# US 9,435,035 B2 · Metalized plastic articles and methods thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,435,035 B2 - Document ID: US9435035B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/103,859 - Filed: 2011-05-09 - Published: 2011-09-01 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2010-01-15 - Assignees: BYD Company Limited - Applicants: Qing Gong; Liang Zhou; Weifeng Miao; Xiong Zhang - Inventors: Qing Gong; Liang Zhou; Weifeng Miao; Xiong Zhang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9435035B2 ## CPC - C23C 28/021: {including at least one metal alloy layer} - B05D 1/36: Successively applying liquids or other fluent materials, e.g. without intermediate treatment - B05D 3/06: by exposure to radiation (B05D3/02 takes precedence {; plasma treatment B05D3/141}) - B05D 7/54: {No clear coat specified} - C23C 18/1641: {Organic substrates, e.g. resin, plastic} - C23C 18/20: of organic surfaces, e.g. resins - C23C 18/2006: {by other methods than those of C23C18/22 - C23C18/30} - C23C 18/204: {Radiation, e.g. UV, laser} - C23C 18/50: with alloys based on iron, cobalt or nickel - C25D 5/56: of plastics - Y10T 428/12569: Synthetic resin - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02) - C25D: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract Metalized plastic substrates, and methods thereof are provided herein. The method includes providing a plastic having a plurality of accelerators dispersed in the plastic. The accelerators have a formula ABO3, wherein A is one or more elements selected from Groups 9, 10, and 11 of the Periodic Table of Elements, B is one or more elements selected from Groups 4B and 5B of the Periodic Table of Elements, and O is oxygen. The method includes the step of irradiating a surface of plastic substrate to expose at least a first accelerator. The method further includes plating the irradiated surface of the plastic substrate to form at least a first metal layer on the at least first accelerator, and then plating the first metal layer to form at least a second metal layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of metalizing a plastic substrate comprising: providing a plastic substrate having a plastic and a plurality of accelerators dispersed in the plastic, the accelerators having a formula ABO3, wherein A is one or more elements selected from Groups 9, 10, 11 of the Periodic Table of Elements and optionally one or more elements selected from Groups 1 and 2, and the lanthanide series of the Periodic Table of Elements, B is one or more elements selected from Groups 4B and 5B of the Periodic Table of Elements, and O is oxygen; irradiating a surface of the plastic substrate to expose at least a first accelerator without reducing the accelerators to pure metals; plating the irradiated surface of the plastic substrate to form at least a first metal layer on the at least first accelerator; and plating the first metal layer to form at least a second metal layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the accelerator has a first valance state before the irradiation step and the accelerator as about the same valance state after the irradiation step. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one element of the accelerator has a first valance state before the irradiation step and the accelerator as about the same valance state after the irradiation step. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one element of the accelerator is copper. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plastic is selected from group consisting of a thermoplastic and a thermoset; the accelerator has a perovskite structure; the accelerator is evenly distributed throughout the plastic; the irradiated surface of the plastic substrate is copper-plated or nickel plated; the surface of the plastic substrate is irradiated by exposure to a laser radiation; and the first metal layer is electroplated or chemical plated. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plastic substrate may be provided by a molding process selected from a group consisting of injection molding, blow molding, extraction molding, and hot press molding. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the laser radiation has a wave length of about 157 nanometers to about 10.6 microns. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the metal layers have a structure selected from the group consisting of Ni—Cu—Ni; Ni—Cu—Ni—Au; Cu—Ni; and Cu—Ni—Au. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the nickel layers each have a thickness ranging from about 0.1 microns to about 50 microns; the copper layers each have a thickness ranging from about 0.1 microns to about 100 microns; and the aurum layers each have a thickness ranging from about 0.01 microns to about 10 microns. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the accelerators each have an average diameter ranging from about 20 nanometers to about 100 microns. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the accelerator is selected from the group consisting of: Na0.04Ca0.98Cu3Ti4O12, La0.01Ca0.99Cu3Ti4O12, CuTiO3, CuNiTi2O6, CuNbO3, CuTaO3 and CuZrO3. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the accelerator is about 1 wt % to about 40 wt % of the plastic substrate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the plastic further comprises at least one additive selected from the group consisting of: an antioxidant, a light stabilizer, a lubricant, and inorganic fillers.