The disclosed process is capable of depositing thin layers of a wide variety of metals onto powders of magnesium, aluminum, and their alloys. A material is provided that comprises particles containing a reactive metal coated with a noble metal that has a less-negative standard reduction potential than the reactive metal. The coating has a thickness from 1 nanometer to 100 microns, for example. A method of forming an immersion deposit on a reactive metal comprises: combining a reactive metal, an ionic liquid, and a noble metal salt; depositing the noble metal on the reactive metal by a surface-displacement reaction, thereby generating the immersion deposit on the reactive metal; and removing the ionic liquid from the immersion deposit. The material may be present in an article or object (e.g., a sintered part) containing from 0.25 wt % to 100 wt % of a coated reactive metal as disclosed herein.

A method for electroless deposition of aluminum on a substrate includes: activating the substrate; providing an aluminum ionic liquid; adding a reducing agent and an additive to the aluminum ionic liquid to form an electroless plating composition, wherein the additive may include a catalyst, an alloying element, or a combination thereof; and immersing the substrate in the electroless plating composition to have an aluminum layer deposited on the substrate. An article includes the electroless deposited aluminum layer.

The present invention relates to a multi-layered elastomer article and to a method for its manufacturing. The multi-layered article made of an elastomeric composition [composition (C)] comprising at least one elastomer, said article having at least one surface [surface (S)] comprising: —nitrogen-containing groups [groups (N)] and —at least one layer [layer (L1)] adhered to said surface (S) comprising at least one metal compound [compound (M)].

Compositions and methods for silver plating onto metal surfaces such as PWBs in electronics manufacture to produce a silver plating which is greater than 80 atomic % silver, tarnish resistant, and has good solderability.

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.

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.

Methods for forming thin, pinhole-free conformal metal layers on both conducting and non-conducting surfaces, where the morphology and properties of the metal layers are tuned to meet desired parameters by adjusting the concentration of ionic liquids during the deposition process. The formed metal films contain tunable properties for solar and electronic use and provide specific advantages for non-conducting surfaces, which are otherwise unsuitable for electroplating without the presence of the formed metal films. The disclosed methods do not require the presence of a voltage or external electric field but form the metal films through an electroless technique using electrostatic interactions between negatively charged nanoparticles. In addition, the disclosed methods are compatible with solution phase processing and eliminate the need to transfer the surfaces into a vacuum chamber for a chemical or physical vapor deposition to form a metal layer.

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.

An article includes an electroless deposited aluminum layer. The aluminum layer is deposited in an electroless plating composition. The composition includes an aluminum ionic liquid, a reducing agent, and an additive selected from the group consisting of a catalyst, an alloying element, and a combination thereof.

The disclosed process is capable of depositing thin layers of a wide variety of metals onto powders of magnesium, aluminum, and their alloys. A material is provided that comprises particles containing a reactive metal coated with a noble metal that has a less-negative standard reduction potential than the reactive metal. The coating has a thickness from 1 nanometer to 100 microns, for example. A method of forming an immersion deposit on a reactive metal comprises: combining a reactive metal, an ionic liquid, and a noble metal salt; depositing the noble metal on the reactive metal by a surface-displacement reaction, thereby generating the immersion deposit on the reactive metal; and removing the ionic liquid from the immersion deposit. The material may be present in an article or object (e.g., a sintered part) containing from 0.25 wt % to 100 wt % of a coated reactive metal as disclosed herein.