Shielding coatings are applied to polymer substrates for selective metallization of the substrates. The shielding coatings include a primer component and a hydrophobic top coat. The primer is first applied to the polymer substrate followed by application of the top coat component. The shielding coating is then selectively etched to form an outline of a desired current pattern. A catalyst is applied to the patterned polymer substrate followed by electroless metal plating in the etched portions. The portions of the polymer substrate which contain the shielding coating inhibit electroless metal plating. The primers contain aromatic heterocyclic compounds and the top coat contains hydrophobic alky organic compounds.

Metalized plastic substrates, and methods thereof are provided herein. The method includes providing a plastic substrate having a plurality of accelerators dispersed in the plastic substrate. The accelerators have a formula selected from the group consisting of: CuFe.sub.2O.sub.4−δ, Ca.sub.0.25Cu.sub.0.75TiO.sub.3−β, and TiO.sub.2−σ, wherein δ, β, σ denotes oxygen vacancies in corresponding accelerators and 0.05≦δ≦0.8, 0.05≦β≦0.5, and 0.05≦σ≦1.0. The method further includes removing at least a portion of a surface of the plastic substrate to expose at least a first accelerator. The method further includes plating the exposed surface of the plastic substrate to form at least a first metal layer on the at least first accelerator, and then plating the first metal layer to form at least a second metal layer.

Metalized plastic substrates, and methods thereof are provided herein. The method includes providing a plastic substrate having a plurality of accelerators dispersed in the plastic substrate. The accelerators have a formula selected from the group consisting of: CuFe.sub.2O.sub.4−δ, Ca.sub.0.25Cu.sub.0.75TiO.sub.3−β, and TiO.sub.2−σ, wherein δ, β, σ denotes oxygen vacancies in corresponding accelerators and 0.05≦δ≦0.8, 0.05≦β≦0.5, and 0.05≦σ≦1.0. The method further includes removing at least a portion of a surface of the plastic substrate to expose at least a first accelerator. The method further includes plating the exposed surface of the plastic substrate to form at least a first metal layer on the at least first accelerator, and then plating the first metal layer to form at least a second metal layer.

The metallization of a metallic rack employed in galvanic metallization processes of plastic material items, coated by immersion in PVC Plastisol, is inhibited thanks to the fact that PVC Plastisol is mixed with a C8-C18 thiol selected from octyl mercaptan, nonyl mercaptan, decyl mercaptan, n-octadecyl-3-mercaptopropionate, isooctyl-3-mercaptopropionate, n-octyl-mercaptopropionate, dodecyl-3-mercaptopropionate, tridecyl-3-mercaptopropionate, palmityl mercaptan, bis-phenyl-1,4-thiol.

An example method of coating a substrate involves cleaning the substrate and, after cleaning the substrate, sensitizing the substrate using a sensitizing solution including tin chloride and hydrochloric acid. The method also involves, after sensitizing the substrate, activating the substrate in an activating solution including palladium chloride and hydrochloric acid. Further, the method involves subsequently neutralizing the substrate using a neutralizing solution including ammonium hydroxide. Still further, the method involves, after neutralizing the substrate, depositing an electroless nickel layer on the substrate. The method may then involve depositing an electrolytic nickel layer on top of the electroless nickel layer, and depositing an outer layer of metallic material, ceramic material, polymeric material, or any combination thereof on top of the electrolytic nickel layer.

An example method of coating a substrate involves cleaning the substrate and, after cleaning the substrate, sensitizing the substrate using a sensitizing solution including tin chloride and hydrochloric acid. The method also involves, after sensitizing the substrate, activating the substrate in an activating solution including palladium chloride and hydrochloric acid. Further, the method involves subsequently neutralizing the substrate using a neutralizing solution including ammonium hydroxide. Still further, the method involves, after neutralizing the substrate, depositing an electroless nickel layer on the substrate. The method may then involve depositing an electrolytic nickel layer on top of the electroless nickel layer, and depositing an outer layer of metallic material, ceramic material, polymeric material, or any combination thereof on top of the electrolytic nickel layer.

A method of manufacturing an electronic device housing includes obtaining a monolithic body of RF transparent material and plating a surface of the monolithic body with a nanograin coating to increase the structural rigidity of the monolithic body. A portion of the nanograin coating is thereafter removed to create an RF window.

A color coating layer is formed on the surface of a stainless steel plate by a chemical coloring method or an electrolytic coloring method. Thereafter, a colored stainless steel plate having the color coating layer is cold-rolled, the thickness of the color coating layer is adjusted to between 0.05 μm and 1.0 μm, and an entire plate thickness is adjusted to 0.5 mm or less. By the cold rolling a Vickers hardness Hv is between 250 and 550 to form a deformed band. As surface roughness, an arithmetic average roughness Ra is adjusted to between 0.05 μm and 5.0 μm. In this manner, the strength and rigidity of a thin colored stainless steel plate can be secured, and a color stainless steel plate and a colored stainless steel coil which do not easily cause galling and are excellent in press moldability can be obtained.

A color coating layer is formed on the surface of a stainless steel plate by a chemical coloring method or an electrolytic coloring method. Thereafter, a colored stainless steel plate having the color coating layer is cold-rolled, the thickness of the color coating layer is adjusted to between 0.05 μm and 1.0 μm, and an entire plate thickness is adjusted to 0.5 mm or less. By the cold rolling a Vickers hardness Hv is between 250 and 550 to form a deformed band. As surface roughness, an arithmetic average roughness Ra is adjusted to between 0.05 μm and 5.0 μm. In this manner, the strength and rigidity of a thin colored stainless steel plate can be secured, and a color stainless steel plate and a colored stainless steel coil which do not easily cause galling and are excellent in press moldability can be obtained.

A method of producing a film-attached resin base may include supplying a surface treatment gas including at least fluorine gas to a resin base including reinforcing fibers so that embrittled regions are formed in a surface of the resin base and the reinforcing fiber present near the surface of the resin base is modified at least partially; removing at least the embrittled regions so that an uneven surface is formed on the resin base and the reinforcing fiber is at least partially exposed in the uneven surface; and forming a film onto the uneven surface of the resin base.