Patent ID: 8006892

Claim:
A method for forming a highly electroconductive silver coating on the surface of an aluminum piece, there being an oxide layer on the surface of the aluminum piece, and the method comprising: removing the oxide layer from the surface of the aluminum piece, heating the aluminum piece in a first stage, cleaning the surface of the aluminum piece after the first heating stage in order to remove any oxide layer formed on said surface after removing the oxide layer before the first heating stage, after the first heating stage, placing a silver piece in contact with a surface of the aluminum piece, heating the aluminum piece and the silver piece in contact therewith in a second stage at least to the temperature required for the eutectic reaction between aluminum and silver, the heating taking place under slightly reductive conditions, and during the second heating stage, pressing the silver piece against the aluminum piece by cyclically applying a load in the order of 0.2-3 bar to an area of the silver piece that is smaller than the silver piece.