining aluminum coated graphene powder by plating aluminum on a graphene surface, melting aluminum block into aluminum liquid, heating a mold to be lower than an aluminum melting point, alternately pouring the aluminum liquid and the aluminum coated graphene powder into the mold for layered casting to obtain a sandwich structure; extruding the sandwich structure into a rectangular test block and then heating to 500˜600° C., performing heat preservation for a preset time and performing forging treatment, and performing longitudinal cold deformation under inert gas to obtain the graphene reinforced aluminum matrix composite. The method can solve a problem that poor wettability of graphene and aluminum matrix, the graphene is evenly dispersed in the aluminum matrix, which can improve strength of the aluminum matrix and keep its high electrical conductivity.

A terminal includes a connecting portion to be electrically connected to a mating terminal by being inserted into the mating terminal. The connecting portion has a sliding region configured to slide on the mating terminal and a contact region configured to contact the mating terminal successively from a tip side. An outermost surface in the sliding region includes a copper-tin alloy layer containing copper and tin. An outermost surface in the contact region includes a tin layer containing tin as a main component. A Vickers hardness of the copper-tin alloy layer is higher than a Vickers hardness of the tin layer.

An integrated circuit (IC) package comprising a substrate having a dielectric, a first structure over at least a portion of the dielectric, the first structure comprising a molecular compound having a ligand coordinating moiety and a second structure over at least a portion of the first structure, the second structure comprising a metal, wherein the first structure is chemically bonded to the dielectric.

An integrated circuit (IC) package comprising a substrate having a dielectric, a first structure over at least a portion of the dielectric, the first structure comprising a molecular compound having a ligand coordinating moiety and a second structure over at least a portion of the first structure, the second structure comprising a metal, wherein the first structure is chemically bonded to the dielectric.

A catalyst solution for electroless plating is provided. The catalyst solution is printable and devoid of an amine. The catalyst solution comprises a catalytic metal salt, a solvent, and an epoxy.

A catalyst solution for electroless plating is provided. The catalyst solution is printable and devoid of an amine. The catalyst solution comprises a catalytic metal salt, a solvent, and an epoxy.

A metal resin composite includes a metal substrate, a metal layer formed on a surface of the metal substrate, and a resin layer formed on the metal layer. A plurality of microcracks are formed at a surface of the metal layer.

A method for electroless deposition of aluminum or an aluminum alloy on a substrate surface. The method includes activating the surface of the substrate to be coated by applying a coating of a catalyst metal; preparing a mixture of urea ((NH.sub.2CONH.sub.2) and anhydrous aluminum chloride (AlCl.sub.3) wherein a molar ratio of AlCl.sub.3:(NH.sub.2CONH.sub.2 is greater than 1:1 to obtain a Lewis acid room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) optionally containing an alloy metal salt; dissolving a hydride reducing agent in an aprotic anhydrous solvent to obtain a hydride solution; mixing the hydride solution and the AlCl.sub.3:(NH.sub.2CONH.sub.2 RTIL to obtain an electroless Al solution; exposing the activated surface of the substrate to the electroless Al solution; and removing the electroless Al solution from the substrate surface; wherein upon exposure of the activated substrate surface to the electroless Al solution, an Al or Al alloy coating is obtained on the activated substrate surface.