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Natural fibre-reinforced polymer composites have been most widely used in automotive, aerospace, and structural products in recent years. The synthesis and analysis of mechanical properties of bamboo fibre with polyester matrix nanocomposites produced with titanium oxide nanoparticles are the focus of this research. The electroless plating process was used to prepare bamboo fibre samples that were both uncoated and coated with nickel-phosphorus. These properties were studied both without coating and with coated bamboo fibre content of 4.5, 9, 13.5, and 18 wt. % and nanoparticle weight content of 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2%. The x-ray diffractometer, field emission scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope were used to investigate the structural and morphological characteristics of polyester matrix composites. Coated bamboo fibre with 13.5 wt.% and 1.5 wt.% titanium oxide. As a result, it can be concluded that the mechanical properties of a polyester matrix-reinforced coated bamboo fibre with nanoparticles have excellent bonding when compared to those of a polyester matrix-reinforced nanocomposite without coated bamboo fibre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bi 0.7 Sr 0.3 FeO 3-δ (BSFO)-Ag composite cathode is prepared by modifying BSFO with in-situ chemical plating of Ag. The plated Ag effectively reduces the polarization resistance (R p) of BSFO. At the Ag loading of 20 wt%, the optimized R p of BSFO at 650 °C in air condition is 0.35 Ω cm2, which is only 18.6 % of that of BSFO cathode (1.88 Ω cm2). The electrochemical performance improvement is primarily attributed to the low oxygen adsorption energy (E ads) domain at the interfaces of BSFO-Ag, as indicated by the first-principles calculations (E ads , −0.81eV). Thus, the addition of Ag changes the cathodic reaction rate control step from the molecular oxygen on the cathode surface adsorption and diffusion to charge transfer on the cathode. The maximum power density (P max) of the prepared single cell at 650 °C is 450.98 mW cm−2 using H 2 (∼3 vol% H 2 O) as fuels. The open-circuit voltage (OCV) does not decay significantly (around 0.66 V) after 50 h at the current density of 400 mA cm−2, showing good long-term stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current collector (CC) is an indispensable constituent in lithium‐ion battery (LIB). It plays an important role in supporting electrode materials and conducting electrons between the electrode materials and the external circuit. However, the density of metal CC is high and it hinders the lightweight development of LIB. In this work, lightweight three‐dimensional (3D) CC was designed and prepared via a facile electroless plating method. The 3D copper‐plated polyimide CC has a low areal density. The 3D structure of Cu‐PI CC 2 can facilitate Li+ transfer between electrode materials and electrolyte owing to electrolyte can permeate through electrode. Moreover, the lithium titanate anode assembled with the 3D copper‐plated polyimide Cu‐PI CC 2 exhibited enhanced cycling and rate performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lawsonia inermis Linn Leaf extract has been evaluated in alkaline solutions for its influence on electroless Ni–P alloy deposition on mild steel. During electroless plating, the effect of experimental processing conditions on deposition rate is investigated. Bath compositions and operational parameters have been optimized. The findings indicate that increasing the volume of additives from 0.5mL to 5mL improves the inclusion rate of electroless Ni–P alloy coating. In the absence of a complexing agent, additive Lawsone exhibits additional structural features and phases. The deposition rate and the corrosion rate of the Ni–P deposits were estimated, respectively, from the weight loss after a period of time. It is recommended to replace sodium citrate with Lawsone. Lawsone’s effect acting as a complexing agent on Ni–P electroless coating was explored utilizing SEM, EDAX, AFM, FTIR, and XRD, as well as corrosion investigations. Polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy are used to assess the corrosion efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to study the growth mechanism and tribological behavior of electroless Ni-P plating with ultrasonic assistance on TC4 titanium alloy substrate pretreated by zincating and alkaline pre-plating process. The morphology, composition and structure of zincating, pre-plating and electroless Ni-P plating were studied to analyze its growth mechanism. The tribological behavior of electroless Ni-P plating at room temperature was investigated. The results showed that the electroless Ni-P plating had a typical cauliflower-like morphology and microcrystalline structure characteristic. And the morphology of the Ni-P plating under the action of ultrasonic was uniform, compact and smooth. Compared with the TC4 substrate, the friction coefficient and the wear scar width of the plating were reduced by approximately 35 and 70%, indicating that the Ni-P plating improved the wear resistance of TC4. The wear mechanism of the Ni-P plating was adhesive wear under the dominant of plastic deformation, and slightly abrasive wear, while the wear mechanism of TC4 was dominated by adhesive wear, accompanied by abrasive wear and oxidative wear. The ultrasonic cavitation promoted the elemental interdiffusion between the substrate and Ni-P plating resulting in the formation of the diffusion layer. The ultrasonic cavitation and mass transfer effects improve the activity of the deposition surface and the generation of atomic hydrogen, and promote the nucleation and growth of nickel on the deposition surface, as well as the diffusion of Ni2+ and H2PO2− to the deposition surface. The growth rate of the Ni-P cell-like structures in the parallel direction is greater than in the perpendicular direction. The Ni-P plating grows in a layered manner, and the growth mechanism is the heterogeneous nucleation growth mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, wettability was employed to evaluate the effect of alkali activation by NaOH on different fly ash (FA) particle sizes. The results indicated that the surface wettability of FA particles with 13.8 μm increased from 0.025 g2/s to 0.034 g2/s after activation by the NaOH solution, which is suitable for silane modification and electroless plating. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to analyze whether three kinds of silane coupling agents coated on FA surfaces could detect the chemical bonds between silane coupling agents coated on the FA surface and silver layers by shortening the plating time. The XPS results demonstrated that N-Ag coordination bonds can be detected by reducing silver plating time to 2 min for Ag-plated FA modified by N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (KH792). However, there were no chemical bonds detected for Ag-plated FA modified by γ-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)propytrimethoxysilane (KH560) and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS), even when the satellite peak of Ag disappeared after plating for 80 s. The SEM showed that Ag particles agglomerated on FA surfaces, and even a bare surface was found after modification by KH560 and MTMS, which further proved no chemical bonds between silver layers and the silane coupling agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the role of MgB2 in composite coatings is pivotal. Electroless Ni–B plating, a current‐free chemical reduction process, deposits nickel–boron coatings. Other than MgB2, reinforcements like SiC, B4C, and so forth are used with Ni–B coatings for improved properties. The research focuses on Ni–B/MgB2 coatings on AISI 4140 steel using