Electroless deposition
 |
Electroless plating, also known as chemical or auto-catalytic plating, is a non-galvanic plating method that involves several simultaneous reactions in an aqueous solution, which occur without the use of external electrical power. It is mainly different from electroplating by not using external electrical power.
Applications
Plated through holes
In the manufacture of printed circuit boards, electroless plating is used to form the conductive part of plated through holes. The non-conductive part is treated with palladium catalyst and then made conductive by electroless copper plating.
- 2HCHO + 2OH−
→ H
2 (gas) + 2H
2O
2 + 2e- - Cu2+
+ 2e- → Cu (metal).