Patent ID: 8323739
Filing Date: 2012-12-04
Classification: H05K

Abstract:
1. A method for forming a metal pattern on a substrate, comprising the following steps: a. printing a pattern on a substrate with an ink composition, wherein the ink composition comprises (i) a binder, (ii) a sulfate terminated polymer of an ethylenically unsaturated monomer, and (iii) a catalytic metal precursor, and wherein the binder is a water swellable resin and the catalytic metal precursor is a salt or halide of gold (Au), silver (Ag), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), or ruthenium (Ru); b. drying the printed pattern to obtain a substrate with a hardened pattern; c. immersing the substrate with a hardened pattern into water of 35-95° C. for 3-30 minutes to swell the hardened pattern and to reduce the catalytic metal precursor; d. removing the substrate with a hardened pattern from the water; and then e. immersing the substrate with a hardened pattern into an electroless plating solution so as to form a metal film on the hardened pattern.