Method for activating a surface of a non-conductive or carbon-fibres containing substrate for metallization, the method including: (a) providing said substrate, (b) providing an aqueous, palladium-free activation composition comprising (i) a first species of dissolved transition metal ions and additionally metal particles thereof, (ii) at least one complexing agent, (iii) permanently or temporarily at least one reducing agent, (iv) optionally one or more second species of dissolved metal ions different from the first species, (c) contacting the substrate with said activation composition such that a transition metal or a transition metal alloy is deposited on the surface of said substrate and an activated surface for metallization is obtained.

A method for producing a plated part, includes: forming, on a surface of a base member, a catalyst activity inhibiting layer containing a polymer which has at least one of an amide group and an amino group; irradiating with light or heating a part of the surface of the base member on which the catalyst activity inhibiting layer is formed; applying an electroless plating catalyst to the surface of the base member heated or irradiated with the light; and bringing an electroless plating solution into contact with the surface of the base member to which the electroless plating catalyst is applied, to form an electroless plating film at a light-irradiated portion or a heated portion of the surface.

An aqueous composition for use in activating surface of polymers.

Provided are chrome-free adhesion pretreatment processes for use on a variety of reinforced or unreinforced plastics and polymers, such as polyimides, polyetherimides and polyvinylchloride. The pretreatment process can be performed in a combination of two sequential operations, which includes treating with a first solution containing nitric acid and subsequently treating with a second solution that includes sulfuric acid and periodate ions. Alternatively, the pretreatment process can be performed by treatment with a single combined composition that includes nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and periodate ions. The pretreatment processes, either done in two separate solutions, sequentially, or in one combined solution, produce an adherent surface for further metallization of the article, with adhesional values of the metal layer higher than those achieved using conventional chromic acid pretreatment processes.

The present invention relates to a chrome free etch for plating on plastic processes, wherein plastic surfaces are contacted in a first etching step with an etching solution at least comprising Mn(IV)-ions and, in a second etching step, with a solution at least comprising Mn(III)- and Mn(VII)-ions prior to the metal plating step.

A method for producing metal patterns, which includes depositing a temporary protection on a substrate surface corresponding to the negative of the patterns to be produced; depositing at least one metal on the areas corresponding to the patterns to be produced; and eliminating the temporary protection at least partly during and/or after, or at least partly during and/or after the deposition step. The method can produce decorative objects or functional objects such as printed circuits, integrated circuits, RFID chips, and electronic reader-readable encoding pictograms. A set of consumables used to implement the method is also disclosed.

A catalyst ink for plating and a method for electrochemically manufacturing an electronic device by using same are disclosed. The present invention provides a catalyst ink for plating, comprising: a polymer binder; a metal ion as a catalyst; a silane coupling agent for coupling the metal ion and the polymer; and a solvent, wherein the polymer has a lower critical solution temperature in the temperature-composition phase diagram for a solvent-polymer binary system, and the lower critical solution temperature is 30° C. or higher. According to the present invention, a high resolution plated pattern having a line width and a width between lines can be manufactured.

An object of the present invention is to provide a plated layer forming composition which is capable of forming a plated layer having excellent alkali resistance and is capable of forming a metal layer on the plated layer even in the case of forming the plated layer by exposure with a low exposure amount; a film having a plated-layer precursor layer; a film having a patterned plated layer; an electroconductive film; and a touch panel. The plated layer forming composition of the present invention includes a polymer having a group capable of interacting with a plating catalyst or a precursor thereof, and a polyfunctional monomer having three or more acrylamide groups or methacrylamide groups.

A method of forming an etched part includes forming a substrate including a thermoset resin and etching a surface of the substrate. The thermoset resin includes a vat photopolymerization (VPP) thermoset resin and at least one of an etchable phase and etchable particles disposed within the VPP thermoset resin. The etching removes the etchable phase from the VPP thermoset resin at the surface of the substrate such that a plurality of micro-mechanical bonding sites are formed on an etched surface of the substrate.

A method for electrolessly depositing a metal layer onto a substrate, including the following chronological steps: a) treating the substrate surface to be plated with an etching solution; b) treating the substrate surface to be plated with a polyelectrolyte or an organosilane compound; c) treating the surface to be plated with a solution containing metal particles; d) treating the surface to be plated with a solution containing at least one salt of the metal to be deposited onto the substrate.