A novel process of electroless nickel plating on PVC with semi-IPN hydrogel pretreatment

Copper nanoparticles seeded functionalized‐PVC plastic surface for electroless nickel deposition

“…Figure a shows the XRD pattern of the achieved Ni–P layer on PVC. The broad diffraction peak at around 45° clearly indicated that the Ni–P layer is an amorphous state, which is attributed to the slower nucleation of the face‐centered cubic Ni phase and the P segregation . And this result is consistent with that of Keong et al .…”

“…Compared with N 1s species of pristine PVC, the corresponding species of PVC‐SH appears at 399 eV. The N 1s species of PVC‐SH can be fitted into two typical peaks with binding energies (BEs) at 398.8 eV and 399.7 eV, attributable to C = N and –NH 2 species (chemisorption sites for the succedent adsorption of Cu catalyst), respectively. It is confirmed that a hydrogel biofilm with abundant amino groups has been formed on PVC surface.…”

“…Herein, a novel and facile activation process involving the formation of a semi‐interpenetrating polymer network (semi‐IPN) hydrogel biofilm with abundant –NH 2 groups and the seeding of catalytic nuclei Cu nanoparticles on the functionalized‐PVC surface were demonstrated. This process didn't require noble metal Pd by comparison with our previous work, which made this method widely applicable and easy for large‐scale commercial manufacturing.…”

“…The etching process was performed with the method mentioned in the literature . After rinse, the etched foils were functionalized by the semi‐IPN hydrogel, which was prepared by cross‐linking chitosan (dissolved in 2 wt.% acetic acid aqueous solution, 19 g l ‐1 ), and polyethylene glycol (4 wt.% aqueous solution, 2 g l ‐1 ) with glutaraldehyde (10 wt.% aqueous solution, 6 g l ‐1 ) at 80 °C for 30 min.…”

“…However, a major problem still existed in commercialization, like the inevitable use of highly toxic Sn. Though a Sn‐free process was used to address this concern in our previous work, the high cost palladium is employed as the catalytic nuclear to initiate the electroless deposition . To reduce the total cost of metallization, Pd‐free activation process has attracted increasingly attentions.…”