A thermoset resin for forming parts to be metal plated includes a vat photopolymerization (VPP) thermoset resin and an etchable phase disposed in the VPP thermoset resin. The etchable phase is etched from a surface of a part formed from the VPP thermoset resin such that a plurality of micro-mechanical locking sites is formed on the surface of the part. The etchable phase is at least one of organic particles, organic resins, inorganic particles, and copolymers of the VPP thermoset resin. For example, the etchable phase can be a polybutadiene phase and/or a mineral such as calcium carbonate.

The present invention provides a resin plating method using an etching bath containing manganese as an active ingredient, the method being capable of maintaining stable etching performance even during continuous use. The resin plating method includes: an etching step, which uses a resin material-containing article as an object to be treated and etches the article using an acidic etching bath containing manganese; a catalyst application step, which uses palladium as a catalyst metal; and an electroless plating step; and the method further includes a step of maintaining the palladium concentration in the acidic etching bath at 100 mg/L or less.

The present invention provides a resin plating method using an etching bath containing manganese as an active ingredient, the method being capable of maintaining stable etching performance even during continuous use. The resin plating method includes: an etching step, which uses a resin material-containing article as an object to be treated and etches the article using an acidic etching bath containing manganese; a catalyst application step, which uses palladium as a catalyst metal; and an electroless plating step; and the method further includes a step of maintaining the palladium concentration in the acidic etching bath at 100 mg/L or less.

Disclosed are a thermoplastic resin composition, a method of preparing the same, and a molded part manufactured using the same, wherein the thermoplastic resin composition includes a-1) 1 to 30% by weight of a first graft polymer obtained by graft-polymerizing an aromatic vinyl compound and a vinyl cyanide compound onto a conjugated diene rubber having an average particle diameter of 0.05 μm or more and less than 0.2 μm; a-2) 5 to 45% by weight of a second graft polymer obtained by graft-polymerizing an aromatic vinyl compound and a vinyl cyanide compound onto a conjugated diene rubber having an average particle diameter of 0.2 to 0.5 μm; b) 50 to 80% by weight of an aromatic vinyl compound-vinyl cyanide compound copolymer; and c) 1 to 10% by weight of a (meth)acrylic acid alkyl ester polymer.

A mold cavity which is a mold die includes a die body and a plating layer provided on the surface of a mold surface. In this case, the mold surface has a leather-grain transfer surface for forming a grain pattern. The leather-grain transfer surface includes a first uneven-shape part and a second uneven-shape part formed at the surface of the first uneven-shape part and smaller in an uneven-shape width than the first uneven-shape part. The uneven-shape width falls within a range of 10 μm or more and less than 500 μm. The plating layer is an electroless-plating layer. A thickness of at least part of the plating layer falls within a range of 0.1 μm or more and less than 10 μm.

A process of enhancing surface adhesion of polyetherimides for metal plating includes contacting sulfuric acid with a surface of a polyetherimide substrate for a first dwell time to form a pre-etched polyetherimide substrate, contacting the pre-etched polyetherimide substrate with a mixture of sulfuric acid and periodate ions for a dwell time to form an oxidized polyetherimide surface, contacting the oxidized polyetherimide surface with an alkaline metal hydroxide solution for a third dwell time without rinsing between the applying steps or between the applying and contacting steps, where the polyetherimide is free of or includes a low volume percentage of reinforcement particles, and the process does not include contacting the polyetherimide substrate with nitric acid in any step.

A process of enhancing surface adhesion of polyetherimides for metal plating includes contacting sulfuric acid with a surface of a polyetherimide substrate for a first dwell time to form a pre-etched polyetherimide substrate, contacting the pre-etched polyetherimide substrate with a mixture of sulfuric acid and periodate ions for a dwell time to form an oxidized polyetherimide surface, contacting the oxidized polyetherimide surface with an alkaline metal hydroxide solution for a third dwell time without rinsing between the applying steps or between the applying and contacting steps, where the polyetherimide is free of or includes a low volume percentage of reinforcement particles, and the process does not include contacting the polyetherimide substrate with nitric acid in any step.

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.

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.

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.