Letter 3007

Metal coating on fibers 

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We have recently began a project involving metal coating on fibers . I would be very grateful if someone can inform me about the possibility of preparing thin metal coating (0.1-0.3 microns) on fibers (glass or polymer) that are few microns (up to 25 m) in diameter. Yours Sincerely

Yoram S [name deleted for privacy]
Israel Institute for Biological Research - Ness-Ziona, Israel

Metal films are easily deposited on glass by either thermal evaporation or sputtering. How long are your fibers? Are they individual fibers, or reels? A mechanism could be set up to rotate the fiber in the deposition zone, so that the metal is deposited completely around the fiber.

Joe K [name deleted for privacy]
- Issaquah, Washington

Your question about coating metal on fibres:

Have you investigated the feasibility of using a Chemical Vapour Deposition process?

Coating fibres and powders is quite practical.

Mick O'Meara
- Toronto, Canada

You may want to look into electroless plating of Nickel and Gold immersion. I have been plating fibers of 125 to 160 micron thickness for the past 2 years using agents to activate the surface of the glass fibers first. The Nickel thickness comes out to around 4 microns and the Gold to around .2 microns.

Brian O [name deleted for privacy]
- Portland, CT, USA

I have deposited a variety of metals onto numerous fiber and fabric substrates using autocatalytic technology. Substrates include nylon, polyester, carbon/graphite, E- and S-glass, Kevlar, Spectra, quartz, and SiC. Metals have included copper, nickel, cobalt, etc. as bases with overcoats (e.g., nickel over copper, gold over nickel, silver over nickel over copper). Also have done composite coatings and alloys to achieve special properties. Conductors may be also electroplated. Non-conductors can also be electroplated after rendering them conductive with autocatalytic.
give me specifics and maybe I can help.

Ralph Orban
Columbus, Ohio USA

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