(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2015/0184307 A1 Hosokawa Et Al
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US 2015O1843 07A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2015/0184307 A1 HOSOkawa et al. (43) Pub. Date: Jul. 2, 2015 (54) SILVER ELECTROPLATING SOLUTION B32B I5/0 (2006.01) C2.5D II/38 (2006.01) (71) Applicant: DAIWA FINE CHEMICALS CO., (52) U.S. Cl. LTD., Akashi City (JP) CPC C25D3/46 (2013.01); C25D 1 1/38 (2013.01); C25D 9/02 (2013.01); B32B 15/018 (2013.01) (72) Inventors: Yohei Hosokawa, Akashi City (JP); Tomomi Hata, Akashi City (JP): Naoko (57) ABSTRACT Yone, Akashi City (JP); Toshifumi Provided is an electrosilver plating bathyielding a semiglossy Kadokawa, Akashi City (JP); Yuji to glossy appearance across a wide current density range Shigekuni, Akashi City (JP); Shingo without the use of a cyan compound, and a plating method Kitamura, Akashi City (JP); Masakazu using the electrosilver plating bath. An electrosilver plating Yoshimoto, Akashi City (JP) fluid that is an aqueous Solution containing (A) at least one soluble silver compound (B) at least one benzoic acid deriva (73) Assignee: DAIWA FINE CHEMICALS CO., tive or a salt of the derivative, and (C) at least one acid and/or LTD. (LABORATORY), Akashi City complexing agent, wherein the benzoic acid derivative is (JP) expressed by the following general formula (m is 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5: Ra is a carboxyl group; individual instances of Rb are (21) Appl. No.: 14/416,125 selected independently from an aldehyde group, a carboxyl (22) PCT Filed: May 30, 2013 group, an amino group, a hydroxyl group, or a Sulfonic acid group; individual instances of Rc are independently oxygen (86). PCT No.: PCT/UP2O13A06504.8 or any Substituent; and one or more oxygen or CH may be introduced into the bond between Ra or Rb and a benzene S371 (c)(1), r1ng. (2) Date: Jan. 21, 2015 (30) Foreign Application Priority Data Jul. 31, 2012 (JP) ................................. 2012-169982 Publication Classification -HRb 1. R. (51) Int. Cl. Re(5-m) C25D 3/46 (2006.01) C25D 9/02 (2006.01) US 2015/O 184307 A1 Jul. 2, 2015 SILVERELECTROPLATING SOLUTION SUMMARY OF INVENTION TECHNICAL FIELD Technical Problem 0001. The present invention relates to a cyanide-free silver 0016. As mentioned above, numerous compounds having electroplating solution which enables semi-glossy or glossy a carboxyl group are disclosed as an additive of a silver appearance, and a plating method using the same. plating bath, however, the obtained plating film exhibits insufficient gloss even when using any disclosed plating BACKGROUND ART baths. Because of narrow range of usable (applicable) current density, when an article having a complicated shape is Sub 0002 Silver plating has been used for a long time in deco jected to plating, uneven gloss occurs due to large current rative applications because of its beautiful white glossy deviation among positions of the article. The plating bathes appearance. Silver plating has also been used in industrial disclosed above are inferior to a common cyanide bath. applications because of its excellent electrical conductivity, Therefore, these bathes are not industrially used, actually, and bonding properties, lubricity, and the like. However, almost a cyanide bath having high toxicity is currently still in use all of silver plating operations are industrially preformed mainly. using a cyanide bath containing a cyanide compound having 0017. The present invention has been made in view of high toxicity in a current state. these problems, and provides a silver electroplating bath 0003 Various studies have hitherto been made concerning which enables semi-glossy to glossy plating appearance achievement of cyanide-free silver electroplating, and vari within a wide current density range without using a cyanide ous compounds have been proposed so as to obtain satisfac compound, and a plating method using the same. tory plating appearance. 0004 For example, JP 11-343591 A discloses a silver Solution to Problem plating bath of an aqueous acidic Solution containing silver 0018. The present inventors have found that a semi-glossy ions, oxalic acid ions, chlorine ions, and Sulfamic acid ions. or glossy plating film can be obtained within a wide current JP 4-998.90A discloses a silver electroplating bath, charac density range by using a silver electroplating solution which terized in that the concentration of silver in the silver electro does not contain a cyanide compound and contains a specific plating bath is controlled within a range of 10 to 100 g/L and benzoic acid derivative as a brightener, thus completing the 20 to 200g/L of citric acid is added in the silver electroplating present invention. bath. Furthermore, JP 3-61393 A discloses a silver plating 0019 (1) The present invention thus completed based on method using an acidic silver complex salt as a main compo the