electroless deposition and annealing at different temperatures. Initially, the coating appears dense and amorphous, transforming into worm‐like structures through crystallization with MgB2. Higher annealing temperatures lead to brush‐like, feathery, and oyster mushroom structures, forming crystalline nickel boron compounds and oxide phases due to synergy. Interestingly, the newly introduced phases disrupt friction patterns nonlinearly, which is linked to MgB2's ceramic nature and reinforcement quantity. Conversely, incorporating MgB2 and annealing‐induced intermetallic phases notably enhances hardness (up to 6) and improves hydrophilicity and antibacterial traits in the coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ultrafine-grained Al71Ni14.5Co14.5/CNT poly-quasicrystal (QC/CNT) composite was synthesized using spark plasma sintering of powder components developed through electroless Ni-P/CNT plating of Co particles and mechanical alloying. The performance of the synthesized samples was studied using various testing methods, such as room temperature/hot compression, wear, and corrosion tests. The results were compared to the properties of alloy samples fabricated from raw and coated powders (without CNTs). The wear rate and friction coefficient of the quasicrystalline samples improved significantly due to the contribution of the CNTs. The wear rate of the CNT-containing specimens was 0.992 × 10−4 mm3/N/m, which is 47.1% lower than that of the QC sample. The positive impact of the CNTs on the corrosion potential and current density was further validated by the potentiodynamic polarization tests in a saline solution. However, these improvements in surface properties came at the cost of a 21.5% reduction in compressive strength, although the compressive strength still remained above 1.1 GPa at 600 °C. The results highlight an interesting trade-off between surface properties and mechanical strength, pointing toward the development of materials suitable for extreme conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen production from water splitting is considered the most environment-friendly and sustainable method to acquire energy. Alkaline water electrolysis has been widely employed for hydrogen production, but it is still challenging to prepare non-precious metals electrocatalysts to replace the noble-metal-based catalysts. Here we proposed electroless method to prepare a NiCoP nanocrystalline thin flim as efficient electrocatalysts. The morphology and mechanisms of the 45-minute alloy films deposited on Cu substrate were characterized by SEM, XRD, and XPS techniques, moreover, LSV, EIS, and CP were applied to analyze the electrochemical behavior. The nanocrystalline NiCoP45min alloy exhibits higher hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity than platinum sheet. An overpotential of -98 mV and a Tafel slope of 47.94 mV·dec−1 at 10 mA·cm−2 was achieved with the catalyst during HER in an alkaline medium. Additionally, its excellent catalytic activity is confirmed by a low Rt value 2.48 Ω. Remarkably, this catalyst also exhibits high HER stability for about 45 h in an alkaline electrolysic solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking advantage of its high-temperature resistance and elongation properties, conductive-coated polyetheretherketone (PEEK) filament yarn can be used as a textile-based electroconductive functional element, in particular as a strain sensor. This study describes the development of electrical conductivity on an inert PEEK filament surface by the deposition of metallic nickel (Ni) layers via an electroless galvanic plating process. To enhance the adhesion properties of the nickel layer, both PEEK multifilament and monofilament yarn surfaces were metalized by plasma torch pretreatment, followed by nickel plating. Electrical characterizations indicate the potential of nickel-coated PEEK for structural monitoring in textile-reinforced composites. In addition, surface energy measurements before and after plasma torch pretreatment, surface morphology, nickel layer thickness, chemical structure changes, and mechanical properties were analyzed and compared with untreated PEEK. The thickness of the Ni layer was measured and showed an average thickness of 1.25 µm for the multifilament yarn and 3.36 µm for the monofilament yarn. FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of new functional groups on the PEEK surface after plasma torch pretreatment, indicating a successful modification of the surface chemistry. Mechanical testing showed an increase in tensile strength after plasma torch pretreatment but a decrease after nickel plating. In conclusion, this study successfully developed conductive PEEK yarns through plasma torch pretreatment and nickel plating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1070 aluminum has good plasticity, but its anisotropy and low dissolution rate limit its application as a soluble sealing ring. To solve the existing plastic anisotropy problem of 1070 aluminum-rolled plate, the effect of heat treatment and copper plating were studied. The results of static uniaxial tensile tests showed that the average elongation of the heat-treated samples increased by 50.54% and the standard deviation of the elongation in different directions decreased by 28.42%. The simulated setting and pressure-stabilizing test further showed that the sealing ring after heat treatment has better sealing performance. Copper plating containing massive uniformly distributed micropores was prepared by electroless plating. The morphology and elements distribution of the copper plating were observed by optical microscope and scanning electron microscope. The dissolution rate and corrosion behavior were characterized by immersion experiment and the electrochemical test. The results showed that the average dissolution rate of copper-plated samples increased by two orders of magnitude compared with 1070 aluminum and a large number of pitting pits with the maximum pitting depth of about 2400 μm generated on the surface of the copper-plated samples due to the synergistic effect of Cl− and "Al-Cu" galvanic corrosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of efficient and durable multifunctional electrodes for industrial‐scale hydrogen production presents a main challenge. Herein, molybdenum‐modulated phosphorus‐based catalytic electrodes (Mo‐NiP@NF) are prepared via mild electroless plating. Heteroatoms doping or heterostructures construction can reconfigure the intrinsic electronic structure of the pre‐catalyst and optimizes the key intermediates adsorption. Moreover, the (hypo/meta‐)phosphite anions (POxδ−) and molybdate ions (MoOxδ−) on the electrode surface of Mo‐NiP@NF afford resistance to chloride (Cl−) corrosion. Mo‐NiP@NF exhibits ultralow overpotentials of 278/550 and 282/590 mV at 1 A cm−2 during the hydrogen/oxygen evolution reaction (HER/OER) in alkaline simulated and real seawater, respectively, whereas catalytic overall seawater splitting (OWS) reach 1 A cm−2 at 1.96 and 1.97 Vcell. Remarkably, Mo‐NiP@NF maintains stable operation for 1500 h in OWS. The scalability of Mo‐NiP@NF allowing the assembly of proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer powered by photovoltaic energy, simulating a portable hydrogen‐oxygen respirator provides an oxygen/hydrogen flows of 160/320 mL min−1. Expanding further, the trace ruthenium‐loaded Mo‐NiP@NF catalyst sodium borohydride (NaBH4) hydrolysis achieving a hydrogen generation rate (HGR) of 11049.2 mL min−1 g−1. This work provides strategic innovations and optimization solutions for the economical and mild construction of multi‐scenario durable green energy conversion materials at industrial‐scale application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To resist the plastic deformation of polymer