Electroless copper plating (also known as autocatalytic copper plating) is a process that deposits a thin layer of copper on a conductive or non-conductive surface without the need for an applied current. Although the electroless copper plating process has many advantages, which we have talked about in previous articles, there are also a variety of defects that can occur during the production process, affecting the quality and performance of the coating. Today we will talk about why these failures are caused.
1. Uneven plating:
Improper solution flow, suspension method or surface treatment of the part results in deposited copper layers of varying thicknesses, affecting the function and appearance of the plating.
2. Holes and bubbles:
The presence of air bubbles in the electroless plating solution or improper surface treatment of the substrate (e.g., containing oil, water droplets, etc.) may result in the formation of tiny holes or bubbles on the surface of the plated layer of the electroless copper plating process.
3. Adulteration by impurities:
Electroless plating baths may be contaminated by impurities during long-term use, such as dust, grease, etc. These impurities may be plated into the copper layer, reducing the quality of the plating.
In order to solve and prevent these defects, we need to control the process parameters, such as bath composition, concentration, temperature, pH, etc., as well as strictly execute the cleaning and surface pretreatment steps when using Bigely electroless copper plating process. Regular maintenance and filtration of the plating solution, as well as maintenance of production tools and equipment, are important measures to ensure the quality of electroless copper plating.
If you want to improve the coating quality of electroless copper plating process, please feel free to contact us.
