It is known in the art to which this invention pertains to electrodeposit upon a basis metal a metallic material exemplified by zinc, copper, nickel, nickel-iron or the like utilizing in the electroplating baths a polyethylenimine having the general empirical formula --[C.sub.2 H.sub.5 N].sub.x --, and a sulfonating agent for the polyethylenimine whereby there is obtained a reaction product which contains nitrogen substituted sulfamate groups as an integral part of the polymer chain. The nitrogen substituted sulfamate unit of the reaction product is represented by the formula: ##STR2## where, M = H, Li, Na, K or NH.sub.4. The ratio of these nitrogen substituted sulfamate units to amino units, --[CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 N]--, in the reaction product is determined by the molar ratio of the polymer repeat unit, --[C.sub.2 H.sub.5 N]--, to sulfonating agent in the reaction.
The inventive concept set forth above, which is disclosed in commonly assigned application Ser. No. 603,563 filed Aug. 11, 1975, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,101,387, has fulfilled a need long existing in the art with respect to a bath composition which simply contains polyvinyl alcohol, an aromatic aldehyde and a chelating agent. It has now been discovered by applicant that markedly improved results by way of adhesion and simplicity of manufacturing techniques can be obtained when there is incorporated in the bath composition a sulfamalkylated polyamine of the structure earlier described.