Meta-Poly® Polymer Metallization
Selective metal deposition on polymers for conductive and functional surfaces without compromising flexibility or performance.
What is Meta-Poly®?
Meta-Poly® is ProPlate’s proprietary process for depositing metal directly onto polymer substrates without chemical etching or conductive paints. The process creates an atomically bonded metal layer on the polymer surface, maintaining flexibility and integrity while enabling electrical conductivity and functional surface properties. Compatible substrates include Pebax, PEEK, polyamide, urethane, nylon, PET, and other medical-compliant polymers. Gold and silver are the primary metals deposited. Copper is also available for specific applications.
For non-medical polymer metallization applications including electronics, semiconductor, aerospace, and energy, visit our Plating onto Plastics page.
Why Metal Deposition on Polymers Matters
Modern medical devices increasingly rely on flexible materials that require electrical functionality without sacrificing performance.
Meta-Poly® enables:
- Electrical conductivity on non-metallic surfaces
- Integration of electrodes and conductive pathways
- Low-profile designs for minimally invasive devices
- Reliable adhesion without risk of delamination
- Functional integration without secondary components
Where Meta-Poly® Is Used
Meta-Poly ® is commonly used in catheter-based and implantable medical devices, including:
Medical Balloons
Enables electrodes and conductive traces directly on balloon surfaces while maintaining flexibility during inflation and deflation.
Catheter-Based Systems
Supports integration of conductive pathways without increasing device profile or complexity.
Electrophysiology Devices
Allows precise electrode placement for mapping, sensing, and ablation applications.
Neurovascular & Micro Devices
Applies functional metal features to small, complex geometries where precision is critical.
Sensors & Diagnostic Components
Enables signal transmission and monitoring capabilities on flexible substrates.
Implantable & Minimally Invasive Devices
Provides durable, biocompatible metal layers for functional performance in the body.
Have questions about polymer metallizatino for your medical device application?
Medical Plating onto Plastics
Meta-Poly® is ProPlate’s qualified approach to plating onto plastics for medical device applications, developed specifically to meet the biocompatibility, regulatory, and performance requirements of implantable and catheter-based medical devices. Beyond flexible polymer substrates, ProPlate also metallizes rigid and structural plastic components used in medical device assemblies.
Compatible Substrates:
ABS, PEEK, Polycarbonate, Nylon, and other medical-grade plastics
Benefits:
- Electrical conductivity
- Corrosion resistance
- Wear protection
- Improved surface performance
- Improved structural integrity
Common Use Cases:
- Catalyst components
- Sensor housings
- Functional device assemblies
For non-medical plating onto plastics applications including electronics, semiconductor, aerospace, and energy, visit our Plating onto Plastics page.
How ProPlate Metallizes Medical Plastics
ProPlate selects and combines process routes based on the resin, geometry, and application requirements of each medical device program. The same core approaches used across our broader plating onto plastics capability are applied here within ProPlate’s ISO 13485:2016 certified quality system.
Wet Chemistry Metallization
A qualified aqueous process prepares and activates the polymer surface to accept an initial metal layer. Suited for high volumes of small parts and compatible with barrel and Spouted Bed Electrode (SBE) plating.
Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD)
A sputtered seed layer establishes adhesion and conductivity physically rather than chemically, bringing chemically inert medical-grade polymers into reach that wet chemistry alone cannot reliably activate.
Electrolytic Plating
Once the surface is conductive, the functional finish is built electrolytically to the thickness, composition, and biocompatibility requirements of the specific medical application.
Combination Processes
Most medical programs use a combination route, a PVD or wet chemistry seed followed by electrolytic buildup, converging on one qualified finish and one validation protocol within ProPlate’s ISO 13485:2016 quality system.
For a detailed overview of ProPlate’s full plating onto plastics process capabilities across all industries, visit our Plating onto Plastics page.
Looking to integrate functionality into polymer components?
Meta-Poly® in Action
Meta-Poly® coatings are engineered to maintain adhesion and performance under real-world conditions, including expansion, flexing, and insertion.
Meta-Poly® | Deposited Balloon Insertion into Liner
Meta-Poly® | Deposited Balloon Inflation/Deflation Cycle
Our robust metallizing processes are thoroughly designed and maintained to ensure the highest quality standards. Medical Device Quality System: ISO 13485:2016 Certified
Engineering Challenges in Medical Devices
Applying metal to flexible polymers presents unique challenges related to adhesion, durability, and performance. Meta-Poly® is engineered to address these challenges while maintaining material integrity.
| Key Challenges | ProPlate Solutions | Achieving adhesion on flexible polymer substrates | Proprietary process eliminates need for chemical etching |
|---|---|
| Preventing cracking or delamination during espansion | Strong, conformal metal layers for reliable adhesion |
| Maintaining conductivity under mechanical stress | Coatings that flex with the substrate during use |
| Avoiding damage to heat-sensitive materials | Processing compatible with sensitive polymer materials |
| Integrating functionality without increasing profile | Selective deposition for precise functional design |
Components Supported with Meta-Poly®
Meta-Poly® is used to apply metal to a wide range of polymer-based medical components, including:
- Balloon catheters
- Flexible substrates and films
- Polymer-based electrodes
- Micro-scale components and assemblies
- Custom geometries requiring selective metal deposition
- Molded rigid plastic housings and enclosures
- Medical device battery casings
- Sensor housings
- Structural medical device assemblies
- Catalyst components
- Connector bodies and functional device assemblies requiring conductivity, corrosion resistance, or wear protection
- Medical-grade polymer substrates including Pebax, PEEK, polyamide, urethane, nylon, PET, and other medical-compliant materials
Each solution is engineered to meet electrical, mechanical, and dimensional requirements.
