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Expected life of copper pyrophosphate plating bath

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Hello,

Does anyone have experience on copper pyrophosphate electroless bath? I'd like to know how fast copper pyrophosphate hydrolyses to orthophosphate in bath?

Mia Kumpumäki
University of Oulu - Oulu, Finland

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Copper pyrophosphate is electrolytic, not electroless. It may (although I haven't heard of it) be possible to use hypophosphite as a reducer in a copper electroless bath (generally, HCHO is used as the reducer).

James Totter, CEF - Tallahassee, Florida

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I don't know of an electroless copper bath based on pyrophosphate, but that isn't to say it doesn't exist. However, all pyrophosphate baths should be run at less than 60° C otherwise the pyrophosphate hydrolyses and dissociates to orthophosphate. Hope this helps you.

Trevor Crichton R&D practical scientist The Pheasantries - Chesham, U.K.

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Hello,

I noticed that there was a mistake in my original letter. I meant electrolytic copper bath, not electroless. Sorry.

Mia Kumpumäki
University of Oulu - Oulu, Finland

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August 29, 2008

Dear colleague, if you support pH 9-10 and the temperature 40-50° C, you may use this bath for ages...

Vladimir Krasikov
- St.Petersburg, Russia