Title: Metal plating of polymeric substrates

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Abstract: Methods are disclosed for the metallizing of non-metallic substrates, i.e. polymeric substrates, by the coating of the substrate with polymerizable monomers in the presence of a small amount of silver ion. The substrate is cleaned, acid etched and then contacted with a monomer solution containing a soluble silver salt. The monomers are preferably polyfunctional and form a polymerized layer grafted onto the polymer substrate. A peroxide is also disclosed in the monomer solution for regeneration of the silver ion concentration and to combine with monomers to produce homopolymers which also attach to the active sites on the substrate and to side chains of the graft polymer. The grafted layer contains silver atoms closely bound to it and the silver atoms form nucleating agents for the deposition of copper from an electroless plating bath. The metallized substrate may then be further electroplated.


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