Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 10 December 1993:
Vol. 262. no. 5140, pp. 1711 - 1712
DOI: 10.1126/science.262.5140.1711
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Articles

Adhesive Electroless Metallization of Fluoropolymeric Substrates

Terrence G. Vargo 1, Joseph A. Gardella Jr. 1, Jeffrey M. Calvert 2, and Mu-San Chen 3

1 Department of Chemistry, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14214
2 Center for Bio/Molecular Science and Engineering (Code 6900), Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC 20375
3 Geo-Centers, Inc., Fort Washington, MD 20744

A process for producing patterned metal deposits on fluoropolymeric substrates is described. A metal ion—chelating organosilane is chemisorbed by self-assembly onto a fluoropolymer surface after radio-frequency glow discharge plasma surface hydroxylation. Positional modulation of the surface hydrophobicity is illustrated by wetting. The silane covalently binds an aqueous palladium catalyst and subsequent electroless deposition yields homogeneous or patterned metal deposits that exhibit excellent adhesion to the fluoropolymer.

To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)