Depositing a structurally hard, wear resistant metal coating onto a substrate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020255950-A1
Application number	US-202016863614-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 30, 2020
Priority date	Aug 28, 2017
Publication date	Aug 13, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An example method of coating a substrate involves cleaning the substrate and, after cleaning the substrate, sensitizing the substrate using a sensitizing solution including tin chloride and hydrochloric acid. The method also involves, after sensitizing the substrate, activating the substrate in an activating solution including palladium chloride and hydrochloric acid. Further, the method involves subsequently neutralizing the substrate using a neutralizing solution including ammonium hydroxide. Still further, the method involves, after neutralizing the substrate, depositing an electroless nickel layer on the substrate. The method may then involve depositing an electrolytic nickel layer on top of the electroless nickel layer, and depositing an outer layer of metallic material, ceramic material, polymeric material, or any combination thereof on top of the electrolytic nickel layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of coating a substrate, the method comprising
cleaning the substrate; after cleaning the substrate, sensitizing the substrate using a sensitizing solution comprising tin chloride and hydrochloric acid; after sensitizing the substrate, activating the substrate in an activating solution comprising palladium chloride and hydrochloric acid; subsequently neutralizing the substrate using a neutralizing solution comprising ammonium hydroxide; after neutralizing the substrate, depositing an electroless nickel layer on the substrate; depositing an electrolytic nickel layer on top of the electroless nickel layer; and depositing an outer layer of metallic material, ceramic material, polymeric material, or any combination thereof on top of the electrolytic nickel layer.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is non-conductive.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the substrate comprises a fiber-reinforced plastic.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises an engineering plastic.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensitizing solution comprises between 5 g/l to 15 g/l of tin chloride and between 20 ml/1 to 60 ml/l of hydrochloric acid.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the activating solution comprises between 0.25 g/l to 1.5 g/l of palladium chloride and between 5 ml/1 to 30 ml/l of hydrochloric acid.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein cleaning the substrate comprises sanding the substrate using abrasive paper and immersing the substrate in an acidic solution comprising acetone, hydroquinone, and catechol.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein cleaning the substrate comprises sanding the substrate using abrasive paper and immersing the substrate in an acidic solution comprising phosphoric acid and potassium dichromate.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising heating the acidic solution prior to immersing the substrate in the acidic solution.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein cleaning the substrate comprises immersing the substrate in a first acidic solution that facilitates acid cleaning, rinsing the substrate in water, and immersing the substrate in a second acidic solution that performs the acid cleaning.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first acidic solution comprises acetone, hydroquinone, and catechol, and wherein the second acidic solution comprises phosphoric acid and potassium dichromate.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising heating the second acidic solution prior to immersing the substrate the second acidic solution.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the outer layer comprises an iron-phosphorous alloy.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the outer layer comprises a nickel-cobalt-phosphorous alloy.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the outer layer comprises a cobalt-phosphorous alloy.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the outer layer comprises chromium.

17 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising heating the activating solution prior to activating the substrate.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein depositing the electroless nickel layer comprises immersing the substrate in a nickel bath.

19 . A method of preparing a plastic substrate for coating, the method comprising cleaning the plastic substrate, wherein cleaning the plastic substrate comprises sanding the plastic substrate, rinsing the plastic substrate in water, and acid cleaning the plastic substrate;
after cleaning the plastic substrate, sensitizing the plastic substrate using a sensitizing solution comprising tin chloride and hydrochloric acid; after sensitizing the plastic substrate, activating the plastic substrate in an activating solution comprising palladium chloride and hydrochloric acid; subsequently neutralizing the plastic substrate using a neutralizing solution comprising ammonium hydroxide; after neutralizing the plastic substrate, depositing an electroless nickel layer on the plastic substrate; and depositing an electrolytic nickel layer on top of the electroless nickel layer.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein acid cleaning the plastic substrate comprises immersing the plastic substrate in an acidic solution comprising phosphoric acid and potassium dichromate.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Paesano Antonio

Classifications

• C25D5/54

  Electroplating of non-metallic surfaces (C25D7/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C23C18/165 Primary

  Multilayered product (layered product B32B) · CPC title

• C23C18/208

  with use of metal first · CPC title

• C23C18/30

  Activating {or accelerating or sensitising with palladium or other noble metal} · CPC title

• C23C18/285 Primary

  Sensitising or activating with tin based compound or composition · CPC title