ELECTROLESS PLATING METHODS AND RELATED ARTICLES
Two-dimensional conductive nanoparticles may facilitate preparation of metal coatings prepared via electroless plating. Articles having a metal coating may comprise: a polymer body, and a metal coating on at least a portion of an outer surface of the polymer body. The metal coating comprises a plating metal and overlays a plurality of two-dimensional conductive nanoparticles and a catalyst metal.
1 . An article comprising:
a polymer body; and
a metal coating on at least a portion of an outer surface of the polymer body, the metal coating comprising a plating metal and overlaying a plurality of two-dimensional conductive nanoparticles and a catalyst metal.
2 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of two-dimensional conductive nanoparticles comprise a nanoparticle selected from the group consisting of graphene, reduced graphene oxide, a two-dimensional transition metal carbide, and any combination thereof.
3 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of two-dimensional conductive nanoparticle comprises a MXene having a layered structure selected from the group consisting of a transition metal carbide, a transition metal nitride, a transition metal carbonitride, and any combination thereof.
4 . The article of claim 1 , further comprising:
an adhesion promoter interposed between the outer surface of the polymer body and the two-dimensional conductive nanoparticles.
5 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the metal coating has a thickness of about 1 micron to about 50 microns.
6 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the catalyst metal comprises at least one of copper, silver, platinum, or palladium.
7 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the plating metal comprises at least one of copper, silver, gold, chromium, nickel, or any alloy thereof.
8 . The article of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the plurality of two-dimensional conductive nanoparticles is localized at an interface of the metal coating and the outer surface of the polymer body.
9 . The article of claim 1 , wherein the polymer body is an additively manufactured polymer body produced by consolidation of polymer particles comprising a thermoplastic polymer.
10 . A method comprising:
providing polymer particles comprising a thermoplastic polymer;
wherein the polymer particles have a plurality of two-dimensional conductive nanoparticles deposited as a coating upon an outer surface thereof;
depositing the polymer particles in a powder bed;
consolidating at least a portion of the polymer particles in the powder bed to form a polymer body, in which at least a portion of the two-dimensional conductive nanoparticles are exposed at an outer surface of the polymer body;
depositing a catalyst metal upon an outer surface of the polymer body; and
performing electroless plating upon the outer surface of the polymer body using a plating metal precursor to form a metal coating upon the outer surface of the polymer body, the metal coating comprising a plating metal and overlaying the plurality of two-dimensional conductive nanoparticles and the catalyst metal.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein depositing the catalyst metal upon the outer surface of the polymer body comprises
contacting the polymer body with a catalyst metal precursor and a first reducing agent, and performing electroless plating comprises reducing the plating metal precursor with a second reducing agent, the second reducing agent being the same as or different than the first reducing agent.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of two-dimensional conductive nanoparticles comprise a nanoparticle selected from the group consisting of graphene, reduced graphene oxide, a two-dimensional transition metal carbide, and any combination thereof.
13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of two-dimensional conductive nanoparticle comprises a MXene having a layered structure selected from the group consisting of a transition metal carbide, a transition metal nitride, a transition metal carbonitride, and any combination thereof.
14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein an adhesion promoter is interposed between the outer surface of the polymer body and the two-dimensional conductive nanoparticles.
15 . (canceled)
16 . (canceled)
17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein providing polymer particles comprises
depositing the plurality of two-dimensional conductive nanoparticles upon a plurality of thermoplastic polymer particles lacking a surface coating before depositing the plurality of two-dimensional conductive nanoparticles thereon.
18 . (canceled)
19 . (canceled)
20 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the plating metal comprises at least one of copper, silver, gold, chromium, nickel, or any alloy thereof.
21 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
performing electroplating upon the metal coating deposited by electroless plating upon the outer surface of the polymer body.
22 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
depositing additional two-dimensional conductive nanoparticles upon the polymer body after formation thereof.
23 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the polymer particles are formed by melt emulsification and the plurality of two-dimensional conductive nanoparticles are then deposited thereon.