Electroplate plastic?

[Don A. Gilmore]

Hi guys:

Is it possible to electroplate conductive plastic? I'd like to plate a thin
layer of metal, like copper or silver, onto a conductive plastic sheet
(carbon-filled UHMW). Can it be plated just like any other metal?

If not, are there other options, like electro-depositing?

--
Don A. Gilmore
Engineer, Product Development
Medical Positioning, Inc.
Kansas City, Missouri

 

Try some of the plating groups especially finishing.com
Ted Mooney is great

Ted Mooney, P.E. <mooney@finishing.com>

 

[PD]

What is more commonly done is to electroplate a plastic sheet first and
then overpaint with conductive epoxy.

In fact, double-sided copper-plated plastic can have through-holes
drilled and flow-soldered, so that you can etch (or cut with a router)
patterns on either side. Leaving only contacts on one side allows you
to paint the conductive epoxy on that side without direct contact with
copper pads or traces on the other.

PD

 

[valdez]

"Don A. Gilmore" <eromlignodNOSPM@kc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:35ps8sF4pf96aU1@individual.net...

Hi guys:

Is it possible to electroplate conductive plastic? I'd like to plate a
thin
layer of metal, like copper or silver, onto a conductive plastic sheet
(carbon-filled UHMW). Can it be plated just like any other metal?

If not, are there other options, like electro-depositing?

--
Don A. Gilmore
Engineer, Product Development
Medical Positioning, Inc.
Kansas City, Missouri

you can spray it on too. Depends upon use and how conductive you ned it.
Microwave reflector and horn antennas are made this way all the time.

 

[Paul Burke]

Don A. Gilmore wrote:

Hi guys:

Is it possible to electroplate conductive plastic? I'd like to plate a thin
layer of metal, like copper or silver, onto a conductive plastic sheet
(carbon-filled UHMW). Can it be plated just like any other metal?

I would have thought so, just like any other cathode. Whether the
resulting film will stick to the plastic will depend on the surface.

When I was a kid, a thousand years ago, I had a book about making model
trains that recommended making the bodies of streamliners by carving
them out of candlewax, then covering the wax with graphite, plating over
the lot and then melting the wax out. I never tried it, but the photos
looked good.

Paul Burke

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

On Wed, 26 Jan 2005 09:49:08 -0600, the renowned "Don A. Gilmore"
<eromlignodNOSPM@kc.rr.com> wrote:

Hi guys:

Is it possible to electroplate conductive plastic? I'd like to plate a thin
layer of metal, like copper or silver, onto a conductive plastic sheet
(carbon-filled UHMW). Can it be plated just like any other metal?

If it's a bit conductive, they'd probably plate copper onto it first,
then whatever else you'd like on top. Perhaps with a barrier metal
inbetween, depending on the metals.

If not, are there other options, like electro-depositing?

Vaccum deposition can be done roll-to-roll in a big vacuum chamber.
There's also sputtering.


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany
--
"it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward"
speff@interlog.com Info for manufacturers: http://www.trexon.com
Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers: http://www.speff.com

 

[Uncle Al]

"Don A. Gilmore" wrote:

Hi guys:

Is it possible to electroplate conductive plastic? I'd like to plate a thin
layer of metal, like copper or silver, onto a conductive plastic sheet
(carbon-filled UHMW). Can it be plated just like any other metal?

If not, are there other options, like electro-depositing?

If it is conductive it will plate. Whether the plating adheres is
something different.

One can apply a conductive layer to dielectrics such as Aquadag or
conductive paint/epoxy. One can prime the surface with Pd(II) or
Sn(II) and electrolessly plate to get things started. One can apply a
layer of organic conductor such as polyaniline and dope as necessary.
One can vacuum deposit metal....

--
Uncle Al
http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/
(Toxic URL! Unsafe for children and most mammals)
http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/qz.pdf

 

[CWatters]

"Don A. Gilmore" <eromlignodNOSPM@kc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:35ps8sF4pf96aU1@individual.net...

Hi guys:

Is it possible to electroplate conductive plastic? I'd like to plate a
thin
layer of metal, like copper or silver, onto a conductive plastic sheet
(carbon-filled UHMW). Can it be plated just like any other metal?

The short answer is yes but the process is slightly different to plating
metals.

Investigate the companies that plate plastic for EMC screening...

Example companies in the UK..

http://www.qppltd.com/
http://www.applicoat.com/

If you just want to experiment... You can buy conductive spray paint to do a
similar job.

http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSearch/searchPage2.jsp?Ntt=conductive+paint&Nty=1&N=401&Ntk=gensearch

http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/endecaSearch/partDetail.jsp?SKU=521450&N=401

http://www.farnell.com/datasheets/25154.pdf

 

[Franz Heymann]

"Don A. Gilmore" <eromlignodNOSPM@kc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:35ps8sF4pf96aU1@individual.net...

Hi guys:

Is it possible to electroplate conductive plastic? I'd like to
plate a thin
layer of metal, like copper or silver, onto a conductive plastic
sheet
(carbon-filled UHMW). Can it be plated just like any other metal?

Yes, if you know what you are doing.

If not, are there other options, like electro-depositing?

What might the difference be?

Franz

 

[Adam. Seychell]

Don A. Gilmore wrote:

Hi guys:

Is it possible to electroplate conductive plastic? I'd like to plate a thin
layer of metal, like copper or silver, onto a conductive plastic sheet
(carbon-filled UHMW). Can it be plated just like any other metal?

If not, are there other options, like electro-depositing?

Define conductive ?

There are tricks to electroplate a metal (usually copper in sulfuric)
onto surfaces that have low conductivity. A unit square surface
conductivity below 10 kohms can be plated without too much trouble.

Adam