Process of producing composite material consisting of sheet metal plates, metal strips and foils having a skeleton surface structure and use of the composite materials

In a process of producing composite materials consisting of sheet metal plates, metal strips and foils having a thickness of .ltoreq.5 mm, and having a skeleton surface structure in a thickness of 1.0 to 400 .mu.m containing catalyst material, comprises:

• applying a layer of a difficulty flowable material powder which is intended to constitute the skeleton structure and consists of irregular shaped particles in a size of 0.1 to 10 .mu.m, to a surface-forming pretreated metallic carrier layer, continuously moving the carrier layer relative to the powder being dispensed, bonding said powder to the carrier layer by a cold roll cladding by which the carrier layer is simultaneously deformed by 20 to 60%, and sintering the metal powder in a reducing atmosphere at temperatures of 600.degree. to 1000.degree. C. with a holding time of 10 to 45 minutes, the improvement comprising uniformly distributing and applying the powder as regards its bulk volume by moving the powder layer under a distributing roller which rotates opposite to the main direction of movement of the carrier layer and directly contacting the powder on the carrier layer with the distributing roller without deforming to effect a uniform thickness of the powder on the carrier layer before the cold roll cladding.