Method for electroplating of micron particulates with metal coatings

A method of electroplating particulates comprising the steps of:

• (a) immersing said particulates in a metallic ion-containing electrolyte in an electroplating device having an anode and a cathode plate,
• (b) stirring said particulates in said electrolyte,
• (c) forming a sedimentation layer of loosely contacted particulates on said cathode plate by allowing said particulates to sediment by gravity on said cathode plate, and
• (d) applying an electromotive potential across said anode and cathode plate to create an electric current in said electrolyte for electroplating metallic ions on the surface of the particulates in said sedimentation layer wherein the steps of (b) stirring,
• (c) forming a sedimentation layer and (d) electroplating are performed in sequence over repeated cycles with the electroplating step (d) essentially stopped when carrying out the steps of (b) stirring and (c) forming a sedimentation layer and with the step of (b) stirring immediately following the step of (d) electroplating, and
• wherein the step of stirring (b) is sufficiently vigorous to disperse the particulates from the sedimentation layer and to break up particulates bridged by metallic coating.