Method of depositing a metal on a surface

• US 4,021,314 A
• Filed: 03/25/1976
• Issued: 05/03/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Western Electric Co., Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Dafter, Robert Vincent Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Andrews, R. L.
• Application Number:
  US05/670,496
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• Field of Search: 427/301, 427/304-307, 106/1, 204/30
• US Class Current: 205/167
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 18/28 Sensitising or activating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 205/924 Electrolytic coating substrate predominantly comprised of specified synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 205/926 Polyamide or polyimide, e.g. nylon

Abstract

A method of depositing a metal on a dielectric surface is disclosed. The method comprises treating the surface with a stable hydrosol obtained by mixing and heating together in an acidic aqueous medium (1) a salt of a noble metal with (2) an organic compound containing at least two oxygen atoms selected from (a) an organic carbonate having a structural formula of ##STR1## where R = H, an alkyl radical, (b) ethylene glycol and (c) 1,3 dioxane. The treated surface is then exposed to a suitable electroless metal deposition solution to catalytically deposit an electroless metal deposit thereon.

Claims

1. A method of depositing a metal on a dielectric surface which comprises:

treating the surface with a stable hydrosol obtained by mixing and heating together in an acidic aqueous medium (1) a salt of a noble metal with (2) an organic compound containing at least two oxygen atoms selected from the group consisting of (a) an organic carbonate having a structural formula of ##STR4## where R is a member selected from the group consisting of an alkyl radical and a hydrogen atom, (b) ethylene glycol, and (c) 1,3 dioxane; and

exposing said treated surface to a suitable electroless metal deposition solution to catalytically deposit an electroless metal deposit thereon.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said organic carbonate comprises ethylene carbonate.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein said organic carbonate comprises propylene carbonate.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 which further comprises:

electroplating said electroless metal deposit to electrodeposit a metal thereon.