Methods of forming a platinum deposit on a nonconductive substrate are diosed, comprising the steps of hydrophobically treating a carbon black powder, forming a solution of chloroplatinic acid, suspending the hydrophobically treated carbon black powder in the chloroplatinic acid, immersing a nonconductive substrate in the chloroplatinic acid and adding formaldehyde to said chloroplatinic acid. The hydrophobically carbon black powder suspended in the chloroplatinic acid catalyzes and drives the reduction of platinum within the chloroplatinic acid toward the nonconductive substrate and reduces the chloroplatinic acid forming metallic platinum on the nonconductive substrate. In a preferred embodiment, a platinum deposit is formed on a glass substrate immersed in the chloroplatinic acid and the step of hydrophobically treating the carbon black powder is accomplished by adding a CF.sub.4 gas plasma to the carbon black powder.