Patent ID: 6114051
Filing Date: 2000-09-05
Classification: C23C,C25D,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for electroplating a plastic article comprising the following steps:providing a substrate of a polycarbonate which has been modified with between about 15 percent and about 50 percent by weight of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene;conditioning a surface of said substrate with a halogenated hydrocarbon organic solvent conditioner at a temperature and for a duration sufficient to increase the amount of exposed acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene at said conditioned surface, said halogenated hydrocarbon organic solvent conditioner consisting of between about 5 and about 25 volume percent of a halogenated hydrocarbon in an aqueous medium, said halogenated hydrocarbon being chosen from the group consisting of halogenated alcohols, halogenated ketones and halogenated ethers;etching said conditioned surface of said substrate with a chromic acid-sulfuric acid solution at a temperature and for a duration sufficient to roughen said conditioned surface;electrolessly depositing a layer of a metal strike on said roughened and conditioned surface of said substrate; andelectrochemically plating a metal onto said layer of said metal strike.