above finding provides, in an aspect, a silver electroplat nent, characterized in that an additive includes at least a nitrogen-containing carboxylic acid derivative, aldehyde, and ing solution which is an aqueous solution including: a C=S-containing compound, in which a nicotinic acid com 0020 (A) at least one soluble silver compound, pound is exemplified as the nitrogen-containing carboxylic 0021 (B) at least one benzoic acid derivative or a salt of acid derivative. the derivative, and 0022 (C) at least one acid and/or complexing agent, 0005. Other than those mentioned above, JP 8-104993 A wherein the benzoic acid derivative is represented by the discloses, as a silver electroplating method using no cyanide, following general formula I: a method in which a hydantoin compound is used as a com plexing agent. The literature discloses the gist that an organic Sulfur compound having a carboxyl group is used as a gloss Chemical Formula 1 adjusting agent. Furthermore, JP 2007-327127A discloses a Ra method in which phosphine is used as a complexing agent. The literature does not clearly discloses the gist that a com pound having a carboxyl group is used, but teaches the gist that thiosalicylic acid is used as an agent for preventing Sub rs2a--Rb, stitution precipitation. Re(5-m) CITATION LIST Patent Literature Genera Formula (I) 0006 Patent Literature 1 0023 wherein 0024 m is 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, 0007 JP 11-343591 A 0025 Ra is a carboxyl group, 0008 Patent Literature 2 0026 Rb each is independently selected from an aldehyde 0009 JP4-998.90 A group, a carboxyl group, an amino group, a hydroxyl group. 0010 Patent Literature 3 or a sulfonic acid group, 0011 JP 3-61393 A 0027 Rc each independently represents hydrogen or an optional Substituent, and 0012 Patent Literature 4 0028 one or more oxygen(s) or CH(s) may be introduced 0013 JP 8-104993 A into the bond between RaCs) or Rb and a benzene ring. 0014 Patent Literature 5 0029 (2) The silver electroplating solution according to 0015 JP 2007-327127 A the present invention is, in another embodiment, the plating US 2015/O 184307 A1 Jul. 2, 2015 Solution according to the above (1), which does not Substan DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS tially contain a cyanide compound. 0030 (3) The silver electroplating solution according to 0044) The silver plating solution of the present invention the present invention is, in another embodiment, the plating will be described in detail below. solution according to the above (1) or (2), which further contains at least one azole-based compound and/or 1. Soluble Silver Compound thiophene-based compound. 0045. In a bath of the present invention, a soluble silver 0031 (4) The silver electroplating solution according to compound is used as a silver Source. Examples thereof the present invention is, in another embodiment, the plating include, but are not limited to, silver chloride, silverbromide, Solution according to any one of the above (1) to (3), which silver iodide, silver oxide, silver carbonate, silver sulfate, further contains at least one surfactant. silver methanesulfonate, silver alkanolsulfonate, silver phe 0032 (5) The silver electroplating solution according to nolsulfonate, silver sulfamate, silver thiocyanate, thiosilver the present invention is, in another embodiment, the plating sulfate, and the like. The concentration of these soluble silver Solution according to the above (4), wherein the Surfactant is compounds in a plating solution is suitably about 1 to 100 g/L. a nonionic Surfactant. preferably 5 to 80 g/L, and more preferably 10 to 50 g/L, in 0033 (6) The silver electroplating solution according to terms of silver ions. the present invention is, in another embodiment, the plating Solution according to any one of the above (1) to (5), wherein 2. Benzoic Acid Derivative the total concentration of the benzoic acid derivative or a salt 0046. The specific benzoic acid derivative used in the of the derivative is 0.0001 g/L or more. present invention significantly contributes to impart gloss to a 0034 (7) The silver electroplating solution according to silver plating film by exerting a strong action on a Substrate the present invention is, in another embodiment, the plating Surface at the time of silver plating to make the precipitated Solution according to the above (3), wherein the total concen crystal fine and uniform. Moreover, use of the derivative tration of the azole-based compound and/or thiophene-based makes it possible to apply current density within a wide compound is 0.01 g/L or more. range. The specific benzoic acid derivative refers to benzoic 0035 (8) The silver electroplating solution according to acid represented by the following general formula (I): the present invention is, in another embodiment, the plating Solution according to the above (4), wherein the total concen tration of the surfactant is 0.001 g/L or more.