Abstract
When electroless plated silver was used as the undercoating on 96% Al2O3 ceramics, an improvement in the adhesion of copper plating on the ceramics was obtained. SEM photographs confirmed that electroless silver plating was useful in obtaining smooth and uniform electroless copper plating. Furthermore, the adhesion was greatly increased by etching the ceramics by both mechanical and chemical techniques.
It was found from electrochemical measurements that the mechanism of electroless silver deposition was explained by the mixed potential theory. The effect of additives-3, 5-diiodotyrosine and potassium iodide-was studied using i-E and E-t curves. The 3, 5-diiodotyrosine stabilized electroless silver plating baths by decreasing both the rate of silver deposition and the creation of silver nuclei, which grow to silver particles in the bath.
