Method for forming a metal deposit on the surface of a substrate, and uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for forming a metal deposit on the surface of a solid substrate, said method including at least: 1) a step of functionalizing the surface of the substrate by means of —O—P, —O—P—O, —O—S, or —O—S—O groupings; 2) a step of mixing the substrate with metal or metal-oxide particles sublimated at a low temperature; 3) a step of heat-treating the substrate obtained above after step 2), it being understood that said step 3) is only carried out when metal is utilized in the above step 2), said step 3) also being carried out at a temperature that is lower than the temperature for melting the metal in question and further being carried out in the air so as to oxidize said metal; and 4) a step of reducing the metal oxide obtained in step 3) or the metal oxide utilized in step 2) in a reducing atmosphere at a temperature of 0.1 Tf to a temperature that is lower than Tf, Tf being the melting temperature expressed in Kelvin, reducing said metal oxide and concentration sublimating the metal and/or metal oxide, and then bending the metal atoms to the phosphorus atoms of the —O—P groupings, to the sulfur atoms of the O—S groupings, or to the free oxygen atom of the O—P—O or —O—S—O groupings connected to the substrate. The invention also relates to the uses of the method, in particular for preparing reinforcements for powder metallurgy, for casting, or for improving the thermal conductivity of materials.