Studies on the preparation and properties of conductive polymers. V. Analysis of metallized polyamide complex metal chelate films and precipitates in metal chelate solution

Metallized films were obtained by the reduction of polyamide metal chelate films with reducing agents. In the preparation of polyamide metal chelate solution, a small amount of precipitate forms when a certain stoichiometric ratio of formic acid, polyamide, and metal salts was mixed. The precipitate formation rate was affected by kinds and concentrations of metal salts, kinds and molecular weight of polyamide, and solution temperature. In addition, the precipitate formation rate affects the conducting surface metallic substance of reduced nylon/CuCl2/NiCl2 complex metal chelate film. The conducting surface is metallic Ni for low-molecular-weight nylon 4/CuCl2/NiCl2 film and metallic Cu for high-molecular-weight nylon 4/CuCl2/NiCl2 film reduced by NaBH4 aqueous solution. The precipitate consists of polyamide, metal salt, and formic acid. The interaction among the polyamide, metal salt, and formic acid appears to be by means of hydrogen bonds and ionic bonds. The proposed structure of precipitate was also studied. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.