A Process to Produce High-Purity Encapsulated Particulates in Large Quantities

This is a proposal to research new methods of coating small particles using a water-based electroplating process. These methods would build upon existing technology, in which small particulates are placed into a metallic-ion-containing electrolyte solution inside an electroplating device. The particulates are repeatedly stirred, allowing sedimentation to occur by gravity until a sedimentation layer of loosely contacted particles is formed on the cathode plate. An electric current is created from the electromotive potential that exists across the anode and cathode plates. The stirring, sedimentation and electroplating processes are performed in sequence. Electroplating is interrupted during the stirring and seminentation steps, and stirring immediately follows electroplating.