The method for producing noble metal nanocomposites involves reducing noble metal ions (Ag, Au and Pt) on graphene oxide (GO) or carbon nanotubes (CNT) by using Artocarpus integer leaves extract as a reducing agent. As synthesized MNPs/GO and MNPs/CNT composites have been characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscope (TEM) imaging, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The TEM images of prepared materials showed that the nanocomposites were 1-30 nm in size with spherical nanoparticles embedded on the surface of GO and CNT. This synthetic route is easy and rapid for preparing a variety of nanocomposites. The method avoids use of toxic chemicals, and the prepared nanocomposites can be used for biosensor, fuel cell, and biomedical applications.

A process of pretreatment for selective application of electroless metallization to a surface of a non-conductive material and a solution useful for the pretreatment are provided. The process achieves good coverage in areas to be plated on the surface of non-conductive materials without skip plating or over plating.

A catalyst is imparted selectively to a plateable material portion 32 by performing a catalyst imparting processing on a substrate W having a non-plateable material portion 31 and the plateable material portion 32 formed on a surface thereof. Then, a hard mask layer 35 is formed selectively on the plateable material portion 32 by performing a plating processing on the substrate W. The non-plateable material portion 31 is made of SiO.sub.2 as a main component, and the plateable material portion 32 is made of a material including, as a main component, a material containing at least one of a OCH.sub.x group and a NH.sub.x group, a metal material containing Si as a main component, a material containing carbon as a main component or a catalyst metal material.

Method for metallising a porous structure made of carbon material, the method comprising the following steps: supplying a porous structure made of carbon material, immersing the porous structure in a solution comprising an ionic liquid, formed by a cation and an anion, and a metal precursor, placing the porous structure in a vacuum, immersed in the solution, in such a way as to cause the solution to penetrate into the porosity of the porous structure, adding a hydrogenated reducing agent, in such a way as to metallise the porous structure to within the porosity of the porous structure.

Electrically conductive proppant and methods for energizing and detecting the electrically conductive proppant in a single wellbore are disclosed. The methods can include performing numerical simulations solving Maxwell's equations of electromagnetism for electric and/or magnetic fields to determine temporal characteristics of an optimum input wave form and a recording sensor location to be used in a wellbore that extends into a subterranean formation having a fracture that is at least partially filled with proppant and an electrically conductive material, wherein the numerical simulations are based upon an earth model determined from geophysical logs and/or geological information. The method can also include electrically energizing a casing of the wellbore, measuring three dimensional (x, y, and z) components of electric and/or magnetic field responses in the wellbore, and determining a location of the electrically conductive proppant through comparison of the electric and/or magnetic field responses to the numerical simulations.

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.

A graphene reinforced aluminum matrix composite with high electrical conductivity and a preparation method thereof. The method includes: obtaining aluminum coated graphene powder by plating aluminum on a graphene surface, melting aluminum block into aluminum liquid, heating a mold to be lower than an aluminum melting point, alternately pouring the aluminum liquid and the aluminum coated graphene powder into the mold for layered casting to obtain a sandwich structure; extruding the sandwich structure into a rectangular test block and then heating to 500˜600° C., performing heat preservation for a preset time and performing forging treatment, and performing longitudinal cold deformation under inert gas to obtain the graphene reinforced aluminum matrix composite. The method can solve a problem that poor wettability of graphene and aluminum matrix, the graphene is evenly dispersed in the aluminum matrix, which can improve strength of the aluminum matrix and keep its high electrical conductivity.

Provided is a surface-metalized polymer article comprising a polymer component having a surface, a first layer of multiple functionalized graphene sheets having a first chemical functional group, multiple functionalized carbon nanotubes having a second chemical group functional group, or a combination of both, which are coated on the polymer component surface, and a second layer of a plated metal deposited on the first layer, wherein the multiple functionalized graphene sheets contain single-layer or few-layer graphene sheets and/or the multiple functionalized carbon nanotubes contain single-walled or multiwalled carbon nanotubes, and wherein the multiple functionalized graphene sheets or functionalized carbon nanotubes are bonded to the polymer component surface with or without an adhesive resin.

A method for manufacturing electrically conductive structures, preferably conductive pathway structures using laser beams on a non-conductive carrier (LDS method), wherein a non-conductive carrier material is provided which contains at least one inorganic metal phosphate compound and at least one stabiliser finely distributed or dissolved therein, the carrier material is irradiated in regions by laser beams generating the electrically conductive structures in the irradiated regions.

A method for electroless deposition of aluminum or an aluminum alloy on a substrate surface. The method includes activating the surface of the substrate to be coated by applying a coating of a catalyst metal; preparing a mixture of urea ((NH.sub.2CONH.sub.2) and anhydrous aluminum chloride (AlCl.sub.3) wherein a molar ratio of AlCl.sub.3:(NH.sub.2CONH.sub.2 is greater than 1:1 to obtain a Lewis acid room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) optionally containing an alloy metal salt; dissolving a hydride reducing agent in an aprotic anhydrous solvent to obtain a hydride solution; mixing the hydride solution and the AlCl.sub.3:(NH.sub.2CONH.sub.2 RTIL to obtain an electroless Al solution; exposing the activated surface of the substrate to the electroless Al solution; and removing the electroless Al solution from the substrate surface; wherein upon exposure of the activated substrate surface to the electroless Al solution, an Al or Al alloy coating is obtained on the activated substrate surface.