Method and apparatus for electrolytically plating copper
AssigneeATR Wire & Cable Co., Inc.
InventorsKarl L. Glafenhein, David A. Murphy, Charles N. White, Shunji Hachisuka
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Abstract
A method for electrolytically plating copper onto a base metal, such as steel (18), utilizing an insoluble anode (16) includes the steps of: providing a pyrophosphate plating solution (14); adding a copper source, copper hydroxide, to the plating solution (14); and passing an electric current through the plating solution between the insoluble anode (16) and the base metal (18) to be plated. The apparatus (10) includes a plating tray (12), a pyrophosphate plating solution (14) including a soluble source of copper, an insoluble anode (16) and a power source (20). A copper plated product (P) is also disclosed and claimed.
Claims21
A method for electrolytically plating copper onto a base metal utilizing a plating apparatus including a power source and a plating tray, comprising the steps of:
- providing a pyrophosphate plating solution in said plating tray;
- providing an insoluble anode in said plating solution;
- passing an electric current through said plating solution between said insoluble anode and said base metal;
- and
- adding copper hydroxide to said plating solution to maintain a concentration of copper hydroxide in said plating solution of at least 21.5 grams/liter and a pH between substantially 7-10 so that a substantially constant current density is maintained and copper from said solution is plated onto said base metal in a uniform manner.
A copper plating solution, comprising:
- 200-400 grams per liter of tetrapotassium pyrophosphate;
- 40-60 grams per liter of copper pyrophosphate;
- 21.5-33.8 grams per liter of copper hydroxide;
- and
- 0-3.0 grams per liter of polyphosphoric acid;
- said plating solution also having a pH between 7-10.
A copper plating system for copper plating a base metal, comprising:
- (a) a bath including;
- a pyrophosphate plating solution providing a source of copper for plating, said source of copper being copper hydroxide at a concentration of between substantially 21.5-33.8 grams/liter and said plating solution having a pH between substantially 7-10;
- and
- (b) an apparatus including;
- a plating tray for holding the pyrophosphate plating solution;
- an insoluble anode received in the pyrophosphate plating solution held in the plating tray;
- and
- a power source for passing electric current through said pyrophosphate plating solution between said anode and said base metal to plate copper from said solution onto said base metal in a uniform manner.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.