Patent ID: 7270734

Claim:
A method for enhancing the electroplatability of electroplated metal deposits of composite electronic component articles that have both electroplatable and non-electroplatable portions with the electroplatable portions comprising the electroplated metal deposits and the non-electroplatable portions comprising pH sensitive materials of construction, which method comprises: electroplating the articles to provide the electroplated metal deposits thereon; subsequently subjecting the articles to processing that include heating, treating the electroplated articles after the processing to provide the electroplatable metal deposit portions with enhanced electroplatability by passing a current though a near neutral pH solution that contains a conductivity agent in an amount sufficient to facilitate passage of the current through the solution and a pH controlling agent in an amount sufficient to assist in maintaining pH at a near neutral range of between about 7 and about 10, wherein the solution reduces surface metal oxides and contaminants from the electroplatable metal deposit portions of the articles without deleteriously affecting the non-electroplatable portions of the articles; and electroplating a further metal deposit on the treated electroplatable metal deposit portions of the composite electronic component articles.