particles during hot press molding, high molecular weights, and moduli are required for composites with segregated structures, thus the prepared composites exhibit poor flexibility. Also, larger particle sizes can bring lower percolation thresholds while the ensuing greater deformation destroys the conductive network. Moreover, segregated composites still face preparation complexities. Herein, a facile method for developing flexible composites with large‐size segregated structures is proposed. First, silver‐coated polydopamine‐modified reduced graphene oxide (Ag@PrGO), as conductive fillers, is prepared by electroless plating. Next, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)‐coated polyolefin elastomer (POE) beads are put into a bag containing the fillers. After a simple shaking, the fillers are adhered to the POE surface as the cohesive property of cured PDMS. Finally, flexible composites with large‐size segregated structures are obtained via hot pressing. Benefiting from the 2D structure of the Ag@PrGO and the ability to slip, the conductive networks possess adaptable deformability. The prepared composites exhibit excellent electrical conductivity (203.55 S cm−1) at filler volume fractions of 3.4 vol%. The EMI shielding effectiveness can reach 70 dB in the X‐band at a thickness of 1.9 mm and remains stable after bending and rubbing damage. This work paves the way for constructing large‐size segregated structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the microstructure and properties of lead-free solder joints with electroless Ni-P plating under the action of thermal aging, an Ni-P layer was prepared on the surface of T2 pure copper by chemical plating method. The lead-free solder joints with electroless Ni-P plating were preparedby using the Sn2.5Ag0.7CuO.1RE solder through the reflow soldering method. The results show that the initial microstructure of the IMC at the Ni-P/solder transition area of the micro-solder joint is a "blocky" (Ni, Cu)3Sn4, with an average thickness of 1.5 µm. During the aging process at 180 °C for 100 h, the morphology of the (Ni, Cu)3Sn4 IMC at the Ni-P/solder transition area of the micro-solder joint gradually changed to a "lamellar" shape and thickened to 3.3 µm. The shear fracture location of the micro-solder joint shifted from the solder to the Ni-Sn-P/IMC interface, and the fracture mode changed from ductile fracture to brittle fracture. Correspondingly, the push-pull force of the micro-solder joint decreased by 11.9% from the initial 16 N. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The TiC/Ni composites with different CeO2 or CeO2@Ni content are fabricated by pressureless reactive sintering, and the CeO2@Ni particles are prepared by electroless plating technique. The results show that the continuous Ni layer is prepared on CeO2 particles, leading to the decrease of contact angle between CeO2 and Ni from about 116° to 65°. The relative density of composites with 1 wt% CeO2 increases from 85.79% to 96.45% by Ni layer on CeO2 particles. The CeO2 or CeO2@Ni particles exhibit no obvious influence on the microstructure of composites, and Ce atoms of CeO2 diffuse into TiC particles during the reactive sintering process. The mass gain of composite decreases from 7.4709 to 4.9075 mg cm−2 by addition of 1 wt% CeO2@Ni. The Ce‐doped in NiO and TiO2 would restrict the inward diffusion of O atoms and outward diffusion of Ni atoms, resulting in the improvement of oxidation resistance of composite. With the increase of CeO2@Ni content from 0 to 1 wt%, the surface specific resistance of composite decreases from 3.16 to 0.56 Ω cm2 at 800 °C due to the thinner oxide scale and lower bandgap of TiO2 by Ce doping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past few years, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the interest towards textiles with antimicrobial functionalities faced a significant boost. This study proposes a rapid and convenient method, in terms of reactants and equipment, for fabricating antimicrobial coatings on textiles. Through the electroless silver plating reaction, silver coatings were successfully applied on cotton and polyester, rapidly and at room temperature. Functionalized samples were characterized by morphological (optical and scanning electron microscopies) and chemical tests (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, XPS) to investigate the nature of the silver coating. Although distinct nanoparticles did not form, XPS analysis detected the presence of silver, which resulted in an increased surface roughness and hydrophobicity of both cotton and polyester textiles. Ag-coated samples exhibited approximately 80% biocompatibility with murine L929 fibroblasts or human HaCaT cells, and strong antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli in direct contact tests. In antiviral experiments with SARS-CoV-2 virus, treated cotton showed a 100% viral reduction in 30 min, while polyester achieved 100% reduction in 1 h. With a human norovirus surrogate, the Feline Calicivirus, both treated textiles have a faster antiviral response, with more than 60% viral reduction after 5 min, while achieving a 100% reduction in 1 h. In conclusion, this study presents a fast, efficient, and low-cost solution for producing antimicrobial textiles with broad applications in medical and healthcare scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the influence of moisture absorption on the electromagnetic (EM) wave absorption performance and mechanical strength of a radar-absorbing structure (RAS) with nickel-coated pristine glass fibers and polyamide 6. To construct the RAS, nickel was deposited on pristine glass fibers via electroless plating, and the RAS was fabricated using a hot-press process. An environmental test was conducted under a high humidity of 85%, and the EM wave absorption capacity of the RAS was measured at 2-week intervals. Moreover, compressive and interlaminar shear tests were conducted to verify the degradation of mechanical strength and the effect of the nickel coating on moisture absorption resistance. The test results revealed that immersion in moisture degraded the EM absorption capacity of the RAS. Nevertheless, an improvement in the mechanical strength of the RAS after saturation was observed due to the nickel coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving cell-level gravimetric and volumetric energy density is essential to achieve high-performance batteries in the rapidly evolving field of energy storage technology, which requires consideration of all cell components. Traditional current collectors (CCs) made of metal foil, especially the copper (Cu) current collector of the anode, possess high mass and cost yet do not contribute to capacity. Reducing the weight of Cu CC with minimum thickness and desirable mechanical strength is critical in enhancing energy density but is technically challenging. Herein, we demonstrate a fast and scalable chemical coating method based on electroless plating for fabricating ultralight CC (~1.72 mg cm-2) with a thin Cu layer (500 nm) on an ultrathin polyethylene (PE) polymer scaffold (5 μm). The ultralight and ultrathin CC possesses high metal purity, high mechanical strength, high thermal stability, and outstanding electrochemical performances in lithium-ion and lithium-metal battery systems. Our ultralight CC only exhibits ~30% of the weight of 6 μm Cu foil, leading to a 5-10% improvement in cell-level gravimetric energy density without sacrificing volumetric energy density. Moreover, the simplicity and scalability of the chemical coating method make it a promising solution for the mass production of ultra-thin and lightweight current collectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilization of industrial by-products to develop novel value-added