Processes and products of sensitizing substrates

A sensitizing process is described as well as the resulting new articles of manufacture suitable for the production of metallized bodies such as printed circuits, dials, nameplates, metallized plastics, glass, ceramics and the like, comprising bases coated with a halide containing aqueous sensitizing solution of pH 1.5-4.0 that deposits a layer of copper, nickel, cobalt or iron salts or salt compositions, which on exposure to radiant energy such as heat, light, ultraviolet light, electron beams or X-rays is converted to a layer of metal nuclei which is non-conductive but which is capable of catalyzing the deposition of metal onto the base from an electroless metal deposition solution in contact with the metal nuclei