Electroless plating bath composition and method of plating particulate matter
View Patent ↗An electroless plating bath composition for plating particulate matter is provided. The plating bath composition includes a metal-containing component and a reducing component. The particulate matter is plated with at least one metal layer including at least two metals by electroless metal deposition in order to provide cutting and grinding tools with improved wear resistance.
1. An electroless plating bath composition for plating particulate matter, the plating bath composition comprising:
a metal-containing component, wherein the metal-containing component includes:
a nickel salt;
at least one metal salt comprising calcium chloride;
a chelating agent; and
water; and
a reducing component, wherein the reducing component includes:
a reducing agent; and
water.
2. The plating bath composition of claim 1 , wherein
the nickel salt is selected from the group consisting of nickel sulfate, nickel chloride, and nickel acetate.
3. The plating bath composition of claim 1 , which further comprises
at least one additional metal salt selected from the group consisting of calcium sulfate, calcium acetate, magnesium sulfate, magnesium chloride, magnesium acetate, strontium sulfate, strontium chloride, strontium acetate, barium sulfate, barium chloride, and barium acetate.
4. The plating bath composition of claim 3 , wherein
the at least one metal salt further comprises magnesium chloride.
5. The plating bath composition of claim 1 , wherein
the at least one metal salt of the metal-containing component further includes a second metal salt selected from the group consisting of a magnesium salt, a strontium salt, and a barium salt.
6. The plating bath composition of claim 5 , wherein
the at least one metal salt of the metal containing component is two metal salts which are selected from the group consisting of the calcium salt and the magnesium salt.
7. The plating bath composition of claim 6 , wherein
the calcium salt is calcium chloride and the magnesium salt is magnesium chloride.
8. The plating bath composition of claim 6 , wherein
the particulate matter is selected from the group consisting of natural diamonds and synthetic diamonds.
9. The plating bath composition of claim 1 , wherein
the chelating agent is acetic acid.
10. The plating bath composition of claim 1 , wherein
the reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium hypophosphite, sodium borohydride, and hydrogen gas.
11. The plating bath composition of claim 1 , wherein
the metal-containing component further comprises a caustic metallic base and the reducing component further comprises a metal acetate, wherein the caustic metallic base and metal acetate buffers the pH of the plating bath composition.
12. A method of electrolessly plating particulate matter, the method comprising the steps of:
charging a vessel with particulate matter;
charging the vessel containing the particulate matter with solutions including an electroless plating bath composition and an activating component, wherein the plating bath composition includes:
a metal-containing component, wherein the metal-containing component comprises:
a nickel salt;
at least one metal salt selected from the group consisting of a calcium salt, a magnesium salt, a strontium salt, and a barium salt
a chelating agent; and
water; and
a reducing component, wherein the reducing component comprises:
a reducing agent; and
water;
mixing the plating bath composition, activating component, and particulate matter at a temperature between about 60° C. and about 100° C. at a pH between about 4 and about 13; and
plating at least one metal layer onto the particulate matter, wherein the metal layer includes at least two metals.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein
the at least one metal layer includes nickel and at least one additional metal selected from the group consisting of calcium, magnesium, strontium, and barium.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein
the nickel salt is selected from the group consisting of nickel sulfate, nickel chloride, and nickel acetate.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein
the at least one metal salt is selected from the group consisting of calcium sulfate, calcium chloride, calcium acetate, magnesium sulfate, magnesium chloride, magnesium acetate, strontium sulfate, strontium chloride, strontium acetate, barium sulfate, barium chloride, and barium acetate.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein
the at least one metal salt is calcium chloride.
17. The method of claim 15 , wherein
the at least one metal salt is magnesium chloride.
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein
the metal-containing component includes at least two metal salts selected from the group consisting of a calcium salt, a magnesium salt, a strontium salt, and a barium salt.
19. The method of claim 12 , wherein
the particulate matter is selected from the group consisting of natural diamonds and synthetic diamonds.
20. The method of claim 12 , wherein
the activating component is a solution of a palladium salt and hydrochloric acid.
21. The method of claim 20 , wherein
the palladium salt is palladium chloride.
22. The method of claim 12 , wherein
the vessel containing the particulate matter is first charged with the metal-containing component, followed by the activating component, and then the reducing component.
23. A coated article formed by electroless plating of particulate matter, the coated article comprising:
particulate matter having a defined outer surface area, wherein the particulate matter is selected from the group consisting of natural diamonds and synthetic diamonds having at least one metal layer,
wherein the at least one metal layer is plated onto the outer surface of the particulate matter and includes nickel and at least one additional metal selected from the group consisting of calcium, magnesium, strontium, and barium.
24. An electroless plating bath composition for plating particulate matter, the plating bath composition comprising:
a metal-containing component, wherein the metal-containing component includes:
a nickel salt;
at least one first metal salt comprising magnesium chloride and at least one second metal salt selected from the group consisting of a calcium salt, a strontium salt and a barium salt;
a chelating agent; and
water; and
a reducing component, wherein the reducing component includes:
a reducing agent; and
water.
25. The plating bath composition of claim 24 , wherein the nickel salt is selected from the group consisting of nickel sulfate, nickel chloride, and nickel acetate.
26. The plating bath composition of claim 24 , wherein
the at least one second metal salt is selected from the group consisting of calcium sulfate, calcium chloride, calcium acetate, strontium sulfate, strontium chloride, strontium acetate, barium sulfate, barium chloride, and barium acetate; and
the at least one first metal salt further comprises at least one of magnesium sulfate and magnesium acetate.
27. The plating bath composition of claim 26 , wherein
the at least one second metal salt is calcium chloride.
28. The plating bath composition of claim 24 , wherein
the at least one second metal salt is the calcium salt.
29. The plating bath composition of claim 28 , wherein
the at least one second metal salt is calcium chloride.
30. The plating bath composition of claim 28 , wherein
the particulate matter is selected from the group consisting of natural diamonds and synthetic diamonds.
31. The plating bath composition of claim 24 , wherein
the chelating agent is acetic acid.
32. The plating bath composition of claim 24 , wherein
the reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium hypophosphite, sodium borohydride, and hydrogen gas.
33. The plating bath composition of claim 24 , wherein
the metal-containing component further comprises a caustic metallic base and the reducing component further comprises a metal acetate, wherein the caustic metallic base and metal acetate buffers the pH of the plating bath composition.