materials while mitigating their environmental impact is a crucial issue. Fly ash (FA) microparticles are a common component of power plant waste. This work aims to investigate the impact of varying concentrations of neat/silver-coated FA on the morphology and thermal properties of styrene-butadiene-styrene/FA composites. Composite materials based on styrene-butadiene styrene triblock copolymer (SBS) with various volume fractions of as-received and silver-coated FA were prepared using a solution mixing method. Silver-coated cenosphere particles were prepared using an electroless plating method. Scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy showed that the solution mixing method obtains composite materials characterized by uniform dispersion of filler without large particle aggregates and predominantly unbroken cenospheres. The tensile strength of the composite with 10% of both as-received and silver-coated fly ash remains at the level of the unfilled SBS sample. However, at higher filler concentrations (20% and 30%), a decrease in strength by 27% and 42% respectively is observed, possibly due to the agglomeration of FA, which leads to a poorer interface and dispersion at higher filler weights. Additionally, thermal analysis in an oxygen atmosphere showed that the introduction of both as-received and metallized cenospheres in the same quantity increased the thermal stability of the tested composition. The temperatures at 5% mass loss of SBS/FA composites were on average 70°C higher than those of the original SBS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Flexible, lightweight electrode for electrochemical capacitor with high surface area and capacitance was successfully prepared based on the electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) nanofiber web. Electrode was fabricated by three steps. First, PVDF-HFP nanofiber web was formed by electrospinning. Platinum (Pt) thin layer as a current collector was then deposited on the electrospun PVDF-HFP nanofiber web by an electroless plating and followed by deposition of manganese dioxide (MnO2) using a hydrothermal method, finally producing MnO2/Pt/PVDF-HFP nanofiber web electrode. We confirmed formation of MnO2/Pt/PVDF-HFP nanofiber web electrode with desired structure and chemical composition. The galvanic charge–discharge specific capacitance of the flexible MnO2/Pt/PVDF-HFP nanofiber web electrode was 201.4 F/g at current density of 1 mA/cm2. Even after 1000 bending cycles, specific capacitance obtained from cyclic voltammetry of the nanofiber web electrode maintained up to 88.8% of the initial capacitance, implying excellent bending durability of the electrode. Since MnO2/Pt/PVDF-HFP nanofiber web electrode exhibited excellent electrochemical activity and mechanical flexibility, we expect potential applications in flexible, wearable, and stretchable electronic devices. Scheme of fabrication process and surface and cross-section of MnO2/Pt/PVDF-HFP nanofiber web [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Developing cost-effective and highly efficient electrodes for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is crucial, particularly for alkaline OER and HER. Herein, electroless plating of iron-nickel–cobalt (Fe–Ni–Co) electrocatalyst on a flexible polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon cloth (CC) was performed to synthesize a free-standing catalytic electrode for bifunctional electrocatalysts. The three-dimensional porous backbone of PAN-based CC and the synergistic effect between Fe-Ni-Co and corresponding hydroxides result in outstanding OER and HER activities, that is low overpotentials of 230 and 150 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and Tafel slopes of 63 and 57.1 mV dec–1, respectively. Additionally, a complete alkaline electrolyzer was constructed using Fe-Ni-Co plated PAN-based CC as both the cathode and anode. When operated at 10 mA cm−2, this setup enabled efficient water splitting at a low potential of 1.57 V. This study provides new opportunities for the development of advanced Fe-Ni-Co electrocatalyst with superior bifunctional OER and HER performance and cost-effectiveness that are suitable for integration into PAN-based CC via electroless plating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient and corrosion resistant 15 %PANI-NiB@Ti catalytic electrode was rapidly prepared by one-step mild electroless plating, which maintains its hydrogen evolution and morphological integrity in harsh environments. [Display omitted] • Highly efficient 15 %PANI-NiB@Ti is prepared via one step mild electroless plating method. • The doping of polyaniline significantly reduces the cracking phenomenon and improves the HER evolution performance of the electrode. • Excellent corrosion resistance enables the electrode to tolerate the harsh environment such as high temperature. The economic and reasonable design of highly stable and corrosion-resistant electrodes is fundamental to achieving the industrial-scale hydrogen productions via water electrolysis, but electrodes' premature failures are often caused by corrosion and stress damage. Therefore, these challenges are successfully solved by utilizing conductive and crack-resistant polyaniline "stabilizer" with a mild chemical plating process to construct the catalytic electrode on a titanium substrate (15 %PANI-NiB@Ti) in the present work. The 15 %PANI-NiB@Ti catalytic electrodes have been in continuous operation for 350 h at the current density of 200 mA cm−2 with the high efficiency of 98.4 % in a 323.15 K environment. With the high economy and universality, the catalytic electrodes have good catalytic performance and reliability in the extreme industrial environments, such as high temperature, air, and high current density. Except for the above advantages, the 15 %PANI-NiB@Ti catalytic electrodes also have good cracking resistance, which provides a novel and feasible approach to the industrial application of transition metal catalytic electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of the importance of metal coatings, this study addresses the ion concentration of the anti‐corrosive coating's immersion solution. The physical properties of the coating surface, such as molecular characteristics, smoothness, and structural strength, were changed by adding nano‐SiO2 in the immersion solution to formulate the best scheme for anti‐corrosive performance. The composite coating was prepared on the surface of AZ31B magnesium alloy by electroless plating. Besides, the surface coating based on AZ31B substrate has high‐quality corrosion resistance to different types of contaminated media. The experimental results demonstrate that the nanocomposite coating can form an ultrafine particle‐filling effect on the metal surface, which is lower than the drag force of the conventional metal surface. Considering the slip velocity gradient in the contact coating area, we reduce the shear stress and drag force, verifying the nanocomposite coating's effect on reducing the reaction force. The contact angle of water droplets in the composite coating is greater than 158.7°. The study finally verifies that the prepared coating has good self‐cleaning potential which can prevent the corrosion of different polluted media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple and efficient preparation of highly active electrocatalysts is of great significance for water splitting. Herein, Co–Fe–Mn–P/NF electrode was prepared on a nickel foam through electroless plating-acid etching strategy, which showed excellent bifunctional catalytic activity for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in 1 M KOH. For HER, only 13 and 78 mV overpotentials are needed to reach current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm−2 with Tafel slopes as low as 33.7 mV