Patent ID: 9650716
Date: 2017-05-16
CPC Classifications: B32B,C09D,C23C,G03F,H05K

Claim:
1. A method for providing an electrically conductive article, the method comprising: (i) providing a continuous polymeric web of a transparent polymeric substrate; (ii) forming a first photocurable pattern on at least a first portion on a first supporting side of the continuous polymeric web using a photocurable composition comprising metal particles as seed metal catalysts, the first photocurable pattern being formed by ink jetting, photolithographic imprinting, flexographic printing, lithographic printing, or gravure or intaglio printing the photocurable composition; (iii) exposing the photocurable pattern to photocuring radiation to form a photocured pattern containing the metal particles as seed metal catalysts on the first portion of the first supporting side; (iv) electrolessly plating on the photocured pattern containing the metal particles as seed metal catalysts with an electrically-conductive metal to form an electrically-conductive metal pattern on the first portion of the first supporting side; and (v) forming a dry outermost polymeric coating over at least part but not all of the electrically-conductive pattern in the first portion of the first supporting side using a flexographic printing member, the dry polymeric coating having a dry thickness of less than 5 μm, an integrated transmittance of at least 80%, and comprising a non-crosslinked thermoplastic polymer having a glass transition temperature (T