Electroplating baths, additives therefor and methods for the electrodeposition of metals
AssigneeMcGean-Rohco, Inc.
InventorWilliam E. Eckles
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Bright level metal deposits can be obtained on substrates from aqueous acid plating baths containing water soluble salts of the metal to be deposited and at least one surfactant of the formula ROCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)OCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)N(H)CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 COOH (I) or ##STR1## wherein R is an alkyl group containing 10 to 12 carbon atoms; x and y are integers, the sum of which is from 2 to about 20. The aqueous acid plating baths of the invention will preferably contain as a brightening agent, at least one carbonyl-containing compound. These plating baths exhibit low foaming characteristics.
Claims33
An aqueous acidic electroplating bath composition comprising
- (a) at least one bath soluble divalent or polyvalent metal salt, and
- (b) at least one surfactant of the formula
- ROCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)OCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)N(H)CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 COOH (I)
- or ##STR8## wherein R is an alkyl group containing 10 to 12 carbon atoms;
- x and y are integers, the sum of which is from 2 to about 20.
An aqueous acidic plating bath for electrodeposition of tin, lead or tin/lead alloy comprising
- (a) at least one bath soluble metal salt selected from the group consisting of a stannous salt, a lead salt, or a mixture of lead and stannous salts, and
- (b) at least one surfactant of the formula
- ROCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)OCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)N(H)CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 COOH (I)
- or ##STR9## wherein R is an alkyl group containing 10 to 12 carbon atoms;
- x and y are integers, the sum of which is from 2 to about 20.
An aqueous acid plating bath for electrodeposition of a tin, lead or a tin/lead alloy comprising from about 5 to about 350 grams per liter of
- (a) at least one metal ion selected from the group consisting of stannous ions, lead ions and mixtures thereof, from about 50 to about 500 grams per liter of at least one radical selected from the group consisting of fluoborates, fluosilicates, sulfates, sulfamates and mixtures thereof,
- (b) from about 0.5 to about 15 grams per liter of at least one surfactant of the formula
- ROCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)OCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)N(H)CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 COOH (I)
- or ##STR10## wherein R is an alkyl group containing 10 to 12 carbon atoms;
- x and y are integers, the sum of which is from 2 to about 20,
- (c) from 0 to about 10 grams per liter of at least one aromatic aldehyde, and
- (d) from 0 to about 15 grams per liter of an aromatic amine.
An aqueous acidic zinc electroplating bath which comprises zinc ions, and from about 0.5 to about 15 grams per liter of (b) at least one surfactant of the formula
- ROCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)OCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)N(H)CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 COOH (I)
- or ##STR11## wherein R is an alkyl group containing 10 to 12 carbon atoms;
- x and y are integers, the sum of which is from 2 to about 20.
An aqueous acid zinc electroplating bath comprising
- (a) from about 5 to about 75 grams per liter of zinc ion, from about 10 to about 75 grams per liter of boric acid, from about 50 to about 300 grams per liter of ammonium, sodium or potassium fluoride,
- (b) from about 1 to about 15 grams per liter of at least one surfactant of the formula
- ROCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)OCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)N(H)CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 COOH (I)
- or ##STR12## wherein R is an alkyl group containing 10 to 12 carbon atoms;
- x and y are integers, the sum of which is from 2 to about 20,
- (c) from about 0 to about 30 grams per liter of an aromatic carbonyl-containing compound selected from a group consisting of aldehydes, ketones, acids and mixtures thereof, and
- (e) from 0 to about 25 grams per liter of a non-ionic or cationic wetting agent.
An aqueous electroplating bath for the electrodeposition of cadmium comprising
- (a) cadmium ions and a free acid, and
- (b) at least one surfactant of the formula
- ROCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)OCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)N(H)CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 COOH (I)
- or ##STR13## wherein R is an alkyl group containing 10 to 12 carbon atoms;
- x and y are integers, the sum of which is from 2 to about 20.
An aqueous acidic copper electroplating bath containing one or more bath-soluble copper salts, free acid, and at least one surfactant of the formula
- ROCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)OCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)N(H)CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 COOH (I)
- or ##STR14## wherein R is an alkyl group containing 10 to 12 carbon atoms;
- x and y are integers, the sum of which is from 2 to about 20.
An additive composition for aqueous acid metal electroplating baths comprising a mixture of
- (a) at least one surfactant of the formula
- ROCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)OCH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)N(H)CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 COOH (I)
- or ##STR15## wherein R is an alkyl group containing 10 to 12 carbon atoms;
- x and y are integers, the sum of which is from 2 to about 20,
- (b) an additional component which comprises at least one brightener composition which is a pyridine or a carbonyl-containing compound, and
- (c) a solvent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.