dec−1. While for OER, the Co–Fe–Mn–P/NF required small overpotentials of 275 and 327 mV to reach the current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm−2, and the Tafel slope is only 34.8 mV dec−1. In addition, Co–Fe–Mn–P/NF only needs 1.562 V to drive water splitting to produce a current density of 10 mA cm−2. Furthermore, it also demonstrated excellent stability by maintaining stable operation for more than 24 h. • A new type of Co–Fe–Mn–P/NF self-supporting electrocatalyst. • Simple two-step synthesis: electroless plating and acid etching. • Efficient HER and OER bifunctional catalytic performance and reliable stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rational design of efficient and economical bifunctional electrocatalysts remained a challenge for overall water electrolysis. In this work, the Ni‐boride/ phosphide particles anchored amorphous B‐doped carbon layer with hierarchical porous characteristics in Ni foam (Ni3P/Ni3B/B−C/NF) was fabricated for overall water splitting. The Boroncarbide (B4C) power was filled and fixed in the NF interspace through the electroplating and electroless plating, and then annealed in vacuum high temperature. The amorphous B−C layer derived from the B4 C not only speeded up the electron transport, but also cooperate with Ni‐boride/phosphide to enhance the electrocatalytic activity for HER and OER synergistically. Furthermore, the hierarchical porous architecture of Ni3P/Ni3B/B−C/NF increased space utilization to load more active materials. The self‐supported Ni3P/Ni3B/B−C/NF electrode possessed a low overpotential of 212 and 280 mV to deliver 100 mA cm−2 for HER and OER, respectively, and high stability for 48 h. In particular, the electrolyzer constituted with the Ni3P/Ni3B/B−C/NF bifunctional electrocatalyst only required a voltage of 1.59 V at 50 mA cm−2 for water electrocatalysis under alkaline medium, and demonstrated long‐term stability for 48 h. This study provides a new technical path for the development of bifunctional of transition metal borides to promote the application of hydrogen production from water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ammonia borane (NH 3 BH 3) as a solid chemical hydrogen storage material with a high hydrogen content can be hydrolyzed under mild conditions to release hydrogen. In this work, Fe–Ni–B/Cu(OH) 2 –Cu foam was synthesized by combining in situ growth and electroless plating. Compared with the binary Fe–B/Cu(OH) 2 –Cu foam and Ni–B/Cu(OH) 2 –Cu foam prepared by the same method, the ternary Fe–Ni–B/Cu(OH) 2 –Cu foam has superior catalytic performance. The Fe–Ni–B/Cu(OH) 2 –Cu foam catalyst was able to achieve a maximum hydrogen production rate of 5.6 ml min−1 cm−2 at 298 K with an activation energy as low as 46.3 kJ mol−1. And more importantly, its catalytic efficiency has hardly decayed after ten cycles. These excellent properties are due to its low activation energy and the large specific surface, multi–site Cu(OH) 2 –Cu–foam carrier. [Display omitted] • Cu(OH) 2 nanowires were grown on the surface of Cu foam by in-situ oxidation. • Ni–Fe–B was supported on the Cu(OH) 2 –Cu foam by electroless deposition. • The HG rate of Fe–Ni–B/Cu(OH) 2 –Cu foam catalyst was 5.6 ml min−1 cm−2 at 298 K. • The activation energy of Fe–Ni–B/Cu(OH) 2 –Cu foam was as low as 46.3 kJ mol−1. • The Fe–Ni–B/Cu(OH) 2 –Cu foam catalyst has excellent cycling stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we prepared electromagnetic cobalt-coated glass fiber (Co@GF) composites via an electroless plating method. Subsequently, a conductive sandwich flexible film consisting of Co@GF composites and liquid silicone rubber (RTV-2) was successfully formed using the tape casting method at room temperature. Based on the perfect coating and excellent electrical conductivity of the Co@GF composites, the resultant RTV-2/Co@GF/RTV-2 sandwich flexible film showed a low volume resistivity of 0.264 Ω·cm and could stretch to 100% (of 4.40 Ω·cm) without obvious fracture. When a magnetic field was applied during the curing process, the electromagnetic Co@GF composites were aligned automatically in the RTV-2 matrix because of their ferromagnetic nature. The as-prepared film exhibited anisotropy in its electrical performance. The volume resistivity parallel to the magnetic field direction is approximately two times lower than that in the perpendicular direction. The maximum difference in the volume resistivity (ρ∥ = 0.768 Ω·cm and ρ⊥ = 1.549 Ω·cm) was obtained at a magnetic field intensity of 800 mT. In addition, a magnetic field intensity of 100 mT helps improve the electrical conductivity of the as-obtained sandwich film. The anisotropic RTV-2/Co@GF/RTV-2 sandwich flexible film is considered a promising flexible electronic sensor, where discrepant inductive sensitivity is required in orthogonal directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of high-purity hydrogen from hydrogen storage materials with further direct use of generated hydrogen in fuel cells is still a relevant research field. For this purpose, nickel-molybdenum-plated copper catalysts (NiMo/Cu), comprising between 1 and 20 wt.% molybdenum, as catalytic materials for hydrogen generation, were prepared using a low-cost, straightforward electroless metal deposition method by using citrate plating baths containing Ni2+–Mo6+ ions as a metal source and morpholine borane as a reducing agent. The catalytic activity of the prepared NiMo/Cu catalysts toward alkaline sodium borohydride (NaBH4) hydrolysis increased with the increase in the content of molybdenum present in the catalysts. The hydrogen generation rate of 6.48 L min−1 gcat−1 was achieved by employing NiMo/Cu comprising 20 wt.% at a temperature of 343 K and a calculated activation energy of 60.49 kJ mol−1 with remarkable stability, retaining 94% of its initial catalytic activity for NaBH4 hydrolysis following the completion of the fifth cycle. The synergetic effect between nickel and molybdenum, in addition to the formation of solid-state solutions between metals, promoted the hydrogen generation reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to traditional lithium metal batteries, anode-free lithium metal batteries use bare current collectors as an anode instead of Li metal, making them highly promising for mass production and achieving high-energy density. The current collector, as the sole component of the anode, is crucial in lithium deposition-stripping behavior and greatly impacts the rate of Li depletion from the cathode. In this study, to investigate the lithiophilicity effect of the current collector on the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) film construction and cycling performance of anode-free lithium batteries, various lightweight paper-based current collectors were prepared by electroless plating Cu and lipophilic Ag on low-dust paper (LDP). The areal densities of the as-prepared LDP@Cu, LDP@Cu-Ag, and LDP@Ag were approximately 0.33 mg cm−2. The use of lipophilic Ag-coated collectors with varying loadings allowed for the regulation of lipophilicity. The impacts of these collectors on the distribution of SEI components and Li depletion rate in common electrolytes were investigated. The findings suggest that higher loadings of lipophilic materials, such as Ag, on the current collector increase its lipophilicity but also lead to significant Li depletion during the cycling process in full-cell anode-free Li metal batteries. Thus, moderately lithiophilic current collectors, such as LDP@Cu-Ag, show more potential for Li deposition and striping and stable SEI with a low speed of Li depletion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electroless Ni-P plating is an important process to enhance the corrosion and wear resistance of aluminum. However, due to the presence of an oxide layer