DECORATIVE SURFACE FINISH AND METHOD OF FORMING SAME

• US 20110045317A1
• Filed: 08/24/2009
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lacks Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Lacks Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Hao, Ling, Irvine, Daniel W., Hartrick, David P., Zhang, Yong, Guan, Maoshi, Chase, Lee A., Fanta, Alan D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,632,864 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/669
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/067 Metallic effect
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/0423 with at least one layer of inorganic material and at least one layer of a composition containing a polymer binder
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/043 Improving the adhesiveness of the coatings per se, e.g. forming primers adhesives in the form of films or foils characterised by the primer layers between the polymer carriers and the adhesives C09J7/50
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/056 Forming hydrophilic coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 5/28 for wrinkle, crackle, orange-peel, or similar decorative effects
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/165 Multilayered product layered product B32B
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/1651 Two or more layers only obtained by electroless plating
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/2006 by other methods than those of C23C18/22 - C23C18/30
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/22 Roughening, e.g. by etching
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/30 Activating or accelerating or sensitising with palladium or other noble metal
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/54 Contact plating, i.e. electroless electrochemical plating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1216 Continuous interengaged phases of plural metals, or oriented fiber containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12493 Composite; i.e., plural, adjacent, spatially distinct metal components [e.g., layers, joint, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12535 with additional, spatially distinct nonmetal component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12868 Group IB metal-base component alternative to platinum group metal-base component [e.g., precious metal, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12993 Surface feature [e.g., rough, mirror]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24868 Translucent outer layer

Abstract

A decorative metal finish for a part with a non-conductive surface where the non-conductive surface is lightly roughened to improve its adherence capabilities. A thin metal layer is electrolessly deposited on the lightly roughened surface to provide a bright durable metal finish on the non-conductive surface. An translucent finish is deposited over the thin metal layer to provide protection for the metal finish.

Claims

1. A decorative metal finish for an article, comprising:

the article having at least one non-conductive surface with a mildly roughened exterior to improve its adherence capabilities;

a thin first metal layer non-electrolytically deposited on said at least one non-conductive surface; and

at least one translucent coating disposed on said thin first metal layer to provide increased durability for the metal finish;

whereby said at least one translucent coating allows the decorative metal finish to remain visible therethrough.

2. The decorative metal finish of claim 1, wherein said at least one non-conductive surface is a polymeric material.

3. The decorative metal finish of claim 2, wherein said polymeric material is selected from ABS terpolymer, polycarbonate, a blend of an ABS terpolymer and a polycarbonate, a thermoplastic polyolefin, nylon, and polyamide.

4. The decorative metal finish of claim 1, wherein said non-conductive surface is mildly roughened to an rms roughness of from about 0.002 μ

m to 0.1 μ

m.

5. The decorative metal finish of claim 4, wherein said non-conductive surface is mildly roughened to an rms roughness of about 0.02 μ

m.

6. The decorative metal finish of claim 1, wherein said thin first metal layer is comprised of a metal selected from nickel, silver, copper, or cobalt.

7. The decorative metal finish of claim 1, further comprising:

a thin second metal layer deposited over said thin first metal layer.

8. The decorative metal finish of claim 1, wherein said thin first metal layer has a thickness of about 50 nm to 500 nm.

9. The decorative metal finish of claim 8, wherein said thin first metal layer has a thickness of about 100 nm.

10. The decorative metal finish of claim 7, wherein said thin second metal layer has a thickness of about 50-500 nm.

11. The decorative metal finish of claim 7, wherein said thin second metal layer is comprised of a metal selected from silver, nickel, copper, cobalt, tin, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium or platinum.

12. The decorative metal finish of claim 1, wherein said first thin metal layer is non-electrolytically deposited using an electroless plating technique.

13. The decorative metal finish of claim 1, wherein said at least one translucent coating is selected from a polyacrylate, a polyurethane, a polyepoxy, a polyester, a polyether, a polysiloxane, polysilazane or a fluoropolymer.

14. The decorative metal finish of claim 7, wherein said thin second layer of metal is deposited on the thin first metal layer in connection with an immersion plating solution comprising a tarnish inhibitor.

15. The decorative metal finish of claim 1, wherein said at least one translucent coating includes multiple layers.

16. An article having a decorative metal finish comprising:

at least one non-conductive surface which has been lightly etched;

a thin first metal layer disposed on said at least one non-conductive surface in an aqueous bath;

a translucent coating disposed on said thin first metal layer to provide durability to and visibility of the decorative metal finish.

