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• A method to fabricate Cu-plated PA12 powder is developed. • Cu 2 O and Cu particles plated on PA12 surface. • Electroless plating was activated without noble metal. Electroless plating on Nylon 12 (PA12) powder is a low-cost process for surface metallization, but, noble metal activation and complex production make it difficult to practical use. We employ a method combined with 3-amino-propyltriethoxysilane (KH550) modification, Ni activation and electroless plating to fabricate Cu-plated PA12 powder. The Ni-adsorbed and activated mechanism were also investigated systematically. Results showed amine group attached on KH550-modified PA12 powder, which could chemisorb Ni particle. As a result, these is polymer brush/Ni particle structure on the PA12 surface, which can realize to modify Ni outermost electron and catalyze electroless copper plating. Spherical Cu and cubic Cu 2 O particles deposited on PA12 surface due to lower E N i 2 + / N i \* MERGEFORMAT, higher Ni catalytic ability and weak [Cu-C 6 H 5 O 7 ]− complex. The Cu 2 O crystal with a length of about 1 μm display systematically varying degrees of the 8-pod branching growth. Our results provide the underlying insights needed to guide the design of the fabrication of metal polymer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, SiO2-encapsulated copper particles/PA12 (Cu-SiO2/PA12) composite powders were prepared by electroless composite plating, and the laser sintering behavior was investigated. Results showed that Cu, Cu2O, CuO, and SiO2 (Cu-SiO2) composite particles were plated on the surface of KH550-modified PA12 powders. The Cu-SiO2 particles existed independently on PA12 surface, and the size was around 200 nm. The melting temperature and crystallization temperature of Cu-SiO2/PA12 composite powders were 183∘C and 150∘C. The results indicate that the selective laser sintering (SLS) process involved the contact of Cu-SiO2/PA12 powders, the formation of sintering neck, the growth of sintering neck, and the formation of fused solid. The Cu-SiO2 composite particles uniformly dispersed in the part due to surface tension, and the contact interface was good due to their similar polarity. The Cu-SiO2/PA12 SLS parts had excellent dimensional precision. The tensile strength of the 15 W-sintered Cu-SiO2/PA12 specimen was 48 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]