on aluminum substrate, achieving a reliable Ni-P coating necessitates complex processes such as double zincate treatment or palladium immersion pretreatment. This study demonstrates that the copper immersion layer on an aluminum substrate can initiate the electroless Ni-P plating process. The copper immersion layer is deposited on the aluminum substrate through a convenient galvanic replacement reaction using an alkaline aqueous solution of copper sulfate and ammonia. This copper immersion layer can form a galvanic cell with the aluminum substrate, thereby initiating electroless Ni-P plating, similar to initiate electroless Ni-P plating by contact activation. It is confirmed that activation ability of the copper immersion layer is comparable to that of a palladium immersion layer by comparing the morphology, structure, deposition kinetics, and performance of Ni-P coatings obtained on copper and palladium immersion layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new high efficient and non-destructive mental activation process of electroless composite plating was proposed. The process utilized electromagnetic induction equipment to heat the titanium alloy substrate and used its energy to complete the activation process, which could successfully attach the nickel nanoparticles firmly to the surface of the titanium alloy; at the same time, the process pre-activated Al2O3 nanoparticles and added the activated nanoparticles to the plating solution. In the process of plating, the activated titanium substrate was used as the catalytic center of electroless nickel plating (ENP) for electroless composite plating. The new activation process avoided complicated traditional processes such as acid etching and zinc dipping. Such traditional processes require huge doses of chemicals, including various strong acids, so improper waste liquid treatment will cause harm to the environment. The important parameters of the process were optimized by orthogonal experiments. A scanning electron microscope (SEM), an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), thermal shock experiments and friction and wear experiments were used to characterize and analyze the surface morphology, composition, binding force and friction coefficient of the coating, and analyze the coating quality by measuring the plating rate and the thickness of the coating. The results showed that the rate of electroless composite plating increased with the increase in Al2O3 nanoparticle concentration. When the concentration of Al2O3 nanoparticles reached 1.5 g/L, the ENP rate decreased with the increase in Al2O3 nanoparticle concentration. The adhesion of the sample was evaluated by the scratch test, which showed that the binding grade of the sample was 0, and the Vickers hardness was 688.5 HV. Results showed that the coating produced by this new process has excellent performance. Therefore, the process is an environmentally friendly and fast activation composite plating process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium carbide (TiC) powder was synthesized by the magnesiothermic combustion of the TiO2-rich alteration product leucoxene and activated carbon (AC) in argon. Leucoxene and C were combined at a molar ratio of 1.0 : 1.5, and the effect of magnesium (Mg) fuel in the reaction system was studied at ratios of 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0. XRD analysis showed that the as-leached powder from a reactant mixture with a Mg molar ratio of 3.0 has fewer unwanted phases, and that leucoxene, C, Mg mixed at 1.0 : 1.5 : 3.0 produce TiC powder of a higher purity than the other reacted mixtures. The higher purity of the product was due to the more exothermic character of the combustion reaction, which had a higher enthalpy of reaction (ΔH) and adiabatic temperature (Tad). SEM observation of the as-leached powder revealed agglomerated fine particles of sub-micrometer size. The TiC powder was successfully coated with nickel by an electroless plating process. SEM/EDX demonstrated that the Ni-coated TiC powder consists of Ni particles smaller than 500 nm, which are well distributed on TiC particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface metallization remains a promising approach for combining the unique properties of plastics and metals. To enhance the interfacial bonding of Ag/Cu coating on ABS substrate, a promising method combining chemical etching and self-assembly modification was proposed. The results showed that the adhesion strength of the Ag/Cu coating on ABS substrate was significantly improved to 6.71 N/cm. KMnO4 etching increased the –OH functional groups on the surface of ABS substrate, resulting in improved hydrophilicity. Specifically, the contact angle of distilled water decreased from 80.5° to 12.5° after 60 minutes of KMnO4 etching. The thiosilyl group of silane coupling agents hydrolyzed and condensed with –OH on the ABS surface, while the –SH end of silane coupling agents coupled with the silver film to form an S-Ag bond during the spray electroless plating process. This bond acts as a bridge between the substrate and the coating, thereby enhancing the adhesion strength of the coating. This study provides important theoretical and technical insights for the surface metallization of plastic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of process parameters on the electroless plating of ionic polymer–metal composites (IPMCs) were studied in this work. Specifically, the NaBH4 reduction of platinum onto Nafion-117 was characterised. The effects of the concurrent variation of NaBH4 concentration, stir time and temperature on surface resistance were studied through a full factorial design. The three-factor three-level factorial design resulted in 27 runs. Surface resistance was measured using a four-point probe. A regression model with an R2 value of 97.45% was obtained. Surface resistance was found to decrease with increasing stir time (20 to 60 min) and temperature (20 to 60 °C). These responses were attributed to increased platinisation rates, resulting in more uniform electrode deposition, confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDAX) analysis. Surface resistance decreased, going from 1% to 5% NaBH4 concentration, but increased from 5% to 10% concentration. This behaviour was attributed to surface morphology: increased grain size inducing porous electrodes, in line with findings in the literature. The maximum tip displacement, measured through a computer vision system, as well as the maximum blocking force, measured through an analytical balance setup, were obtained for all 27 samples. The varying results were discussed with regards to surface and cross-sectional SEMs, alongside EDAX analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper plating on graphite surfaces is employed as an effective strategy to enhance the wettability between Cu and graphite, which is otherwise inadequate. To achieve a uniformly coated Cu layer on graphite surfaces, this study utilized rotational electroless plating. Subsequently, the effects of CuSO4 ⋅ 5H2O concentrations (10, 15, 20, and 25 g/L) and reaction solution temperatures (30, 40, 50, and 60 °C) on the uniformity and density of the Cu coating on the graphite surface were investigated. The findings reveal that variations in the concentration of the CuSO4 ⋅ 5H2O have a limited impact on the uniformity and densification of the Cu coating. Specifically, as the concentration of CuSO4 ⋅ 5H2O increases from 10 g/L to 25 g/L, there is a slight decrease in the uniformity and integrity of the Cu coating, with the density of Cu‐coated graphite powder decreasing marginally from 3.646 g/cm3 to 6.642 g/cm3. In contrast, the temperature of the reaction solution has a significant effect on the uniformity and densification of the Cu coating. With an increase in