Platability improver, molded article for plating, pellet composition for plating, plated molded object, and plating method

1. A platability improver comprising heterophasic polymer particles having a coefficient of variation of particle diameter of 40% to 90%.

2. The platability improver according to claim 1 ,

wherein a content ratio of polymer particles having a particle diameter of 0.05 μm or larger in the heterophasic polymer particles is 80% by volume or more based on a whole of the heterophasic polymer particles, and

wherein a content ratio of polymer particles having a particle diameter of 0.05 μm or larger and smaller than 0.15 μm in the heterophasic polymer particles is in a range from 10% to 60% by volume based on the whole of the heterophasic polymer particles.

3. The platability improver according to claim 1 , further comprising water.

4. A molded article for plating comprising the platability improver according to claim 1 and a thermoplastic resin.

5. The molded article for plating according to claim 4 ,

wherein content ratios of the heterophasic polymer particles contained in the platability improver and the thermoplastic resin are, respectively, 10% to 80% by mass and 20% to 90% by mass based on 100% by mass of a total of the two.

6. A plated molded article comprising the molded article for plating according to claim 4 , and a plating layer disposed on a surface of the molded article for plating.

7. A plating method that is a method for forming a plating layer on the molded article for plating according to claim 4 ,

the method comprising: etching the molded article for plating at a temperature in a range from 30° C. to 80° C.; and then forming the plating layer.

8. A pellet composition for plating comprising heterophasic polymer particles in the platability improver according to claim 1 ,

the pellet composition being for use in formation of a molded article for plating,

the pellet composition comprising pellets each comprising a matrix phase comprising a thermoplastic resin and the heterophasic polymer particles dispersed in the matrix phase,

a content ratio of pellets that pass through a 3-mesh screen is 98% by mass or more with respect to a total amount of the pellet composition, and

a content ratio of pellets that pass through a 5-mesh screen and do not pass through a 9-mesh screen is 50% by mass or more with respect to the total amount of the pellet composition.

9. The pellet composition for plating according to claim 8 , wherein content ratios of the heterophasic polymer particles and the thermoplastic resin contained in the pellet are respectively 10% to 80% by mass and 20% to 90% by mass based on 100% by mass of a total of the two.

10. A method for producing a molded article for plating, comprising:

melt-kneading the pellet composition for plating according to claim 8 ; and

molding the melt-kneaded pellet composition for plating into a prescribed shape.

11. A molded article for plating, obtained by melt-kneading the pellet composition for plating according to claim 8 , and then molding the melt-kneaded pellet composition for plating into a prescribed shape.

12. A method for producing a plated molded article, the method comprising:

melt-kneading the pellet composition for plating according to claim 8 ;

molding the melt-kneaded pellet composition for plating into a prescribed shape;

etching the resulting molded article for plating; and

plating.

13. A plated molded article comprising a resin molded part and a plating layer,

wherein the plated molded article is obtained by melt-kneading the pellet composition for plating according to claim 8 , molding the melt-kneaded pellet composition for plating into a prescribed shape, etching the resulting molded article for plating, and plating.