Surface metallization of PET sheet: Fabrication of Pd nanoparticle/polymer brush to catalyze electroless nickel plating

Electroless nickel plating provides a rapid and low-cost approach to prepare surface-metallization material, but complicated technology would increase cost and restrict its application. In this work, a new kind of Pd nanoparticle/polymer brush (Pd/ PB ) catalytic solution ( AS ) with a mixture of deionized water, ethanol, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane ( KH550 ), PdCl 2 solution was designed to modify and activate polyethylene terephthalate ( PET ) simultaneously. Pd nanoparticle could be adsorbed by PB with –NH 2 , Si–O–Si groups from hydrolyzed KH550. An activated layer with Pd/PB structure established on PET surface after coating AS solution. The generated Ag/PB that served as seed to catalyze the electroless nickel plating. As a result, a facile route for electroless nickel plating was achieved. The maximum effective thickness, rupture work and adhesion of Ni-plated coating were about 0.8 μm, 0.4 J/m 2 , and 5B, respectively, and it maintained considerable conductivity even after 1000 times of cyclical bending. This dependable technology has great potential application in the preparation of metal-polymer material.