Preparation of electroless silver plating on aramid fiber with good conductivity and adhesion strength

Abstract A novel method was developed to prepare silver-plated aramid fiber. Crosslinked chitosan (CS) with NH2 and OH functionalities was used as chelator to absorb palladium ions and formed a catalytical film on the fiber surface, which can successfully initiate silver deposition in the following electroless plating stage. Compared to conventional methods, sensitization process was eliminated and good conductivity as well as strong adhesion to metal layer was obtained, thanks to the chelating effect between chitosan and silver layer. SEM images indicate a dense and uniform silver coating was fabricated on the fiber surface. The electrical resistance of prepared fiber was as low as 0.38 Ω/cm, showing good conductivity. The durability of this aramid fiber is outstanding under harsh condition. These attractive features exhibited by this aramid fiber make it a potentially promising candidate for biomedical electronic field.