Application Examples & Technical Resources
Meta-Poly® Metallization for Polymer Medical Devices
Traditional methods for coating polymers rely on chemical etching or conductive paints, which introduce toxicity risks and weak adhesion in medical applications. ProPlate developed the Meta-Poly® process to electroplate metals directly onto polymers without etching, creating a strong, biocompatible bond. The result is a low-profile, conductive, and reliable coating solution that enables new design possibilities for catheter-based and implantable devices.
Meta-Poly® Metallization for Polymer Medical Devices
Traditional methods for integrating electrodes on medical balloons rely on adhesives or conductive paints, which can crack, delaminate, or dislodge during use. ProPlate developed the Meta-Poly® process to metallize electrodes and trace patterns directly onto the polymer with strong, reliable adhesion. The result is a flexible, biocompatible solution that maintains balloon performance while enabling consistent electrical functionality.
Metallized Polymer Contact Pins for Wearable Insulin Delivery
Modern insulin delivery systems depend on millimeter-scale contact pins at the interface between the disposable fluid path and the durable electronics, where sweat and saline attack conventional finishes and machining is the wrong cost structure at tens of millions of units per year. ProPlate applied its Plating onto Plastics platform to metallize micromolded LCP and PEEK contact pins with a biocompatible gold-over-barrier stack. The result was connector-grade electrical performance and ISO 10993 biocompatibility on a molded polymer pin, qualified through two independent routes and documented to support the OEM’s design history file.
Meta-Poly® Prototype Products
ProPlate offers ready-to-order Meta-Poly® metallized polymer balloon sample kits for engineers evaluating metal deposition on polymer substrates for early-stage development and design validation.
Meta-Poly® Sample Kit
P025 — 0.25µ Gold Deposition
A metallized polymer balloon with 0.25 microns of gold deposition. Ideal for evaluating thin, conductive gold coatings on flexible polymer substrates.
Meta-Poly® Sample Kit
PT04 — 4µ Gold/Silver/Gold Stack
A metallized polymer balloon with a 4 micron gold/silver/gold deposition stack. Demonstrates a multi-layer metal deposition system on a flexible polymer substrate.
Need a custom configuration or have questions about a specific application?
Frequently Asked Questions About Meta-Poly®
What is Meta-Poly® and how does it work?
Meta-Poly® is ProPlate’s proprietary process for depositing metal directly onto polymer substrates without chemical etching or conductive paints. The process creates an atomically bonded metal layer on the polymer surface, comparable in bond strength to a metal-to-metal electroplated bond. Because it does not rely on toxic chromic acid etching or adhesive-backed films, Meta-Poly® is biocompatible and suitable for medical device applications.
What polymer substrates is Meta-Poly® compatible with?
Meta-Poly® has been successfully applied to Pebax, PEEK, polyamide, urethane, nylon, PET, ABS, polycarbonate, LCP, and other medical-compliant polymers. ProPlate’s team evaluates substrate compatibility for each new application and can develop custom processes for additional polymer materials.
What metals can be deposited using Meta-Poly®?
Meta-Poly® primarily deposits gold and silver, both of which are biocompatible and provide reliable electrical conductivity on polymer substrates. Copper deposition is also available for specific applications. Gold is the most commonly specified metal for Meta-Poly® applications due to its biocompatibility and stable conductivity.
What medical device applications use Meta-Poly®?
Meta-Poly® is used in catheter-based and implantable medical devices where functional metal features must be integrated onto flexible or rigid polymer components. Applications include electrodes and conductive traces on balloon catheters, conductive pathways on flexible substrates and films, electrode placement for electrophysiology mapping and ablation, neurovascular and micro-scale device components, sensors and diagnostic assemblies, micromolded contact pins and electrodes for wearable medical devices, rigid structural housings and enclosures, medical device battery casings, and sensor housings requiring conductivity, corrosion resistance, or wear protection. Meta-Poly® is designed for functional metallization and conductivity, not radiopacity. For radiopaque marker applications on catheters, Vizi-Band® is ProPlate’s purpose-built technology.
How does Meta-Poly® compare to traditional polymer plating methods?
Traditional polymer plating relies on chromic acid etching to prepare the polymer surface for adhesion, which introduces toxicity concerns incompatible with medical device manufacturing. Conductive paint methods achieve adhesion only as strong as the paint itself, creating delamination and cracking risks during use.
Meta-Poly® eliminates both methods, creating an atomically bonded metal layer that flexes with the substrate and maintains adhesion under the mechanical stresses of real-world medical device use, including expansion, folding, and repeated manipulation during device insertion.
Can the Meta-Poly® coating withstand balloon inflation and deflation?
Yes. Meta-Poly® coatings are engineered to maintain adhesion and conductivity under repeated expansion, contraction, folding, and insertion cycles. The metal layer is applied through a process that accommodates the elastic properties of the base polymer, allowing the balloon to be folded, expanded, elongated, and manipulated while maintaining coating integrity and electrical performance.
Does ProPlate offer Meta-Poly® prototype products?
Yes. ProPlate offers two Meta-Poly® metallized polymer balloon sample kits available for direct purchase through the ProPlate shop. The P025 kit features 0.25 microns of gold deposition, and the PT04 kit features a 4 micron gold/silver/gold deposition stack. Both are available for engineers in early-stage development and feasibility evaluation.