Bendable nickel plating on flexible substrates
AssigneeMacDermid Enthone Inc.
InventorsAparna Iyer, Ernest Long, Kishore Viswanathan
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Abstract
A method of producing a flexible nickel phosphorus plating layer on a substrate. The substrate comprises a dielectric material with a copper layer thereon. The method includes the steps of (1) activating the substrate with a palladium activation solution to catalyze the substrate, and (2) contacting the activated substrate with an electroless nickel phosphorus plating solution comprising (i) a source of nickel ions; (ii) a source of hypophosphite ions; (iii) at least one complexing agent; and (iv) an organic flex additive. The nickel phosphorus plating layer deposited on the substrate exhibits a columnar grain structure.
Claims23
An electroless nickel phosphorus plating bath comprising:
- a. a source of nickel ions, wherein the source of nickel ions is selected from the group consisting of nickel chloride, nickel sulfate, nickel acetate, nickel nitrate, and combinations of the foregoing;
- b. a source of hypophosphite ions;
- c. at least one complexing agent;
- d. a flex additive, wherein the flex additive comprises a guanidine derivative selected from the group consisting of aminoguanidine, (1-amino-4-guanidinobutane sulfate salt), 3-guanidinopropionic acid, 1-cyanoguanidine, 2-amino-5-guanidinopentanoic acid, (1.1-dimethylbiguanide hydrochloride, and combinations of one or more of the foregoing;
- e. optionally, a pH adjuster;
- f. optionally, a bath stabilizer;
- and
- g. optionally, a source of lead ions;
- wherein the electroless nickel phosphorus plating bath is configured to deposit a nickel-phosphorus plating layer on a substrate having a columnar grain structure;
- wherein the electroless nickel phosphorus plating bath is at least substantially free of any ingredient that would prevent the electroless nickel phosphorus plating bath from producing the nickel phosphorus plating having the columnar grain structure.
A method of producing a bendable nickel phosphorus plating layer on a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a dielectric substrate with copper plating thereon, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. activating the substrate with a palladium activation solution to catalyze the substrate, and thereafter
- b. contacting the activated substrate with an electroless nickel phosphorus plating solution comprising:
- i. a source of nickel ions, wherein the source of nickel ions is selected from the group consisting of nickel chloride, nickel sulfate, nickel acetate, nickel nitrate, and combinations of the foregoing;
- ii. a source of hypophosphite ions;
- iii. at least one complexing agent;
- iv. a flex additive, wherein the flex additive comprises a guanidine derivative selected from the group consisting of aminoguanidine, (1-amino-4-guanidinobutane sulfate salt), 3-guanidinopropionic acid, 1-cyanoguanidine, 2-amino-5-guanidinopentanoic acid, (1,1-dimethylbiguanide hydrochloride, and combinations of one or more of the foregoing;
- v. optionally a pH adjuster;
- and
- vi. optionally, a source of lead ions;
- vii. optionally, stabilizer;
- wherein the bendable nickel phosphorus plating layer deposited on the substrate exhibits a columnar grain structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.