Preparation of electrically conducting particles consisting of a polymer core and a metallic copper shell

Micron-sized composite particles consisting of spherical polymer cores and metallic copper shells were prepared. Basic cupric carbonate was coated on sulfonated polymer particles by pH-controlled hydrolysis of cupric nitrate. The thickness of the coating layer was controlled by the number of polymer particles. Addition of CO^sub 2^ during aging increased the shell thickness. Electrically conducting particles were obtained by reduction with hydrogen of the composite particles obtained.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]