A non-aqueous metal catalytic composition includes (a) a complex of silver and an oxime comprising reducible silver ions in an amount of at least 2 weight %, (b) a silver ion photoreducing composition in an amount of at least 1 weight %, and (c) a photocurable component, a non-curable polymer, or a combination of a photocurable component and a non-curable polymer. This non-aqueous metal catalytic composition can be used to form silver metal particles in situ during suitable reducing conditions. The silver metal can be provided in a suitable layer or pattern on a substrate, which can then be subsequently subjected to electroless plating to form electrically-conductive layers or patterns for use in various articles or as touch screen displays in electronic devices.

A non-aqueous metal catalytic composition includes: (a) a silver complex comprising reducible silver ions, (b) a silver ion photoreducing composition, (c) a photocurable component, non-curable polymer, or combination of a photocurable component and a non-curable polymer, and (d) nanoparticles of a semi-conducting metal oxide in an amount of at least 0.1 weight %. This composition can be disposed on a substrate, uniformly or in a patternwise fashion. The composition can be dried and then exposed to suitable radiation to reduce the reducible silver ions to silver particles that can then be electrolessly plated with a metal to provide an electrically-conductive article.

There is provided an object, wherein there are particles on the surface of the object, wherein the amount of particles is in the interval 0.041-6 g/cm.sup.2, wherein the particles comprise palladium in an amount corresponding to 0.02-2 g/cm.sup.2, neodymium in an amount corresponding to 0.001-2 g/cm.sup.2, and gold in an amount corresponding to 0.02-2 g/cm.sup.2, and wherein the particles comprise less than 30 ppm silver, which is considered as silver free. The coating is both biocompatible and antimicrobial and does not suffer from disadvantages associated with silver since the coating is silver free. The coating shows improved action against thrombosis.

The present invention is directed to a composition for depositing a palladium coating on an activated copper-coated substrate, the composition comprising: (i) palladium ions, (ii) chloride ions, (iii) ethylenediamine (EDA), (iv) ethylenediamine disuccinate (EDDS), and (v) at least one reducing agent,
wherein the composition has a pH in a range from 7.5 to 9.5, preferably from 7.6 to 9.1, more preferably from 7.7 to 8.7, and most preferably from 7.8 to 8.5.

The present invention aims to provide an etchant that can provide good deposition of a metal plating such as a nickel plating, despite its acidity, and a method of surface treatment of aluminum or an aluminum alloy using the etchant. Included is an etchant containing a zinc compound and a fluorine compound and having a pH of 4.5 to 6.5.

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.