The use of gold in autocatalytic plating processes

Abstract

Certain electroless gold plating procedures are autocatalytic in nature, while gold can also be used as an activator or initiator in the autocatalytic plating of plastics and of other non-conducting materials by metals such as nickel and copper. This paper describes the scientific basis of autocatalytic plating, and reviews electroless gold plating procedures. The effectiveness of gold as an activator in the autocatalytic plating of plastics is also briefly surveyed. © 1975 World Gold Council.