A facile process to fabricate metal coating on PET sheet: Preparation of highly active polymer brush/Ag particle and its application in electroless copper plating

[Display omitted] •A facile method to fabricate high-adhesive copper coating on polyethylene terephthalate surface can be achieved.•Effects of Ag electron structure and surface topography on adhesive force of plated coating is investigated.•The maximum effective thickness is 3.6 μm. Electroless plating on polymer surface is a low-cost process for surface metallization, but it exhibits low adhesive force and complex production process, which makes it difficult for practical application. We employ a facile method combined with novel catalyst solution printing and electroless plating to fabricate high-adhesion copper coating on (polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The catalyst solution is a mixture of AgNO3, PVA, KH550, alcohol and deionized water. On the one hand, hydrophilic PVA and hydrophobic KH550 condense to helical conformation catalyst solution, which could synergistically absorb Ag. On the other hand, the two phases separation structure facilitate the formation of roughness surface. As a result, the catalyst solution can form highly active polymer brush/Ag particle structure on the PET surface, and realize to modify and activate PET simultaneously. Region-selective copper coating could plate on PET surface, the maximum effective thickness is 3.6 μm, rupturework is 4.5 J/m2, adhesion is 5B, electrical resistivity is 2.3 × 10−6 Ω cm. While maintaining reliability even after over 6 times of folding test and 1000 times of bending. Our results provide the underlying insights needed to guide the design of the fabrication of metal polymer.