GB1122234A - Improvements in or relating to metallizing insulating surfaces - Google Patents

Abstract

At least part of a surface of an electrically insulating member, e.g. forming an insulating sleeve of an electric coaxial cable or at least part of a waveguide or delay-line cable and made of polyethylene or propylene, P.V.C., P.T.F.E. or epoxy resins, is metallized by attacking the surface part to remove an outermost skin therefrom, e.g. by subjecting surface part to an oxidizing flame, corona-discharge, electron beam bombardment, chemical etching, abrasion by blasting, liquid or vapour honing, wet-cleaning the so exposed surface part e.g. using a detergent, aqueous alkaline solution or organic solvent and drying, wet-priming the surface part e.g. with an organic or aqueous solution of a tin or silver salt and washing, applying a catalyst such as a solution of auric or platinic salt in alcohol, ketone, ester or acidified water incorporating a surface active wetting and penetrating agent, diffusing the catalyst into the member under heat-treatment, applying a reduction solution to the surface part, and chemically depositing a metal e.g. Cu, Ni, Co, Ag, Au, Pt, Pd or alloy thereof on the surface part. The catalyst may be in a liquid resin bonded on the surface part upon polymerization and the metal chemically deposited on the polymerized resin. The catalyst may comprise finely divided autocatalytic metal. After deposition, the surface part may be rinsed, dried and heat-treated prior to electro-plating.