Preparation of surface conductive and highly reflective silvered polyimide films by surface modification and in situ self-metallization technique

Double surface conductive and reflective flexible silvered polyimide films have been prepared by alkali hydroxylation of polyimide film surface and incorporation of silver ions through subsequent ion exchange. Thermal curing of silver(I) polyamate precursor leads to re-cycloimidization of modified surface with concomitant silver reduction, yielding a reflective and conductive silver surface approaching that of native metal. The reflective and conductive surface evolves only when the cure temperature rises to 300 °C. The metallized films usually retain the essential mechanical properties of the parent films. Films were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy and tapping mode atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM demonstrates that the diameter of close-packed silver particles of the silver layers was about 50-150 nm. TEM shows that thickness of silver layer on the polyimide film surface is about 400-600 nm.