Metal-coated polymer article of high durability and vacuum and/or pressure integrity

A metal-coated polymer article comprising:

• (i) a polymeric material;
• (ii) a metallic material having a microstructure which is fine-grained with an average grain size between 2 and 5,000 nm and/or amorphous, the metallic material being in the form of a metallic layer having a thickness between 10 micron and 2.5 cm and a porosity between 0 and 1.5%;
• (iii) with or without at least one intermediate layer between the polymeric material and the metallic material;
• (iv) said metal-coated polymer article exhibiting:
• a) a pull-off strength between the polymeric material and the metallic material and between any intermediate layer(s) and the metallic material and between any intermediate layer(s) and the polymeric material exceeding 200 psi as determined by ASTM D4541-02 Method A-E;
• and
• b) said metal-coated polymer article having a leak rate in air of between 0 and 6.6 mm Hg pressure per hour and per cm2 measuring area after applying a vacuum of 29″ of Hg and measuring the loss of vacuum over the duration of 60 minutes;
• and
• c) said metal-coated polymer article exhibiting no delamination after said article has been exposed to at least one temperature cycle according to ASTM B553-71 service condition 1, 2, 3 or 4.