Sensitized substrates for chemical metallization

Claim 2

A process for the production of an article catalytic to the electroless deposition of metal comprising the steps of: a. treating a substrate with a liquid comprising the admixture of a reducible salt of a non-noble metal capable of catalyzing electroless metal deposition and at least one secondary reducing agent selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde and its precursors or derivatives; and b. contacting the treated substrate of step (a) with a primary reducing agent comprising at least one member of the group consisting of borohydrides and borones, thereby rendering said substrate catalytic to the deposition of metal from an electroless metal deposition bath.

Claim 3

A process according to claim 1, wherein said secondary reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, trioxane, dimethylhydantoin and glyoxal.

Claim 4

A process according to claim 2, wherein said secondary reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde and glyoxal.

Claim 5

A process according to claim 1, wherein said liquid has a pH of from about 4.4 to about 9.5

Claim 6

A process for the production of a metallized article including the steps of claim 1 and the subsequent step of exposing said substrate to an electroless metal deposition bath to form a layer of electroless metal thereon.

Claim 7

A process according to claim 1, wherein said liquid also comprises the admixture of a complexing agent for said reducible salt.

Claim 8

A process according to claim 1, wherein said liquid also comprises the admixture of a metallic accelerator.

Claim 9

A process according to claim 1 wherein said primary reducing agent comprises at least one member of the group consisting of: the borohydride and substituted borohydride of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonium, and substituted ammonium; and the amine boranes.

Claim 10

A process according to claim 8 wherein said primary reducing agent comprises at least one member of the group consisting of sodium borohydride, tetramethylammonium borohydride and dimethylamine borane.

Claim 11

A process for the production of an article catalytic to the electroless deposition of metal comprising the steps of: a. treating a substrate with a liquid comprising the admixture of: 1. a reducible salt of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, cobalt and iron; and 2. at least one secondary reducing agent selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde and its precursors or derivatives; and b. contacting the treated substrate of step (a) with a primary reducing agent comprising at least one member of the group consisting of borohydrides and boranes thereby rendering said substrate catalytic to the deposition of metal from an electroless metal deposition bath.

Claim 12

A process for the production of an article catalytic to the electroless deposition of metal comprising the steps of: a. treating a substrate with a liquid comprising the admixture of: 1. a reducible salt of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, cobalt and iron; and 2. at least one secondary reducing agent selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde and its precursors or derivatives; and b. contacting the treated substrate of step (a) with a primary reducing agent comprising at least one member of the group consisting of borohydrides and boranes thereby rendering said substrate catalytic to the deposition of metal from an electroless metal deposition bath.

Claim 13

A process according to claim 10, wherein said secondary reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, trioxane, dimethylhydantoin and glyoxal.

Claim 14

A process according to claim 11, wherein said secondary reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde and glyoxal.

Claim 15

A process according to claim 10, wherein said liquid has a pH of from about 4.4 to about 9.5.

Claim 16

A process for the production of a metallized article including the steps of claim 10 and the subsequent step of exposing said substrate to an electroless metal deposition bath to form a layer of electroless metal thereon.

Claim 17

A process according to claim 10, wherein said liquid also comprises the admixture of a complexing agent for said reducible salt.

Claim 18

A process according to claim 10, wherein said liquid also comprises the admixture of a metallic accelerator.

Claim 19

A process according to claim 10 wherein said primary reducing agent comprises at least one member of the group consisting of: the borohydride and substituted borohydride of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonium, and substituted ammonium; and the amine boranes.

Claim 20

A process according to claim 17 wherein said primary reducing agent comprises at least one member of the group consisting of sodium borohydride, tetramethylammonium borohydride and dimethylamine borane.

Claim 21

A process for the production of an article catalytic to the electroless deposition of metal comprising the steps of: a. treating a substrate with a liquid comprising the admixture of: 1. a reducible salt of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, cobalt and iron; and 2. at least one secondary reducing agent selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, trioxane, dimethylhydantoin and glyoxal; and b. contacting the treated substrate of step (a) with a primary reducing agent comprising at least one member of the group consisting of borohydrides and boranes thereby rendering said substrate catalytic to the deposition of metal from an electroless metal deposition bath.

Claim 22

A process for the production of an article catalytic to the electroless deposition of metal comprising the steps of: a. treating a substrate with a liquid comprising the admixture of: 1. a reducible salt of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, cobalt and iron; and 2. at least one secondary reducing agent selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde, trioxane, dimethylhydantoin and glyoxal; and b. contacting the treated substrate of step (a) with a primary reducing agent comprising at least one member of the group consisting of borohydrides and boranes thereby rendering said substrate catalytic to the deposition of metal from an electroless metal deposition bath.

