Method for electroplating a polymer composite using laser radiation

Abstract

The subject of the application is a method of current metallization of a polymer composite using laser radiation, in which: a thermoplastic polymer material is dosed together with a conductive filler into the plasticizing system of an extruder (Stage I), then the polymer material is plasticized and mixed with the conductive filler (Stage II), after which a composite material is formed from the plasticized mixture (Stage III). This method is characterized in that the conductive filler contains copper fibers and a low-melting metal powder with a melting point below 230°C in a total amount of 10% to 40% by volume., and the composite material formed in stage III is current metallized using conventional techniques for conductive materials (Stage IV), wherein between stages III and IV the composite material is laser irradiated in two stages, first with a UV laser radiation beam with a power equal to or greater than the laser ablation threshold of the thermoplastic polymer material constituting the composite matrix, and then with an IR laser radiation beam inducing a temperature of the surface layer of the composite of at least 230°C.