Method for electrodeposition on a conductive particulate substrate

A method of electrodepositing a metal on an electrically conductive particulate substrate comprising the steps of:

• providing a cathode that is distinct from the particulate substrate;
• providing an anode formed from the metal to be electrodeposited;
• providing a separator between the anode and the cathode, the separator being a semipermeable membrane that is porous to an electrolyte and to the metal ions, but not to the particulate substrate, the separator being configured to maintain the particulate substrate within a substrate volume proximate to the cathode;
• providing the particulate substrate within the substrate volume at a concentration that is in a range of from 0.0001 vol % to 5 vol %, where vol % refers to a percentage of the substrate volume that is occupied by the particulate substrate;
• locating the substrate, cathode and anode within an electrodeposition bath comprising the electrolyte;
• and
• applying a voltage between said anode and cathode, thereby causing metal ions to flow from the anode to the cathode.