--- In
Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com, Simao Cardoso <simaocardoso@...> wrote:
>
> spacedcowboy@... wrote:
>
>
> > The basic problem here is a lack of knowledge on my part. In their
> > initial email, they claimed there are 3 things I'll need:
> >
> > - copper-bath. My guess on this was CuSO4, but what molar
> > concentrate ? I don't know.
> > - black hole agent. I have no idea what this is.
> > - mild etching agent. Again, I have no idea. Dilute HCl ?
> >
> > I've asked for more details, but am currently waiting for them to wake
> > up :) I think it's about 8AM over there as I type this...
> >
>
> So such machine is built for black hole chemistry? It requires double
> pass and micro etch (sulfuric acid with hidrogen peroxide or persulfates
> to remove it from the surface). Personally for homebrew/small runs i
> only care about palladium based ones. See it here:
>
> http://books.google.pt/books?id=g9Q8RekeKaAC&pg=SA30-PA1&lpg=SA30-PA1
> (not every page still available)
> http://nr.stpi.org.tw/ejournal/proceedingA/v23n3/365-368.pdf
>
>
> If you find this complicate, the copper bath itself is so much
> difficult. And you still need 4 types of additives for it.
>
>
> > ... and I've read that typically the shelf-life of these things isn't
> > great...
>
> The conductive polymer chemistries have volatile compounds. Palladium
> based will last something like 2-5 years, but is better to use it at
> least once a month. Black hole or graphite ones don't really know...
>
> Simão
>
It looks to be a 3-stage process. They sent me the (Chinese) documentation, such as it is, and I ran it through Google to translate it. I still have some questions in to them, but I've put the "translated" document up at
http://www.0x0000ff.com/tps/HW-K1000_english.pdf if you want to have a look.
Google translated the first stage of the process as "monolithic", which is ... less than revealing. As expected, it's some sort of cleaning stage though, because according to April, it "Is an alkaline degreasing solution the entire hole, it can effectively remove the copper foil on the oil, fingerprints, oxide film and dust, and has the role of the entire hole, can enhance the adhesion of copper layer".
I may be wrong, but I think the links you originally posted were for a different process, right ? I've found a place that is promoting "Black-hole" chemistry, and they claim to be ever-so-user-friendly [grin]. Perhaps I can persuade them to match up their chemistry with what the machine expects...
Cheers
Simon