Methods for coating surfaces with metal and products made thereby

A method of coating a substrate with a metal, wherein said substrate comprises individual fibers, the method comprising the steps of:

• applying a liquid light-sensitive bonding material to said substrate under lighting conditions to prevent premature curing of said liquid light-sensitive bonding material, resulting in a portion of said wet light-sensitive bonding material being absorbed into said substrate, and resulting in said substrate being wet;
• applying said metal to said wet substrate under lighting conditions to prevent premature curing of said bonding material and allowing said substrate to remain wet, thereby forming a wet metal-coated substrate;
• drying said wet substrate at a temperature compatible with said bonding material and under lighting conditions to prevent premature curing of said bonding material, thereby resulting in portions of said metal adhering to a portion of said individual fibers;
• and
• exposing said dry substrate to a light source having an intensity and for a period of time sufficient to cure at least portions of said light-sensitive bonding material.