Electroless Plating of Ultrathin Films and Mirrors of Platinum Nanoparticles onto Polymers, Metals, and Ceramics

An organoplatinum precursor enables electroless deposition of platinum coatings, films, and mirrors on natural materials, synthetic polymers, metals, and ceramics by simply heating the precursor solution to temperatures of 80 degrees C or above. The films are comprised of densely packed platinum nanoparticles of 1-5 nm in size: they are flexible and electrically conducting and have pore sizes in the nanometer range.