Rational design of Ag nanoparticle/polymer brush and its application in electroless deposition to fabricate adhesion-enhanced copper pattern for functional flexible electronics

Abstract

Abstract Background Electroless plating is a simple and promising method to fabricate surface-metallization material, low rupture work of plated coating and complex production process become important factors that restrict its progress. Methods In this study, silane (3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (KH550) and γ-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)propytrimethoxysilane (KH560)) was incorporated in AgNO3 solution to rational preparing Ag nanoparticle/polymer brush (Ag/PB) catalytic solution and its application in electroless deposition to fabricate adhesion-enhanced copper pattern for functional flexible electronics. Significant findings The\xa0epoxy group in the KH560\xa0can\xa0react\xa0with amino group in the KH550 through direct ring-opening reaction to\xa0form\xa0secondary amino group and hydroxyl, which could co-adsorb Ag nanoparticle by means of chelating structure, which exhibited\xa0superior Ag/PB interfacial characterization. As a result, Ag/PB was established on polyethylene terephthalate surface to achieve the modification of substrate with excellent adhesion and the catalysis of electroless copper plating when the PB is a mixture of AgNO3 and silane (75% KH560 and 25% KH550). Both maximum effective thickness and rupture work of Cu-plated coating were improved with the incremental rate of about 30% and 33%, respectively.