• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.51-55
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• 2014

Ni-CNT(Carbon Nanotubes) composite coating is often used for the surface treatment of mechanical/electronic devices to improve the properties of the Ni coating. For the Ni-CNT coating, the dispersion of CNT fibers is a critical process. In this study, ultrasonic treatment instead of the conventional ball milling was attempted as a dispersion method for the electroless Ni-CNT coating. SEM-EDX analysis was performed and contact angle, sheet resistance, and micro-hardness were measured. Results showed that the ultrasonic treatment was comparable to the ball milling, as a dispersion method, but the difference was negligible. However, combined ball milling and ultrasonic treatment(double treatment) showed much improved micro-hardness value, above 350Hv(close to the value obtained by the Ni-CNT electroplating). In addition, electroless Ni-CNT(double-treated) coatings formed on the thin Ni film deposited by the electroless plating(double coating) showed better mechanical properties. Thus, double treatment and double coating are suggested as an improved electroless Ni-CNT coating method.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.661-665
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• 2013

We investigated the characteristics of electroless plated Cu films on screen printed Ag/Anodized Al substrate. Cu plating was attempted using neutral electroless plating processes to minimize damage of the anodized Al substrate; this method used sodium hypophosphite instead of formaldehyde as a reducing agent. The basic electroless solution consisted of $CuSO_4{\cdot}5H_2O$ as the main metal source, $NaH_2PO_2{\cdot}H_2O$ as the reducing agent, $C_6H_5Na_3O_7{\cdot}2H_2O$ and $NH_4Cl$ as the complex agents, and $NiSO_4{\cdot}6H_2O$ as the catalyser for the oxidation of the reducing agent, dissolved in deionized water. The pH of the Cu plating solutions was adjusted using $NH_4OH$. According to the variation of pH in the range of 6.5~8, the electroless plated Cu films were coated on screen printed Ag pattern/anodized Al/Al at $70^{\circ}C$. We investigated the surface morphology change of the Cu films using FE-SEM (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy). The chemical composition of the Cu film was determined using XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy). The crystal structures of the Cu films were investigated using XRD (X-ray Diffraction). Using electroless plating at pH 7, the structures of the plated Cu-rich films were typical fcc-Cu; however, a slight Ni component was co-deposited. Finally, we found that the formation of Cu film plated selectively on PCB without any lithography is possible using a neutral electroless plating process.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.25-33
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• 2000

One of perspective direction of microfabrication is direct laser writing technology that allows to create metal, semiconductive and dielectric micropatterns on substrate surface. In this work, a two step method, the combination of seed forming process, in which metallic Al seed was selectively generated on AlN ceramic substrate by direct writing technique using a pulsed Nd : YAG laser and subsequent electroless Ni plating on the activated Al seed, was presented. The effects of laser parameters such as pulse energy, scanning speed and pulse frequency on shape of Alseed and conductor line after electroless Ni plating were investigated. The nature of the laser activated surface is analyzed from XPS data. The line width of this metallic Al and Ni is analyzed using SEM. As a results, Al seed line with 24㎛ width and 100㎛ isolated line space is obtained. Finally, laser direct writing can be applied in the field between thin and thick film technique in electronic industry.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.218-225
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• 2001

The electroless plating of a metallic nickel on PAN-based carbon fiber surfaces was carried out to improve mechanical interfacial properties of the carbon fiber/epoxy resin composites which were unidirectionally fabricated by a prepregging method. In this work, the influence of Ni-P alloy concentration showing brittle-to-ductile transition was investigated on interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and impact strength of the composites. The surface properties of carbon fibers were also measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). As the result, the $O_{ls}$ /$O_{ls}$ ratio or Ni and P amounts were increased with increasing electroless nickel plating time but the ILSS were not significantly improved. However, the impact properties was significantly improved in the presence of Ni-P alloy in the carbon fiber surface, resulting in an increase of the ductility of the composites.

• Corrosion Science and Technology
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• v.4 no.6
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• pp.222-225
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• 2005

The adhesion strength of metal plating on PC was studied. In this study, surface was treated by chemical agents or DBD(dielectric barrier discharge) plasma to imporve the adhesion. The surface roughness, contact angle, gloss of plating and adhesive strength were measured. Adhesion strengths of Ni plating on prepared PC by NaOH and KOH solution were $12.3kgf/cm^2$ and $7.5kgf/cm^2$, respectively. The highest adhesion strength was obtained in the plasma treated one, $27.8kgf/cm^2$.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.55-62
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• 2001

