Method and apparatus for concomitant particulate deposition in electroless plating, and the product thereof

In the electroless plating of preconditioned articles of metal, ceramic, glass, polymer, wood or other material of small enough mass affording buoyant suspension within an electroless plating solution incorporating a soluble salt of a platable metal together with a soluble reductant for said metal, the obtainment of concomitant particle inclusion with the electroless plate of insoluble, inert non-catalytic particles in the size range of about 0.05.mu. to about 100.mu. comprising subjecting said articles to buoyant tumbling within a continously circulating expanding jet stream of said electroless plating solution containing a suspension of said particles for a sufficient time to obtain a preselected amount of electroless plating with concomitant deposition of said particles on said articles.