Method for improving plating on non-conductive substrates
OwnerRobert Hamilton, Ernest Long +1inventors
InventorsRobert Hamilton, Ernest Long, Andrew M. Krol
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Abstract
A method of treating a laser-activated thermoplastic substrate having a metal compound dispersed therein is described. The substrate is contacted with an aqueous composition comprising: (i) a thiol functional organic compound; (ii) an ethoxylated alcohol surfactant; and (iii) xanthan gum. By use of the treatment composition, when the substrate is subsequently laser-activated and plated by electroless plating, extraneous plating of the substrate is substantially eliminated.
Claims15
A method of treating a laser-activatable non-conductive substrate that comprises a metal compound, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) treating the laser-activatable non-conductive substrate that comprises the metal compound with an aqueous composition comprising:
- i) a thiol functional organic compound;
- and
- ii) optionally, a surfactant;
- b) selectively laser activating portions of a surface of the laser-activatable non-conductive substrate;
- c) contacting the substrate with an electroless plating bath such that areas of the laser-activatable non-conductive substrate which were contacted by the laser plate, but areas that were not contacted by the laser do not plate.
A method of treating a laser-activatable non-conductive substrate that comprises a metal compound, the method comprising the steps of:
- a) treating the laser-activatable non-conductive substrate that comprises the metal compound with an aqueous composition comprising:
- i) a thiol functional organic compound selected from the group consisting of dodecanethiol, lauryl mercaptan, cetyl mercaptan, stearyl mercaptan, alkyl thioglycollate, stearyl thioglycollate, cetyl thioglycollate, methyl mercaptan, n-butyl mercaptan, cyclohexyl mercaptan, n-dodecyl mercaptan, n-propyl mercaptan, n-octyl mercaptan, t-nonyl mercaptan and combinations of one or more of the foregoing;
- and
- ii) optionally, a surfactant;
- b) selectively laser activating portions of a surface of the laser-activatable non-conductive substrate;
- c) contacting the substrate with an electroless plating bath such that areas of the laser-activatable non-conductive substrate which were contacted by the laser plate, but areas that were not contacted by the laser do not plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.