Tin-Palladium Catalysts for Electroless Plating

The application of electroless plating as a surface coating technique for producing both functional and decorative finishes has increased substantially with the growth in the requirement for printed circuit boards, and with the widespread use of plastics for so many purposes. During the plating process a thin layer of catalyst is applied to the dielectric surface and a layer of metal, generally copper or nickel, is then electroless plated on top. The versatility and cost-effectiveness of tin-palladium catalysts have resulted in their almost universal use.