I think one of the interesting things about mesh is that the many 'crossover points' created by the intersecting wires create gaps of a wide range of sizes as they approach each other asymptopically. And burnishing with a pallladium rod will also make those crossover points rub against each other creating more dislocations, surface damage and possibly microscopic friction welds.
Absolutely.
Also, I modelled the emery flatting process in CAD a couple of weeks ago. I did it first for single weave, and then for the double twill when I found out that's what TM used. The figures are amazing. I got the software to find the area of the eliptical flats, and when I did the numbers, here's what I found. By using this approach, with the single weave, on 3 off 300 x 200 meshes , there are: 2.3 E+7 flat sites, each of which contains ( and it will, of course, have a random distribution too, to further cover idiosyncratic combinations), around 2-3 ng of Pd, which from memory equates to about 100 atoms thick. We are likely also talking about steps and terraces that are so important in the mechanism of dissociation/ abs/adsorption. The double weave only has 25% of the flat sites, but they are larger, giving 50% of the area in total, so 2 x the thickness.
Also there is the difference of the other methods of coating Ni with Pd that TM has used or mentioned. Firstly electrolplating. This will not completely cover the surface. The reason is that the acute interstices formed as one wire crosses the other and they touch tangentially will be starved of electrons under the rules of the point charge density theory, which greatly favours sharp convex features over sharp concave ones. This would generate something more covered but also akin to the partial cover of the Mizuno rubbing method. In contrast, electroless deposition is a chemical effect which is not subject to p.c.d.t., so should still cover in the interstices, although, of course, the thin layer will easily be ruptured due to differential flexing movement in those places.
Personally, either by design, or instinct, or a mixture, I reckon TM has hit on a very effective method with his rubbing process. It covers a whole host of variabilities all in one hit.
If we can get replicated, there is going to be some fabulous development to be done here.