A method for applying a metal on a substrate comprises: a) applying a coating by treatment in a plasma, comprising a compound selected from alkanes up to 10 carbon atoms, and unsaturated monomers, and b1) producing polymers on the surface of the substrate, the polymers comprising carboxylic groups and adsorbed ions of a second metal, reducing the ions to the second metal, or alternatively b2) producing polymers on the surface, bringing the surface of the substrate in contact with a dispersion of colloidal metal particles of at least one second metal, and c) depositing the first metal on the second metal. Advantages include that materials sensitive to, for instance, low pH or solvents can be coated. Substrates including glass, SiO.sub.2 with very few or no abstractable hydrogen atoms as well as polymer materials containing halogen atoms can be coated with good adhesion.

A component carrier which comprises a stack comprising at least one electrically conductive layer structure and/or at least one electrically insulating layer structure, and a photosensitive adhesion promoter on or above the stack, wherein only a sub-portion of the photosensitive adhesion promoter is photoactivated, and electrically conductive material selectively on said sub-portion of the photosensitive adhesion promoter.

The present invention is to provide a metal particle dispersion for electroconductive substrates, which has high dispersibility and dispersion stability and which is able to form a film that shows high electroconductivity after baking. Disclosed is a metal particle dispersion for electroconductive substrates, comprising metal particles, a dispersant and a solvent, wherein the dispersant is a graft copolymer having at least a constitutional unit represented by the following chemical formula (I) and a constitutional unit represented by the following chemical formula (II): ##STR00001##
(Symbols in the formulae are as described in the Description.)

The present invention is to provide a dispersant which has excellent dispersibility and which is able to inhibit the oxidation of dispersed particles. Disclosed is a dispersant comprising a graft copolymer having a constitutional unit represented by the following general formula (I) and a constitutional unit represented by the following general formula (II): ##STR00001##
(Symbols shown in the general formulae (I) and (II) are as described in the Description.)