Adherent metal coatings on rubber-modified epoxy resin surfaces

• US 4,444,848 A
• Filed: 01/04/1982
• Issued: 04/24/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Western Electric Co., Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Verdi, Fred W., Shanefield, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Keefe, Veronica
• Application Number:
  US06/337,054
• Time in Patent Office: 841 Days
• Field of Search: 428/624, 428/416, 428/418, 428/626, 428/926, 174/68.5, 156/150, 204/192 E, 204/192 EC, 204/192 C, 427/307
• US Class Current: 428/624
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/021 Cleaning or etching treatments
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/20 on organic substrates
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/0133 Elastomeric or compliant polymer elastomeric conductor H05K2201/0314
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/095 Plasma, e.g. for treating a substrate to improve adhesion with a conductor or for cleaning holes
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/108 by semi-additive methods; masks therefor characterised by metallic etch mask H05K3/062; electroplating methods or apparatus H05K3/241
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/381 by special treatment of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/386 by the use of an organic polymeric bonding layer, e.g. adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/388 by the use of a metallic or inorganic thin film adhesion layer
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4076 by thin-film techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/426 initial plating of through-holes in substrates without metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/926 Thickness of individual layer specified
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12507 More than two components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12514 One component Cu-based
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12535 with additional, spatially distinct nonmetal component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12556 Organic component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12562 Elastomer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12569 Synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1291 Next to Co-, Cu-, or Ni-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12944 Ni-base component

Abstract

A method of forming adherent metallized coatings on a substrate which is useful for the manufacture of printed circuit boards as well as other metal coated articles involves providing the substrate with a rubber-modified epoxy surface or coating, sputter etching at least 50 A. from the surface followed by vacuum depositing an adherent thin metal film of Cr, Ni, Ni-V alloy, Pt, Pd or Ti onto the substrate. Another metal layer is then provided over the adherent thin film.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture comprising:

(a) a substrate having a surface of a rubber-modified epoxy resin, said surface having any weak boundary layer thereon essentially removed;

(b) a thin adherent base metal film selected from the group consisting of Cr, Ni, Ni-V alloy, Pd, Pt, or Ti on said surface, said metal having been vacuum deposited on the surface; and

(c) a thicker primary metal deposited over the base metal film said primary metal having a peel strength of at least 8 pounds/inch.

2. The article recited in claim 1 wherein said rubber-modified epoxy resin contains an acrylonitrile-butadiene type rubber.

3. The article recited in claim 1 wherein the weak boundary layer was removed by means of sputter etching at least 50 A. from the surface of the substrate.

4. The article recited in claim 3 wherein the thickness of the base metal is from 30 A. to 10,000 A.

5. The article recited in claim 3 wherein the thickness of the base metal film is in the order of 1,000 A.

6. The article recited in claim 1 wherein the primary metal is selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel or a mixture thereof.