Abstract: A dielectric substrate is conditioned for plating from an electroless metal plating bath by providing the surface or surfaces of the substrate that are to be plated with semiconductor material whereby the semiconductor material, in the case of n-type material, exhibits energy band where the valence band is equal to or higher than and, in the case of p-type material, exhibits energy band where the valence band is equal to or lower than the redox potential of the metallic ions in the electroless plating bath that are to be deposited as metal on the substrate.

Abstract: A copper plating bath containing a sulfur-containing anion other than sulfate anion and/or a selenium-containing anion other than a selenate anion and/or a tellurium-containing anion other than a tellurate anion in an amount sufficient to increase the plating rate, and method for electroplating copper onto a substrate with the plating bath.

Abstract: The concentration of an organic additive in a plating bath is determined by providing a polished and constant current density preplated rotating disc cathode, a reference electrode and anode in an electrolytic copper plating bath, passing an electric current from the anode to the cathode and reference electrode; measuring the voltage difference between the cathode and reference electrode; and comparing the difference to values for known concentrations of the organic additive.

Abstract: Fuel cell catalysts which are efficient, long-lived, and refurbishable in-situ include gold carrying a UPD deposit of another element. UPD Ag, Pt, Pd, Ir, Rh or Tl, Pb and Bi on Au crystallites are carried on and bonded to another substrate. The crystallites cause dissociative adsorption of the oxygen molecules so that four electrons are produced per molecule during the reduction reaction which is involved. In an alkaline electrolyte, the catalyst metals such as Pd, Ir, Ag, Rh and Pt show no tendency to poison the counter electrode (counter relative to the other electrode) since each of those metals is a good catalyst for both electrodes. Suitable fuels include methanol (CH.sub.3 OH), formaldehyde (HCHO), and formic acid (HCOOH).