Surface metallization of PET sheet: Fabrication of Pd nanoparticle/polymer brush to catalyze electroless nickel plating

Abstract

Electroless nickel plating provides a rapid and low-cost approach to prepare surface-metallization material, but complicated technology would increase cost and restrict its application. In this work, a new kind of Pd nanoparticle/polymer brush (Pd/PB) catalytic solution (AS) with a mixture of deionized water, ethanol, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (KH550), PdCl2 solution was designed to modify and activate polyethylene terephthalate (PET) simultaneously. Pd nanoparticle could be adsorbed by PB with –NH2, Si–O–Si groups from hydrolyzed KH550. An activated layer with Pd/PB structure established on PET surface after coating AS solution. The generated Ag/PB that served as seed to catalyze the electroless nickel plating. As a result, a facile route for electroless nickel plating was achieved. The maximum effective thickness, rupture work and adhesion of Ni-plated coating were about 0.8 μm, 0.4 J/m2, and 5B, respectively, and it maintained considerable conductivity even after 1000 times of cyclical bending. This dependable technology has great potential application in the preparation of metal-polymer material.