With a spread of BGA, CSP and fine pitch devices, the need of flatter surface finish in bare board is becoming more critical in solderability. The electroless Ni/Au plating has a solution of these needs and also has being spread to apply to surface finish for bare board in many electronic goods. But, the electroless Ni/Au plating had several issues such as Ni oxidation and phosphorous contents. Before this study, we studied on the effect of BGA solderability in electroless Ni/Au plating and chose some major factors such as the oxidation property of NiP plating and warpage of board. Firstly, we made test board with various plating conditions and improved the plating property through the improvement of NiP oxidation reducing P content. Also, we minimized the warpage of board with the improvement of inner layer structure and the analysis of warpage. For the evaluation of solderability, we analyzed the warpage of board and the plating property after mounting BGA on the board with optimizing conditions. The solder joint of BGA is investigated by SEM(Scanning Electronic Microscope) and OM(Optical Microscope). The composition of joint is used by EDS(Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy). We analyzed the fracture strength and mode by ball shear teser.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.133-138
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• 2013

Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) plastic is a polymer material extensively used in electrical and electronic applications. Nickel (Ni) thin film was deposited on ABS by electroless plating, after its surface was treated and modified with atmospheric plasma generated by means of dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) in air. The method in this study was developed as a pre-treatment for electroless plating using DBDs, and is a dry process featuring fewer processing steps and more environmentally friendliness than the chemical method. After ABS surfaces were modified, surface morphologies were observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to check for any physical changes of the surfaces. Cross-sectional SEM images were taken to observe the binding characteristics between metallic films and ABS after metal plating. According to the SEM images, the depths of ABS by plasma are shallow compared to those modified by chemically treatment. The static contact angles were measured with deionized (DI) water droplets on the modified surfaces in order to observe for any changes in chemical activities and wettability. The surfaces modified by plasma showed smaller contact angles, and their modified states lasted longer than those modified by chemical etching. Adhesion strengths were measured using 3M tape (3M 810D standard) and by 90° peel-off tests. The peel-off test revealed the stronger adhesion of the Ni films on the plasma-modified surfaces than on the chemically modified surfaces. Thermal shock test was performed by changing the temperature drastically to see if any detachment of Ni film from ABS would occur due to the differences in thermal expansion coefficients between them. Only for the plasma-treated samples showed no separation of the Ni films from the ABS surfaces in tests. The adhesion strengths of metallic films on the ABS processed by the method developed in this study are better than those of the chemically processed films.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.70-76
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• 2007

Ni-P-SiC composite coating layers were prepared by electroless plating method and their deposition rate, codeposition of SiC, morphology, surface roughness, hardness, wear and friction properties were investigated. The deposition rate was kept almost constant independent of the concentration of SiC in the plating solution and the codeposition of SiC in the composite coating layer increased with increased concentration of SiC in the plating solution except the early stage. Vickers microhardness increased with respect to the increased codeposition of SiC and the heat treatment at $300^{\circ}C$ in air for 1 hour. It was found that the wear volume decreased with increased up to 50 wt.% of SiC codeposition, and that friction coefficient increased gradually with increased codeposition of SiC. Considering the wear and the friction behaviors, the composite coating layer obtained by using 50 wt.% of SiC codeposition is desirable for the practical application for anti-wear and anti-friction coatings.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.193-198
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• 2015

In the study, electroless Ni-plating on flexible ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer (EPDM) rubber sheets for the application of an insert block for shielding electromagnetic interference of multi cable transit (MCT) systems was investigated. Ni crystallinity and adhesion have been found to vary with processing parameters such as pH and temperature of the plating bath. It was shown that Ni-films having the high crystallinity and optimum electric conductivity were obtained on EPDM rubber sheets under pH 7 and 8 at $60{\sim}70^{\circ}C$. The conductive Ni-plated EPDM rubber prepared at pH 7 at $70^{\circ}C$ showed the enhanced adhesion and electric conductivity, and the high electromagnetic interference shielding effect in the 400 MHz~1 GHz range.

• Composites Research
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.43-48
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• 2007

The absorption and the interference shielding of electromagnetic wave have been very important issues for commercial and military purposes. The stealth technique is one of the most typical applications of electromagnetic wave absorption technology. This study has started for the development of composite fillers containing dielectric and magnetic lossy materials. To improve the electromagnetic characteristics of conductive nano fillers, carbon nanofibers (CNFs) with nickel-phosphorous (Ni-P) or nickel-iron (Ni-Fe) have been fabricated by the electroless plating process. Observations by the electron microscopy (SEM/TEM) and element analyzer (EDS/ELLS) showed the uniform Ni-P and Ni-Fe coated CNFs. The compositions of the plating layers were about Ni-6wt%P and Ni-70wt%Fe, respectively. The average thicknesses of the plating layers were about $50\;{\sim}\;100\;nm$.