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 five-membered heterocyclic nitrogen compounds and the top coat contains hydrophobic alky organic compounds.

Provided is a composition for forming a plating base on which plating is applied without a pretreatment, especially any activation process for the plating base, conventionally believed to be necessary, as well as a thus-formed plating base and a method of forming a plating coat over the plating base. The plating base is a coating film formed by applying and drying a metal nanoparticle dispersion liquid or a metal nanoparticle dispersion ink in which metal nanoparticles are protected with a small amount of protecting agent. Thus, a metal film can be formed by plating without operations such as substrate cleaning or catalyst imparting and activating. Since it is not necessary to wash the substrate with acid or base solution or to heat-treat it at a high temperature, many variations of materials become available for the substrate.

Metallized polymer particle compositions may comprise polymer particles, and a metal coating on an outer surface of at least a portion of the polymer particles. The metal coating comprises a plating metal and overlays a plurality of two-dimensional conductive nanoparticles and a catalyst metal. The metal coating may be formed by at least an electroless plating process conducted in the presence of the catalyst metal. The polymer particles may comprise thermoplastic polymer particles.

Two-dimensional conductive nanoparticles may facilitate preparation of metal coatings prepared via electroless plating. Articles having a metal coating may comprise: a polymer body, and a metal coating on at least a portion of an outer surface of the polymer body. The metal coating comprises a plating metal and overlays a plurality of two-dimensional conductive nanoparticles and a catalyst metal.

A sheet material includes a resin layer containing a binder and catalyst particles, an electroless plating film on the side of one main surface of the resin layer and including first electroless plating films and a second electroless plating film, and a base material on the side of the other main surface of the resin layer.

This application relates to a metal coating method for plastic outer part requiring robustness. In the metal coating method, first, provide a plastic outer part as a motion assistance tool. Thereafter, a cold plasma treatment is performed to introduce a polar functional group to a surface of the plastic outer part by treating the plastic outer part with cold plasma. Next, a metal coating layer is formed on the surface of the plastic outer part treated with the cold plasma by an electroless plating method. Thereafter, an adhesive strength improvement process of improving an adhesive strength between the metal coating layer and the plastic outer part to 1,000 g/cm.sup.2 or more by heat treatment of the plastic outer part with the metal coating layer thereon is performed.

A partially plated plastic product includes a first base member and a second base member that are made of different plastic materials. The first base member includes a first corner portion having a curved wall surface. The second base member includes a second corner portion. The first and second corner portions are located on a front side of the product. The first and second base members are adjacent to each other at least at the first corner portion and the second corner portion. Only one of the first and second base members includes a metal coating film formed on a region of an outer surface of the base member with which the other base member is not in contact. The second corner portion includes a groove forming portion. The groove forming portion forms a groove between itself and at least the curved wall surface of the first corner portion.

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.

The present invention relates to a method for preventing the metallization of a support of at least one plastic part subjected to a metallization process, comprising the successive stages of oxidation of the surface of said part, of activation of the oxidized surface and of chemical and/or electrochemical deposition of metal on the activated surface, characterized in that it comprises a stage in which said support, before said oxidation stage, is brought into contact with an inhibiting solution comprising at least one specific metallization inhibitor. The invention also relates to a process for the selective metallization of a plastic part combined with a support, comprising bringing said part into contact with said inhibiting solution.

A method for manufacturing a main body of a faucet comprises separately molding a base body in which a valve V is installed, a first part in which a hot water passage and connecting portion are formed, a second part in which the cold water inlet and a connecting portion are formed, and a third part in which a water discharge port and connecting portion are formed, the base body and three parts being formed of a composition of ABS resin and glass fibers and combining the base body with the connecting portions of the three parts; integrating the base body and three parts into a main body of a faucet by overlaying the surfaces of the combined main body with ABS resin molten at temperate of 190° C. to 210° C. by injection molding process; and plating nickel-chromium on the exterior of the main body for protection of external molding portion.