Preparation and conductive property of Cu coatings and Cu-graphene composite coatings on ABS substrate

A facile, low-cost and environmentally-friendly technique has been developed to prepare highly conductive copper-graphene nanosheet (Cu-GNS) composite coatings on ABS (Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene) substrate. The surface activation of ABS substrate was obtained by a chrome-free and palladium-free pretreatment consisting of molecular bonding. Before electroplating Cu, the homogeneous single Ag film on ABS surface was achieved by the electroless spray-plating process. In addition, the deposition of Cu and GNS increased in the coatings along with the current density increasing. Four-point-probe test confirmed that the resistivity of Cu coatings (0.08 m Omega mm) and Cu-GNS composite coatings (0.05 m Omega mm) was in the same order of magnitude as pure copper (0.0175 m Omega mm) at high current density. Meanwhile, comparing with the Cu coatings, the resistivity of Cu-GNS composite coatings was reduced by nearly 40% at the same current density. The conductive property was significantly improved owing to the deposition of GNS. Therefore, this work was expected to expand the method of polymer materials surface metallization.