Patent ID: 6322685
Filing Date: 2001-11-27
Classification: C25D,H05K

Abstract:
A method comprising the steps of:providing an electrically nonconductive cathode chamber with at least part of its wall area rendered permeable to ions and electrolytic solutions;premixing a predetermined quantity of electoconductive powder and a first electroplating solution;filling said cathode chamber with said powder mixture and a plurality of electroconductive spheres;disposing an electroconductive cathode ball connection in contact with said spheres and powder particles;securing said cathode chamber to a cap which is a part of a rotary assembly that allows the rotation of said cathode chamber about its axis without twisting the cathode ball connection positioned within said chamber;placing the cathode chamber within an anode chamber comprising a second plating solution and an anode;rotating the cathode chamber on its axis using the rotary assembly;biasing said anode with a positive voltage in reference to said cathode ball connection causing the electroplating of a metallic coating on the surface of said powder while it is tumbled within the rotating cathode chamber;and rinsing, cleaning and optionally ball milling the mixture of the plated powder particles and the spheres to enable easy recovery of the plated powder.