the reaction solution temperature from 30 °C to 60 °C, there is a noticeable deterioration in the uniformity and integrity of the Cu coating, with a decrease in the density of Cu‐coated graphite powder from 3.653 g/cm3 to 6.620 g/cm3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal-based membranes have emerged as a promising solution, providing selective permeability and impressive durability. However, a comprehensive understanding of their environmental performance across their entire life cycle remains elusive. This research offers a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) of electroless plated palladium alloy-based membranes for hydrogen separation. It evaluates the environmental impacts across various stages, from the synthesis of supports to the application of intermediate and selective layers. Key findings include the identification of alumina supports and graphite intermediate layers as having minimal environmental impacts, and the Pd–Cu membrane as the most sustainable choice among palladium alloy membranes. This research advances our understanding of the eco-friendly performance of palladium based H 2 separation membranes, guiding the development of more sustainable hydrogen separation technologies. [Display omitted] • Environmental comparison of support, intermediate, and selective layers in metal-based H 2 separation membranes. • Use of the Electroless Plating method. • Alumina supports have the least environmental impact. • Graphite layers offer the lowest comprehensive environmental effects across various categories for the intermediate layers. • Pd–Cu membrane is the most sustainable choice in Pd alloy membranes due to its minimal environmental impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work looks at the effects of a varying concentration, soak time, pH and temperature on the sorption of tetraammineplatinum(II) chloride (Pt-Ammine) in Nafion-117 films in the context of the electroless plating of ionic polymer–metal composites (IPMCs). Sorption is characterised by atomic absorption spectroscopy. A definitive screening design carried out determined all four factors to be significant for further analysis using response surface modelling. A duplicated central composite design (CCD) was utilised to characterise how the four factors affect the sorption amount and efficiency. Regression models for both responses were of poor fit. Nevertheless, key insights were obtained on the effects of the process parameters on sorption behaviour. The results indicate that above 0.5 g/L Pt-Ammine sorption, the platinisation of 10 × 50 mm IPMC samples through sodium borohydride reduction becomes redundant by the surface resistance metric. IPMCs with surface resistance values of approximately 2.5 Ω/square were obtained through only one round of chemical reduction. Varying surface morphologies and electrode thicknesses were analysed under a scanning electron microscope. The CCD parameter settings were validated. Recommended settings for optimised Pt-Ammine sorption in 10 × 50 mm Nafion-117 films were identified as follows: 1.0 g/L Pt-Ammine concentration, 24 h soak time, pH of 3 and temperature of 20 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semi‐additive process (SAP) is a pivotal technique for fabricating integrated circuit (IC) packaging substrates, achieving fine line/space resolution below 20 μm. The adhesion strength between the epoxy composite dielectric layer and electroplated copper is critical for ensuring the long‐term service reliability of high‐performance substrates. Herein, an epoxy composite film suitable for SAP is deposited with copper layer via electroless plating followed by electroplating. The effects of lamination and pre‐curing temperatures in SAP on the butter layer thickness, desmear weight, surface roughness (Ra), and adhesion strength of the plated copper are systematically investigated. The desmear weight decreases with the rising of lamination temperature attributed to the increased butter layer thickness. The lamination temperature is demonstrated to be one of the most influential factors in determining the adhesion strength between the plated copper and the epoxy composite. A high and stable peel strength exceeding 6.0 N cm−1 is achieved under the circumstance of a low Ra of merely 0.95 μm, indicating significant potential for these epoxy composite films in the fabrication of fine‐line and high‐density packaging substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesizing high performance and affordable nickel-based electrocatalysts has been one of the research hotspots in the field of clean energy conversion. Herein, facile electroless plating accompanied with mild impregnation method is explored to synthesize petal-like Ni(OH) 2 flakes on carbon cloth (CC) for electrocatalytic alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Notably, the optimal Ni(OH) 2 /CC electrode has outstanding HER activity requiring only 24.6 mV vs. RHE of overpotential to reach 25 mA cm−2 of current density, and only 101.5 mV vs. RHE of overpotential to reach 100 mA cm−2. Meanwhile, the 25-h stability test results performed well. This is primarily due to its plentiful interfacial contact, favorable surface morphology of ultrathin and dense nanosheets array, and rapid electron transport. Overall, this study provides a viable approach for the development of efficient, low-cost, hydrophilic nickel-based catalysts for electrocatalytic water splitting applications. [Display omitted] • Ni(OH) 2 /CC electrode is prepared by electroless plating coupled with impregnation. • Hydrophilic dense nanosheets array of Ni(OH) 2 is obtained under mild conditions. • Ni(OH) 2 /CC requires only 24.6 mV vs. RHE overpotential to reach 25 mA cm−2. • Ni(OH) 2 /CC requires only 101.5 mV vs. RHE overpotential to reach 100 mA cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum alloy bipolar plates have the merits of lightweight, favorable cold processing performance and low price, which have an extensive application prospect in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). To enhance the corrosion resistance and conductivity of aluminum alloy bipolar plates, a multilayer Ni–P/Cr/CrMoAlN coating was prepared on aluminum alloy 5052 (AA5052) using electroless plating and closed field unbalanced magnetron sputtering ion plating (CFUMSIP) techniques. The research findings indicate that the outermost layer of the multilayer Ni–P/Cr/CrMoAlN coating is mainly composed of CrN, Mo2N, and AlN phases. Electrochemical and interfacial contact resistance (ICR) tests reveal that the Ni–P/Cr/CrMoAlN coating has the lowest current density (7.37 × 10−7 A cm−2) in potentiostatic polarization test and the smallest ICR (2.36 mΩ cm2). Therefore, the Ni–P/Cr/CrMoAlN coating can remarkably improve the performance of aluminum alloy bipolar plates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating the output of emitters and calibrating detectors using absolute power sensors is critical for public use. In free-space thermal power sensors, the measurement accuracy and sensitivity depend on the absorption characteristics of the absorber, and the response time relates to its intrinsic thermal time constant. A response time of a few seconds is useful in practical scenarios where factors such as power variations caused by changes in the current–voltage characteristics of the emitter are monitored. At the minimum, an intrinsic thermal time constant of a few tens of second is required to achieve a few-second measurement time because the actual time can be enhanced by the control method of the sensors. However, in the sub-terahertz region, conventional broadband absorbers must be adequately thick for high absorption, increasing thermal capacity. Thus, achieving high absorption and a good thermal response remains challenging. In