A continuous method of treating the surfaces of individual filaments in a multifilament yarn, the method comprising:
- (a) providing a plurality of processing cells, wherein each processing cell has a treatment solution reservoir containing a predetermined amount of a predetermined treatment solution;
- (b) feeding a multifilament yarn having a plurality of individual filaments having external surfaces into a first yarn transfer system that guides the ingress and egress of the multifilament yarn to and from a first treatment cell having at least a first roller, wherein the first treatment cell contains at least a first treatment solution comprising an acidic solution that substantially uniformly etches the exterior surfaces of the plurality of individual filaments;
- (c) transferring the multifilament yarn from the first yarn transfer system to a second yarn transfer system that guides the ingress and egress of the multifilament yarn to and from a second treatment cell having at least a second roller, wherein the second treatment cell contains at least a second treatment solution comprising an ultrasonic water bath that creates substantially clean and wet exterior surfaces of the plurality of individual filaments;
- (d) transferring the multifilament yarn from the second yarn transfer system to a third yarn transfer system that guides the ingress and egress of the yarn to and from a third treatment cell having at least a third roller, wherein the third treatment cell contains at least a third treatment solution comprising a catalyzing solution that creates a substantially uniform absorption of a plurality of metal ions on the plurality of individual filaments;
- (e) transferring the multifilament yarn from the third yarn transfer system to a fourth yarn transfer system that guides the ingress and egress of the yarn to and from a fourth treatment cell having at least a fourth roller, wherein the fourth treatment cell contains at least a fourth treatment solution comprising a reduction solution that creates a substantially uniform in-situ reduction of a plurality of metal ions on the plurality of individual filaments;
- and
- (f) transferring the multifilament yarn from the fourth yarn transfer system to a fifth yarn transfer system that guides the ingress and egress of the yarn to and from a fifth treatment cell having at least a fifth roller, wherein the fifth treatment cell contains at least a fifth treatment solution comprising an electroless bath that creates a substantially uniform conductive undercoating on the plurality of individual filaments;
- wherein at least one of the rollers selected from the group of rollers consisting of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth rollers is configured to cause orientation disruption of the plurality of individual filaments such that they translate with respect to one another, rotate with respect to one another, or a combination thereof;
- wherein the at least one roller further comprises a profile such that for a given transverse section of the roller, a roller surface perimeter has a plurality of points located a plurality of distinct distances from a central axis of the roller.