Effect of copper content on the properties of Ni–Cu–P plated polyester fabric

The copper content of electroless Ni–Cu–P-plated polyester fabric mainly depends on the copper ion concentration in the plating solution, which in turn has a significant effect on the properties of the coatings. The effects of copper sulphate concentration (CuSO₄) on the deposition rate, composition, surface morphology, crystal structure, surface resistance and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness of electroless Ni–Cu–P deposits were investigated. The results show that the copper content in the deposits increased significantly, whereas nickel content decreased significantly and phosphorus content decreased slightly with a higher copper ion concentration. Compact coating layers were obtained with a nodular morphology. With increase of copper ion concentration in the solution, the crystallinity of the deposits also increased. In addition, the surface resistance decreased and the EMI shielding effectiveness of the Ni–Cu–P deposits increased.