On 21/01/2011 04:32, Phil Hobbs wrote:
I have a partly-baked idea for improving temperature controllers, but it
requires a bunch of nickel plated polyimide film--say 3 to 8 mils thick,
with 40 microinches of electroless nickel on it.

I need to pattern it and then solder to it. Copper is too conductive,
which is a pity, since I already have a roll of polyimide with 1/2 oz Cu
on it.

I haven't found anybody that's interested in supplying it in engineering
quantities (say 10 square feet).

Anyone here have a favourite shop that does nickel plating on plastic?

You might find your local electroplating shop can do electroless nickel
plating from a physical reducing bath.

Just about DIYable for small quantities if you don't want a very thick
layer. Might even be possible to pattern it with a suitable resist.

http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/std/cppb/me...lectroless.htm

Nickel is one of the metals for which reducing baths work well.

Regards,
Martin Brown