U.S. patent application number 12/416246 was filed with the patent office on 2009-10-15 for method for electroplating a plastic substrate.
This patent application is currently assigned to SHENZHEN FUTAIHONG PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to CHENG-SHIN CHEN, JONG-YI SU, REN-NING WANG.
Application Number | 20090255823 12/416246 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40954289 |
Filed Date | 2009-10-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090255823 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SU; JONG-YI ; et
al. |
October 15, 2009 |
METHOD FOR ELECTROPLATING A PLASTIC SUBSTRATE
Abstract
A method for electroplating a plastic substrate includes the
following steps, a plastic substrate is firstly provided. The
plastic substrate is then pretreated to form a noble metal coating.
The noble metal coating is coated with a copper coating. A first
chrome coating is electroplated onto the copper coating using a
first electrolyte including a chromic component. A second chrome
coating is electroplated onto the first chrome coating using a
second electrolyte including a chromyl component.
Inventors: |
SU; JONG-YI; (Shindian,
TW) ; CHEN; CHENG-SHIN; (Shindian, TW) ; WANG;
REN-NING; (Shenzhen City, CN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PCE INDUSTRY, INC.;ATT. Steven Reiss
288 SOUTH MAYO AVENUE
CITY OF INDUSTRY
CA
91789
US
|
Assignee: |
SHENZHEN FUTAIHONG PRECISION
INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
ShenZhen City
CN
FIH (HONG KONG) LIMITED
Kowloon
HK
|
Family ID: |
40954289 |
Appl. No.: |
12/416246 |
Filed: |
April 1, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
205/179 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C25D 3/10 20130101; C25D
3/04 20130101; C23C 28/023 20130101; C25D 5/14 20130101; C25D 5/56
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
205/179 |
International
Class: |
C25D 5/14 20060101
C25D005/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 11, 2008 |
CN |
200810301101.7 |
Claims
1. A method for electroplating a plastic substrate, comprising the
steps of: providing a plastic substrate; metalizing the plastic
substrate; forming a copper coating onto the noble metal coating;
electroplating a first chrome coating onto the copper coating using
a first electrolyte including a chromic component; and
electroplating a second chrome coating onto the first chrome
coating using a second electrolyte including a chromyl
component.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plastic substrate
is made from one of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, poly methyl
methacrylate, and polycarbonate.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the noble metal
coating is made of palladium.
4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the copper coating is
formed by electroplating.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the copper coating is
formed by physical vapor deposition.
6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first electrolyte
includes boric acid.
7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the chromic component
is one of chrome sulfate and chrome chloride.
8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electroplating for
forming the first chrome coating is carried out in the first
electrolyte at a temperature from about 28.degree. C. to about
52.degree. C. and a current density from about 3 to about 20 ampere
per square decimeter.
9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second electrolyte
includes sulfate acid, the electroplating for forming the first
chrome coating being curried out in the second electrolyte at a
temperature from about 30.degree. C. to about 60.degree. C. and a
current density from about 5 to about 40 ampere per square
decimeter.
10. A method for electroplating a plastic substrate, comprising the
steps of: providing a plastic substrate; forming a noble metal
coating on the plastic substrate; forming a copper coating onto the
noble metal coating; electroplating a first chrome coating onto the
copper coating using a chromic electrolyte; and electroplating a
second chrome coating onto the first chrome coating using a chromyl
electrolyte including a chromyl component.
11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the plastic
substrate is made from one of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, poly
methyl methacrylate, and polycarbonate.
12. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the noble metal
coating is made of palladium.
13. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the copper coating
is formed by electroplating.
14. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the copper coating
is formed by physical vapor deposition.
15. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the chromic
electrolyte includes boric acid and a chromic salt.
16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the chromic salt is
one of chrome sulfate and chrome chloride.
17. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the electroplating
for forming the first chrome coating is curried out in the chromic
electrolyte at a temperature from about 28.degree. C. to about
52.degree. C. and a current density from about 3 to about 20 ampere
per square decimeter.
18. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein the chromyl
electrolyte includes a chromyl component and sulfate acid, the
electroplating for forming the first chrome coating being curried
out in the chromyl electrolyte at a temperature from about
30.degree. C. to about 60.degree. C. and a current density from
about 5 to about 40 ampere per square decimeter.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a method for electroplating
a plastic substrate.
[0003] 2. Discussion of the Related Art
[0004] Electroplating is an attractive and effective process for
improving corrosion resistance and metallic appearance of covers
for mobile devices. Many covers molded from plastic are processed
to form plated metal coatings on surfaces thereof using electronic
plating.
[0005] A typical electroplating process forms a nickel coating on
the covers. However, the nickel coating is an irritant to the skin,
which may cause irritation to the skin.
[0006] Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0007] Many aspects of the method for electroplating a plastic
substrate can be better understood with reference to the following
drawing. The components in the drawing are not necessarily to
scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating
the principles of the method for electroplating a plastic
substrate.
[0008] The drawing is a flow chart of an exemplary embodiment of a
method for electroplating a plastic substrate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0009] Referring to the drawing, a method of an exemplary
embodiment for electroplating a plastic substrate may includes
steps 100 to 500.
[0010] In step 100, a plastic substrate made from one of
acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), poly methyl methacrylate
(PMMA), and polycarbonate (PC) is provided.
[0011] In step 200, a surface of the plastic substrate is metalized
to form a noble metal coating. During the pretreatment, the surface
of the plastic substrate is first roughened by etching. The etching
of the plastic substrate allows the noble metal coating to be
attached onto the roughened plastic surface in a subsequent
process. The etching process may be carried out, for example, using
chromic acid, chromosulfuric acid, or potassium permanganate
etching solution. It is to be understood that the etching process
also can be carried out in a plasma chamber. An associated cleaning
step cleans the plastic substrate. Subsequently, the surface of the
plastic substrate is activated by immersion into an activating
solution containing a hydrochloric acid, a polyamide acid, and a
noble metal salt. During activation, a noble metal is separated
from the activating solution and deposited on the surface of the
plastic substrate to form the noble metal coating on to the
roughened surface of the plastic substrate. The noble metal coating
may include palladium.
[0012] In step 300, a copper coating is electroplated onto the
pretreated surface of the plastic substrate. The electroplating
forming the copper coating is carried out by immersing the plastic
substrate into an electrolyte including at least one of copper
sulfate and copper pyrophosphate, with the pretreated surface of
the plastic substrate being electronically connected to a cathode
of an electrical source, and the electrolyte being electronically
connected to an anode of the electrical source. It is to be
understood that the copper coating also can be formed by physical
vapor deposition.
[0013] In step 400, a first chrome coating is electroplated onto
the copper coating. The electroplating for forming the first chrome
coating is carried out by using a chromic electrolyte including a
chromic salt and a buffer agent, at a temperature from about
28.degree. C. to about 52.degree. C. and a current density from
about 3 to about 20 ampere per square decimeter. The chromic salt
may be one of chrome sulfate and chrome chloride. The buffer agent
may be boric acid.
[0014] In step 500, a second chrome coating is electroplated onto
the first chrome coating using a chromyl electrolyte including a
chromyl component and sulfate acid, at a temperature from about
30.degree. C. to about 60.degree. C. and a current density from
about 5 to about 40 ampere per square decimeter.
[0015] As such, the plastic substrate may be coated with a copper
layer and two chrome coatings, which improves the anti-corrosion
and anti-abrasion of the plastic substrate.
[0016] It is believed that the present embodiments and their
advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and
it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto
without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or
sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples
hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary
embodiments of the invention.
* * * * *