A tool including a tool body, the tool body including a substrate having a tool-side surface, an intermediate layer positioned over the tool-side surface, and an outer layer positioned over the intermediate layer, the outer layer including a metallic material.

An object of the present invention is to provide a plating tool which avoids plating deposition on the tool itself in plating of a resin molded body, and therefore, also eliminates the need to exchange the plating tool. The object is achieved by a tool for plating a resin molded body, wherein a surface of a plating tool having an insulation coating part is coated with a plasticizer, and a method for plating a resin molded body using the tool.

A process for producing a metal-bonded graphene foam product, comprising: (a) preparing a graphene dispersion having multiple graphene sheets dispersed in a liquid medium, which contains an optional blowing agent having a blowing agent-to-graphene weight ratio from 0/1.0 to 1.0/1.0; (b) dispensing and depositing the graphene dispersion onto a surface of a supporting substrate to form a wet graphene layer; (c) removing the liquid medium from the wet graphene layer; (d) heat-treating the dried layer of graphene at a first heat treatment temperature selected from 80 C. to 3,200 C. at a desired heating rate sufficient to induce volatile gas molecules from the non-carbon elements of graphene sheets or to activate the blowing agent for producing a sheet or roll of solid graphene foam having multiple pores and pore walls containing graphene sheets; and (e) impregnating or infiltrating a metal into the pores to form the metal-bonded graphene foam.

A process for producing a metal-bonded graphene foam product, comprising: (a) preparing a graphene dispersion having multiple graphene sheets dispersed in a liquid medium, which contains an optional blowing agent having a blowing agent-to-graphene weight ratio from 0/1.0 to 1.0/1.0; (b) dispensing and depositing the graphene dispersion onto a surface of a supporting substrate to form a wet graphene layer; (c) removing the liquid medium from the wet graphene layer; (d) heat-treating the dried layer of graphene at a first heat treatment temperature selected from 80 C. to 3,200 C. at a desired heating rate sufficient to induce volatile gas molecules from the non-carbon elements of graphene sheets or to activate the blowing agent for producing a sheet or roll of solid graphene foam having multiple pores and pore walls containing graphene sheets; and (e) impregnating or infiltrating a metal into the pores to form the metal-bonded graphene foam.

An apparatus for electroplating a metal on a semiconductor substrate with high control over plated thickness on a die-level includes an ionically resistive ionically permeable element (e.g., a plate with channels), where the element allows for flow of ionic current through the element towards the substrate during electroplating, where the element includes a plurality of regions, each region having a pattern of varied local resistance, and where the pattern of varied local resistance repeats in at least two regions. An electroplating method includes providing a semiconductor substrate to an electroplating apparatus having an ionically resistive ionically permeable element or a grid-like shield having a pattern correlating with a pattern of features on the substrate, and plating metal, while the pattern on the substrate remains spatially aligned with the pattern of the element or the grid-like shield for at least a portion of the total electroplating time.

An apparatus for electroplating a metal on a semiconductor substrate with high control over plated thickness on a die-level includes an ionically resistive ionically permeable element (e.g., a plate with channels), where the element allows for flow of ionic current through the element towards the substrate during electroplating, where the element includes a plurality of regions, each region having a pattern of varied local resistance, and where the pattern of varied local resistance repeats in at least two regions. An electroplating method includes providing a semiconductor substrate to an electroplating apparatus having an ionically resistive ionically permeable element or a grid-like shield having a pattern correlating with a pattern of features on the substrate, and plating metal, while the pattern on the substrate remains spatially aligned with the pattern of the element or the grid-like shield for at least a portion of the total electroplating time.

Provided is process for producing a surface-metalized fiber, yarn, or fabric, the process comprising: (a) preparing a graphene dispersion comprising multiple graphene sheets and an optional conductive filler dispersed in a first liquid medium, which is an adhesive monomer or contains a liquid adhesive monomer or oligomer dissolved in a solvent; (b) feeding a continuous fiber, yarn, or fabric from a feeder roller into a deposition zone, wherein the graphene dispersion is dispensed to deposit the graphene sheets to a surface of the fiber, yarn, or fabric; (c) moving the graphene-coated fiber, yarn, or fabric into a metallization chamber which accommodates a plating solution therein for plating a layer of a desired metal onto the graphene-coated fiber, yarn, or fabric to obtain a surface-metalized fiber, yarn, or fabric; and (d) operating a winding roller to collect the surface-metalized fiber, yarn, or fabric.

Provided is a metal matrix nanocomposite comprising: (a) a metal or metal alloy as a matrix material; and (b) multiple graphene sheets that are dispersed in said matrix material, wherein said multiple graphene sheets are substantially aligned to be parallel to one another and are in an amount from 0.1% to 95% by volume based on the total nanocomposite volume; wherein the multiple graphene sheets contain single-layer or few-layer graphene sheets selected from pristine graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, graphene fluoride, graphene chloride, graphene bromide, graphene iodide, hydrogenated graphene, nitrogenated graphene, doped graphene, chemically functionalized graphene, or a combination thereof and wherein the chemically functionalized graphene is not graphene oxide. The metal matrix exhibits a combination of exceptional tensile strength, modulus, thermal conductivity, and/or electrical conductivity.

Provided is a process for producing a surface-metalized polymer film, comprising: (a) feeding a continuous polymer film from a feeder into a graphene deposition chamber which accommodates a graphene dispersion comprising multiple graphene sheets and an optional conducive filler dispersed in a first liquid medium and an optional adhesive resin dissolved in this first liquid medium; (b) operating the graphene deposition chamber to deposit the graphene sheets and optional conductive filler to at least a primary surface of the polymer film for forming a graphene-coated polymer film; (c) moving the graphene-coated film into a metallization chamber which accommodates a plating solution for plating a layer of a desired metal onto the graphene-coated polymer film to obtain a surface-metalized polymer film; and (d) operating a winding roller to collect the surface-metalized polymer film. This film exhibits a high scratch resistance, strength, hardness, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, light reflectivity, gloss, etc.

Provided is a process for producing a surface-metalized polymer film, comprising: (a) feeding a continuous polymer film from a feeder into a graphene deposition chamber which accommodates a graphene dispersion comprising multiple graphene sheets and an optional conducive filler dispersed in a first liquid medium and an optional adhesive resin dissolved in this first liquid medium; (b) operating the graphene deposition chamber to deposit the graphene sheets and optional conductive filler to at least a primary surface of the polymer film for forming a graphene-coated polymer film; (c) moving the graphene-coated film into a metallization chamber which accommodates a plating solution for plating a layer of a desired metal onto the graphene-coated polymer film to obtain a surface-metalized polymer film; and (d) operating a winding roller to collect the surface-metalized polymer film. This film exhibits a high scratch resistance, strength, hardness, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, light reflectivity, gloss, etc.