Nickel/aluminum oxide composite was electroformed in a sulfamate bath with 50 g/L of 0.05 mu m aluminum oxide powder. Different plating methods, including direct current plating, periodic pulse plating, and periodic reverse pulse plating, were used. With conventional direct current plating, the maximum particle inclusion in the nickel matrix remains about 2 wt %. However, much higher percentile particle inclusions were achieved when a specific pulse reversal plating technique was applied. The particle incorporation approaches the theoretical maximum when the deposit thickness per cycle approaches the particle diameter size at lower duty cycle. The highest particle incorporation achieved is 23% (by weight). Conceptual models interpreting the dramatic differences in the results of these plating methods are proposed. (c) 2005 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/1.1948947] All rights reserved.