Methods, systems, and compositions for the liquid-phase deposition (LPD) of thin films. The thin films can be coated onto the surface of porous components of electrochemical devices, such as battery electrodes. Embodiments of the present disclosure achieve a faster, safer, and more cost-effective means for forming uniform, conformal layers on non-planar microstructures than known methods. In one aspect, the methods and systems involve exposing the component to be coated to different liquid reagents in sequential processing steps, with optional intervening rinsing and drying steps. Processing may occur in a single reaction chamber or multiple reaction chambers.

A polymer product with a metal layer coated on the surface thereof is provided. The polymer product includes a polymer substrate and a metal layer formed on at least a part of a surface of the polymer substrate. The surface of the polymer substrate covered by the metal layer is formed by a polymer composition comprising a polymer and a doped tin oxide. A doping element of the doped tin oxide comprises niobium. The doped tin oxide has a coordinate L* value of about 70 to about 100, a coordinate a value of about 5 to about 5, and a coordinate b value of about 5 to about 5 in a CIELab color space.

The present invention relates to an activation composition for activation of silicon substrates, which is an aqueous solution comprising a source of palladium ions, a source of fluoride ions and at least two aromatic acids. The present invention further relates to a method for its use and optionally for subsequent metallization of such treated substrates. The method can be employed in semiconductor and solar cell manufacturing.

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.

The present invention relates to an activation composition for activation of silicon substrates, which is an aqueous solution comprising a source of palladium ions, a source of fluoride ions and at least two aromatic acids. The present invention further relates to a method for its use and optionally for subsequent metallization of such treated substrates. The method can be employed in semiconductor and solar cell manufacturing.

A solution for providing electroless deposition of a metal layer on a substrate is provided. A solvent is provided. A metal precursor is provided to the solvent. A first borane containing reducing agent is provided to the solvent. A second borane containing reducing agent is provided to the solvent, wherein the first borane containing reducing agent has a deposition rate of at least five times a deposition rate of the second borane containing reducing agent, and wherein the solution is free of nonborane reducing agents.

A polymer product with a metal layer coated on the surface thereof is provided. The polymer product includes a polymer substrate and a metal layer formed on at least a part of a surface of the polymer substrate. The surface of the polymer substrate covered by the metal layer is formed by a polymer composition comprising a polymer and a doped tin oxide. A doping element of the doped tin oxide comprises niobium. The doped tin oxide has a coordinate L* value of about 70 to about 100, a coordinate a value of about 5 to about 5, and a coordinate b value of about 5 to about 5 in a CIELab color space.

Provided is a doped tin oxide that can be used as a chemical plating promoter in a method for selectively metallizing a surface of an insulating substrate. Also provided are a polymer composition that includes the doped tin oxide, a polymer molded body, an ink composition, and a method for selectively metallizing a surface of an insulating substrate. The doped tin oxide has a light color, and does not interfere with the color of the substrate while presetting thereof. The doped tin oxide has a strong ability of promoting chemical plating. Using the disclosed doped tin oxide as a chemical plating promoter, a continuous metal layer can be formed with a high plating speed, together with enhanced adhesivity between the metal layer and the insulating substrate.

A method of providing a coating on a conductor. The coating has a first layer containing palladium and a second layer containing gold from the conductor side. The first layer has an inner layer on the conductor side and an outer layer arranged nearer to the second layer than the inner layer, and the outer layer has a higher phosphorus concentration than the inner layer.

A solution for providing electroless deposition of a metal layer on a substrate is provided. A solvent is provided. A metal precursor is provided to the solvent. A first borane containing reducing agent is provided to the solvent. A second borane containing reducing agent is provided to the solvent, wherein the first borane containing reducing agent has a deposition rate of at least five times a deposition rate of the second borane containing reducing agent, and wherein the solution is free of nonborane reducing agents.