| Abstract
| - Argon plasma-pretreated poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) films were subjected to UV-induced surfacegraft copolymerization, under atmospheric conditions, with several N-containing vinyl monomers, including4-vinylpyridine (4VP), 2-vinylpyridine (2VP), 1-vinylimidazole (VIDz), 1-vinylpyridinone (VPD), andacrylamide (AAm). Electroless plating of copper could be carried out effectively on the 4VP or 2VP graft-copolymerized PTFE surface after PdCl2 activation and in the absence of SnCl2 sensitization. The surfacecompositions of the modified PTFE films were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Thecatalytic processes for the electroless plating of copper in the presence and absence of sensitization bySnCl2 were compared. The adhesion strength of the electrolessly deposited copper on the graft-modifiedPTFE surface was affected by the type of the monomers used for graft copolymerization, the graftconcentration, and the activation time of the PTFE surface in PdCl2 solution. The T-peel adhesion strengthbetween the electrolessly deposited copper and the graft-modified PTFE film was further improved in theabsence of the SnCl2 sensitization step and could reach as high as 7 N/cm. However, the electroless depositionof copper could not be carried out on the pristine or Ar plasma-treated PTFE surface in the absence of SnCl2sensitization.
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