Novel electroless copper deposition on carbon fibers with environmentally friendly processes

Abstract

A novel electroless deposition (ELD) of copper (Cu) on carbon fibers (CFs) with environmentally friendly processes, silver (Ag) aerosol activation and subsequent nonformaldehyde Cu ELD, was developed. Spark-generated Ag aerosol nanoparticles (∼10 nm in mode diameter) were deposited (48.4 μg Ag/g CF in activation intensity) onto the surfaces of CFs. After annealing (at 220 °C in a nitrogen atmosphere), the catalytically activated CFs were placed into a solution for Cu ELD (at 82 °C). Homogeneous Cu coating (∼5.1 nm/min) on CFs was achieved with 90 min of deposition and the corresponding mass deposition rate and Cu grain size for 30–90 min of deposition had ranges of 0.25–1.14 mg Cu/g CF-min and 14.8–37.2 nm, respectively. The porosity of CFs decreased by depositing the Cu for 30–90 min, and the specific surface area and pore volume of CFs decreased from 1536 to 1399 m 2/g and from 0.65 to 0.57 cm 3/g, respectively.