Patent ID: 11952667
Assignee: THE SWATCH GROUP RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT LTD
Field: Surface technology, coating (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC C  A  G | IPC A  C  G

Claim 0:
1. A method for depositing a decorative and/or functional layer on at least a portion of a surface of a finished or semi-finished article made of a ceramic material initially non-conductive of electricity, the method comprising:
subjecting the at least a portion of the surface of the article to a plasma carburizing or plasma nitriding during which, respectively, carbon or nitrogen atoms diffuse in the at least a portion of the surface of the article, then
depositing, by galvanic growth of a metallic material, the decorative and/or functional layer on the at least a portion of the surface of the article which has undergone the carburizing or nitriding,
wherein the plasma carburizing or plasma nitriding is carried out in a plasma reactor or in a hot filament reactor which allows to create a reactive atmosphere,
wherein the plasma carburizing or plasma nitriding comprises introducing the article into a reactor wherein an at least partial vacuum is created before creating a plasma obtained from ionizing a mixture of hydrogen, neutral gas, and traces of carbon, and
wherein the article is made of ZrO2, Al2O3, or SiO2.