Self accelerating and replenishing non-formaldehyde immersion coating method and composition.

摘要

A process for applying a metal coating to a non-conductive substrate without employing an electroless coating is provided. To this end the substrate is contacted with an activator and then with a self accelerating and replenishing immersion metal compsn. (A) to obtain a coated substrate. The activator comprises a noble metal/group IVA metal sol. Compsn. A is a soln. contg. (i) soluble metal salt whose metal is more noble than the group IVA metal. (ii) a group IA metal hydroxide and (iii) a complexing agent for which log k = 0.73-21.95 for an ion of the metal of the metal salt, log k being the cumulative formation constant. Also claimed is a compsn. comprising (i), (ii), and (iii) above.