composites because of the compensation effect that is above 1000 u00b0 c silver actually inhibits the oxidation of carbon thus even if traces of silver remained on the surface the silver would act as an inhibitor toward gasification at high temperature where these composites find application the metal or its oxide can be applied to the fiber surface from a solid liquid or gaseous source such as deposition from solution chemical vapor deposition sputtering electrodeposition electrophoresis sol gel pack cementation or plasma deposition depending upon the process of deposition of the metal or its oxide the fiber surface may have to be cleaned prior to deposition once the metal or its oxide is on the surface the fiber is heated in a reactive atmosphere at a rate less than 10 u00b0 c sec to a temperature at which the metal starts to move on the surface the temperature at which the metal commences movement i e becomes mobile and catalytic channeling or pitting starts is equal to about the half the bulk melting point of the metal the catalytic gasification occurs at or above this temperature in practice the temperature is held constant at or less than 200 u00b0 c above the temperature at which mobility commences if the temperature is raised too high the catalyst can lose its activity gasification is terminated when the desired weight loss is reached the sample is then cooled and the catalyst is removed the most convenient way to remove the catalyst is by treatment in an acid solution but any process that does not degrade the carbon fiber can be used the metal can then be reclaimed from the acid solution if desired once the catalyst has.