this study, an absorber featuring a resin-hollow pyramidal structure covered with a metal film thinner than the skin depth was devised. To realize the proposed absorber, we used resin 3D printing and Ni–P electroless plating. A comparison with conventional absorbers demonstrated that the thermal time constant was comparable to that of a planar absorber, known for its suitable response but low absorption below 1 THz, while maintaining over 98.6% absorptance in the 0.1- to 0.3-THz range. These results can aid in the construction of a sub-terahertz power sensor with high accuracy, high sensitivity, and a few-second response time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction is a promising approach to remove harmful nitrate and produce ammonia in aqueous media. Here, we demonstrate how 3D printed polymer electrodes can be electroless plated with a bimetallic NiCu alloy film suitable for sustained nitrate‐to‐ammonia reduction. Characterization by powder X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning/transmission electron microscopy and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy indicate that the electrode has a two‐layer structure consisting of polymer/ coating layer of metal alloys. The composite electrode shows high‐performance in the nitrate‐to‐ammonia electroreduction, giving NH3 Faradaic efficiencies of up to 83 % and NH3 yield rates up to 860 μg/(h cm2) at −0.38 V vs. RHE. We show that the electrode can easily be integrated into a Zn‐nitrate battery, giving a power density of 3.8 mW cm−2 with continuous NH3 production. The system combines three productive outputs, that is removal of nitrate pollutants, synthesis of valuable ammonia and generation of "green" electricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigates the surface morphology of polystyrene (PS) thin films, which were crafted by drying a cast emulsion layer on a microscope glass slide. A water-in-oil (w/o) emulsion was previously formulated by dispersing a small quantity of water (or an aqueous solution) into a chloroform–PS solution containing a dissolved emulsifier (surfactant). The resultant emulsion was spin-coated onto the glass slide. Subsequently, the type and dosage of surfactant utilized played a critical role in incubating the pattern formation during solvent evaporation. Mechanistically, the surface patterns resulted from a collaborative interplay of drying-induced droplet migration/partial coagulation and surface enrichment of surfactants. Span-80 induces a collection of bowl-shaped holes with a diameter of approximately 1 µm, while AOT induces an M-shaped geometrical pattern. The holes on PS film act as a microreactor to carry out the crystallization of acrylamide, as well as the growth of Ni-P alloy dendrites by electroless plating means. Alternatively, the dispersed aqueous droplet of the emulsion was utilized to conduct in situ reduction to grow copper nanoparticles. It is also noteworthy that the patterned PS films achieved exhibit diverse glass transition behaviors, attributed to the unique interaction of surfactant and PS chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current industrial revolution derives much of its momentum from value creation based on interconnected products and related data based services. Such products must fulfill both mechanical and electrical requirements, making them mechatronic systems. The production of such systems via additive manufacturing (AM) processes offers advantages in achievable complexity, reduction of the amount of individual components, and cost‐effective as well as sustaina ble production of small quantities. In this work, a process chain is presented that allows for refining additively manufactured 3D structures made from industry‐standard materials into mechatronic components by creating electrically conductive structures directly on their surfaces. The process chain is based on masking the component's surface and selectively removing the masking according to the circuit geometry using laser radiation. In a wet–chemical bath process, the surface is then exposed to palladium nuclei, the masking is fully removed and metal layers (copper/nickel/gold) are deposited by electroless plating. The procedure is developed using stereolithography as a model process for AM and transferred to four additional AM methods. In all cases, despite markedly different surface properties, good selectivity of metal deposition is observed as well as adhesion strength and conductivity comparable to industrially common injection‐molded laser direct structured mechatronic interconnect devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports the fabrication result of a Ka-band waveguide for a low Earth orbit satellites using 3D printing and subsequent polymer metal coating. Electroless plating followed by electroplating proved effective in improving mechanical and adhesive characteristics. Both careful modification of the waveguide model and adjustment of the thickness of the Cu electroplating layer mitigated bowing issues during post-curing. The final Ka-band evaluation (26.5–30 GHz) showed an average S21 value of approximately 5.25 dB. Despite losses at the flange input and outlet, these results indicate the feasibility of the applied fabrication method for the use of Ka-band waveguides. Unlike existing studies focusing on Ku-band, this research emphasizes the challenging waveguide model for Ka-band, offering insights into SLA printing, post-curing methods, and metal coating on photopolymer surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser-activated selective electroless plating (LASELP) is a promising complementary manufacturing process employed in hybrid additive manufacturing (HAM) technology for the fabrication of customized 3D electronics. However, to the best knowledge of the authors, most current LASELP technologies could only enable copper deposition on/within the polymer matrix, which largely limited the application scope of this technology. Accordingly, an advanced LASELP technology combining catalyst exchanging process is proposed to pattern diverse functional metals on the photopolymer to fabricate 3D electronics. Two kinds of catalyst systems are selected in this HAM technology: (1) Cu2(OH)PO4; (2) antimony tin oxide (ATO) and titania (TiO2). Silver and nickel-phosphorus (Ni-P) alloy are selected as the representatives of direct- and indirect-ELP metals, respectively. Silver could be directly plated on the laser-activated surface to deposit a dense and highly conductive layer, while for the Ni-P layer an inevitable catalyst exchange step is applied here to induce Pd0 plating seeds on the laser-activated substrate. Finally, a variety of customized electronics, such as conformal circuit boards, smart structure with strain sensor, embedded structural thermometer, Internet of Things bottle cap, and gas tube integrated with 3D conformal NO2 sensor are fabricated and fully verify this HAM technology.

This study reports on the use of supercritical CO2 (scCO2) for the metallization of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) filaments, which are used as functional components in weavable devices. UHMW-PE is well known for its chemical and impact resistance, making it suitable for use in bulletproof clothing and shields. However, its chemical resistance poses a challenge for metallization. By utilizing scCO2 as the solvent in the catalyzation process, a uniform and defect-free layer of Ni-P is successfully deposited on the UHMW-PE filaments. The deposition rate of Ni-P is enhanced at higher temperatures during the scCO2 catalyzation. Importantly, the durability of the Ni-P-metalized UHMW-PE filaments is improved when the scCO2 catalyzation is carried out at 120 °C, as evidenced by minimal changes in electrical resistivity after a rolling test.