17. The article of claim 16, wherein said at least one non-conductive surface is a polymeric material.

18. The article of claim 17, wherein said thin first metal layer has a thickness in the range of 50 nm to 500 nm.

19. The article of claim 17, wherein said thin first metal layer is a bright electroless nickel.

20. The article of claim 19, wherein a thin second metal layer is deposited over said thin first metal layer.

21. The article of claim 20, wherein said thin second metal layer is an electroless copper.

22. The article of claim 21, wherein an acidic copper layer is deposited over said thin second metal layer.

23. The article of claim 22, wherein a layer of silver is deposited over said acidic copper layer.

24. The article of claim 19, wherein a layer of silver is deposited over top of said thin first metal layer.

25. The article of claim 17, wherein said thin first metal layer is an electroless nickel.

26. The article of claim 25, wherein a thin second metal layer of electroless copper is deposited over said thin first metal layer of electroless nickel.

27. The article of claim 26, wherein a thin layer of acidic copper is deposited over said thin second metal layer of electroless copper.

28. The article of claim 27, wherein a thin layer of silver is deposited onto the article.

29. The article of claim 25, wherein a thin layer of silver is deposited onto the article.

30. The article of claim 17, wherein said thin first metal layer is an electroless copper.

31. The article of claim 30, wherein a thin layer of acidic copper is deposited over said thin first metal layer is an electroless copper.

32. The article of claim 31, wherein a thin layer of silver is deposited onto the article.

33. The article of claim 31, wherein a thin layer of electroless nickel is deposited over said thin layer of acidic copper.

34. The article of claim 30, wherein a thin layer of bright electroless nickel is deposited over said thin first metal layer of electroless copper.

35. The article of claim 34, wherein a thin layer of silver is deposited onto the article.

36. The article of claim 17, wherein said at least one non-conductive surface is mildly roughened to an rms roughness in the range of 0.002 μ

m to 0.1 μ

m.

37. The article of claim 16, wherein said translucent coating consists of multiple layers.

38. A method of preparing an article with a decorative metal finish, comprising:

providing an electrically non-conductive article having at least one surface to receive the decorative metal finish;

mildly roughening said at least one surface such that its adherence capabilities are enhanced;

non-electrolytically depositing a thin first metal layer on said at least one surface; and

depositing at least one top protective translucent layer on said thin first metal layer.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

activating said at least one surface of the electrically non-conductive article, and electrolessly plating the activated surface to deposit said thin first metal layer.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein activating said at least one surface comprises chemically modifying said at least one surface to make it hydrophilic and adsorbing precious metal cations and/or nanoscopic precious metal particles on the hydrophilic surface.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the step of chemically modifying said at least one surface to make it hydrophilic is selected from one of the following:

chemically oxidizing said at least one surface, electrolytically oxidizing said at least one surface, oxidizing said at least one surface with a plasma, sulfonation of said at least one surface, alkaline hydrolysis of said at least one surface, acid hydrolysis of said at least one surface, or a combination of these steps.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the step of chemically modifying said at least one surface to make it hydrophilic is selected from one of the following:

chrome acid etch of said at least one surface, chrome sulfuric acid etch of said at least one surface, nitric acid etch of said at least one surface, or any combination of acid hydrolysis.

43. The method of claim 38, wherein said at least one surface of said non-conductive article is a polymeric material that is selected from ABS terpolymer, polycarbonate, a blend of an ABS terpolymer and a polycarbonate, a thermoplastic polyolefin, nylon, and polyamide.

44. The method of claim 38, wherein said non-conductive surface is mildly roughened to an rms roughness of from about 0.002 μ

m to 0.1 μ

m.

45. The method of claim 38, wherein said non-conductive surface is mildly roughened to an rms roughness of about 0.02 μ

m.

46. The method of claim 38, wherein said thin first metal layer is comprised of nickel, silver, copper, or cobalt.

47. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

depositing a thin second metal layer over said thin first metal layer.

48. The method of claim 38, wherein said thin first metal layer has a thickness of about 50 nm to 500 nm.

49. The method of claim 38, wherein said thin first metal layer has a thickness of about 100 nm.

50. The method of claim 47, wherein said thin second metal layer has a thickness of about 100 nm.

51. The method of claim 47, wherein said thin second metal layer is comprised of a metal selected from silver, nickel, copper, cobalt, tin, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium or platinum.

52. The method of claim 47, wherein said thin first metal layer is non-electrolytically deposited using an electroless plating technique.