Claim 23

A process according to claim 19, wherein said secondary reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde and glyoxal.

Claim 24

A process according to claim 19, wherein said liquid has a pH of from about 4.4 to about 9.5.

Claim 25

A process for the production of a metallized article including the steps of claim 19 and the subsequent step of exposing said substrate to an electroless metal deposition bath to form a layer of electroless metal thereon.

Claim 26

A process according to claim 19, wherein said liquid also comprises the admixture of a complexing agent for said reducible salt.

Claim 27

A process according to claim 19, wherein said liquid also comprises the admixture of a metallic accelerator.

Claim 28

A process according to claim 19 wherein said primary reducing agent comprises at least one member of the group consisting of: the borohydride and substituted borohydride of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonium, and substituted ammonium; and the amine boranes.

Claim 29

A process according to claim 25 wherein said primary reducing agent comprises at least one member of the group consisting of sodium borohydride, tetramethylammonium borohydride and dimethylamine borane.

Claim 30

A process for the production of an article catalytic to the electroless deposition of metal comprising the steps of: a. treating a substrate with a liquid comprising the admixture of: 1. a reducible salt of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, cobalt and iron; and 2. at least one secondary reducing agent selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde and glyoxal, wherein said liquid has a pH of from about 4.4 to about 9.5; and b. contacting the treated substrate of step (a) with a primary reducing agent comprising at least one member of the group consisting of borohydrides and boranes, thereby rendering said substrate catalytic to the deposition of metal from an electroless metal deposition bath.

Claim 31

A process for the production of an article catalytic to the electroless deposition of metal comprising the steps of: a. treating a substrate with a liquid comprising the admixture of: 1. a reducible salt of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of copper, nickel, cobalt and iron; and 2. at least one secondary reducing agent selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde and glyoxal, wherein said liquid has a pH of from about 4.4 to about 9.5; and b. contacting the treated substrate of step (a) with a primary reducing agent comprising at least one member of the group consisting of borohydrides and boranes, thereby rendering said substrate catalytic to the deposition of metal from an electroless metal deposition bath.

Claim 32

A process according to claim 27, wherein said reducible salt is copper salt.

Claim 33

A process for the production of a metallized article including the steps of claim 27 and the subsequent step of exposing said substrate to an electroless metal deposition bath to form a layer of electroless metal thereon.

Claim 34

A process according to claim 27, wherein said liquid also comprises the admixture of a complexing agent for said reducible salt.

Claim 35

A process according to claim 27, wherein said liquid also comprises the admixture of a metallic accelerator.

Claim 36

A process according to claim 27 wherein said primary reucing agent comprises at least one member of the group consisting of: the borohydride and substituted borohydride of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonium, and substituted ammonium; and the amine boranes.

Claim 37

A process according to claim 32 wherein said primary reducing agent comprises at least one member of the group consisting of sodium borohydride, tetramethylammonium borohydride and dimethylamine borane.

Claim 38

A process for the production of an article catalytic to the electroless deposition of metal comprising the steps of: a. treating a substrate with a liquid comprising the admixture of: 1. a reducible copper salt; 2. a complexing agent for copper; and 3. at least one secondary reducing agent selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde and glyoxal, wherein said liquid has a pH of from about 4.4 to about 9.5; and b. contacting the treated substrate of step (a) with a primary reducing agent comprising at least one member of the group consisting of borohydrides and boranes thereby rendering said substrate catalytic to the deposition of metal from an electroless metal deposition bath.

Claim 39

A process for the production of an article catalytic to the electroless deposition of metal comprising the steps of: a. treating a substrate with a liquid comprising the admixture of: 1. a reducible copper salt; 2. a complexing agent for copper; and 3. at least one secondary reducing agent selected from the group consisting of formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde and glyoxal, wherein said liquid has a pH of from about 4.4 to about 9.5; and b. contacting the treated substrate of step (a) with a primary reducing agent comprising at least one member of the group consisting of borohydrides and boranes thereby rendering said substrate catalytic to the deposition of metal from an electroless metal deposition bath.

Claim 40

A process according to claim 24, wherein said liquid also comprises the admixture of a metallic accelerator.

Claim 41

A process according to claim 34 wherein said primary reducing agent comprises at least one member of the group consisting of: the borohydride and substituted borohydride of an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonium, and substituted ammonium; and the amine boranes.

Claim 42

A process according to claim 36 wherein said primary reducing agent comprises at least one member of the group consisting of sodium borohydride, tetramethylammonium borohydride and dimethylamine borane.