<p>I know that 3D printed parts can be coated in metal by painting them with conductive paint (graphite or copper seems to be usual) and then electroplating them in a commercial copper or nickel bath. The disadvantage of this process is that it does not coat insides very well, because those are not reached by the electric field.</p>
<p>I know that in the industry for plating ABS-parts with chrome and other metals, there is a process used where first the ABS is etched, then seeded with electroless catalytic palladium and then there are various options, for example electroless nickel or chrome.</p>
<p>I tried to etch both FDM printed ABS and ABS-like resin prints in NaOH, then after rinsing, dropped them in a commercial palladium activator and, after rinsing again, then in an electroless nickel bath, without any effect.</p>
<p>Does anyone have an idea on how to metal plate 3D printed parts (by electroless plating, meaning no electricity involved) and can shed some light on the chemicals used? I would prefer to mix them myself.</p>

[{'answer_id': 19806, 'author': 'Kilisi', 'author_id': 31811, 'author_profile': 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/31811', 'pm_score': 1, 'selected': False, 'text': '<p>There is another option where the plating is done like brushing paint. The electroplating is just done a different way but has the same effect.</p>\n<p>It\'s called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wktymv8fsus" rel="nofollow noreferrer">brush plating</a>. There\'s a bunch of different products (none of which I have tried) and the youtube results are pretty impressive. They do need a current as it\'s electroplating, but you don\'t immerse the object, the current is through the brush etc,.</p>\n'}, {'answer_id': 19816, 'author': 'Perry Webb', 'author_id': 15075, 'author_profile': 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/15075', 'pm_score': 0, 'selected': False, 'text': '<p>You can use semiconductor processes like evaporation, sputtering, and chemical vapor deposition.  These are expensive.  Sputtering is probably the most feasable but it will have trouble with shadows.</p>\n'}, {'answer_id': 20033, 'author': 'Marvin Sevilla', 'author_id': 35600, 'author_profile': 'https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/users/35600', 'pm_score': 2, 'selected': False, 'text': "<p>Good day, I have experience in applying electroless nickel on difficult 3D parts, in your case, it's exceedingly difficult to do it directly to the printed piece. You will need to seal the piece with a more benign coating that will accept the palladium activator. Also, a sensitizer before the activator is needed.</p>\n<p>Try this.</p>\n<p>Try your original procedure, but this time use just before the palladium activator, a stannous chloride solution (20\xa0g per 1\xa0L of deionized Water and 10\xa0ml of muriatic acid), submerge the piece in the solution for 1 minute, rinse in deionized water and then place the piece on the palladium activator for 1 minute (don't rinse the activator) and then place the piece directly on the electroless nickel plating bath.</p>\n<p>If that still does not produce good results, then you will need to seal the piece with a two-part epoxy sealer and do the process again.</p>\n"}]
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