Abstract: A method for anodizing a part made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy by immersing the part in an aqueous bath essentially comprising sulfuric acid at a concentration of 150 to 250 g/L and at a temperature of 5 to 25° C. A DC voltage according to a voltage profile comprising a voltage increased at a rate of 1 to 32 V/min is applied to the part. The voltage is maintained at a plateau voltage value of 12 to 20 V for a duration sufficient for obtaining, at the surface of the part, an anode layer having a thickness of 3 to 7 ?m and/or a layer weight of 20 to 150 mg/dm2.

Abstract: A method for removing rare earth impurities from a nickel-electroplating solution by adding a rare earth compound to the nickel-electroplating solution containing rare earth impurities, keeping the electroplating solution at 60° C. or higher for a certain period of time, and then removing precipitate generated by the heating from the nickel-electroplating solution together with the added rare earth compound by sedimentation and/or filtration.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the shearing and dispersion of an active flocculent that is discharged from an electrolytic reactor into a larger volume or flow of water are disclosed. The device is submerged in a natural body of water, tank, etc. and is connected to the reactor via a fluid conduit such that the effluent is discharged under pressure through the device into the body of water. The accelerator device uses available pressure to shear the active flocculent into smaller size particles by impingement and to mix the reactor discharge into a larger volume or flow of water by entrainment. The apparatus uses the available pressure present in the reactor discharge and therefore is recovering waste energy from the available hydraulic power for operation.

Abstract: A method of controlling alloy composition of deposited gold-tin alloy during electroplating of a large panel includes masking at least one planar surface of the panel with conductive material applied in a predetermined pattern. The masked panel is located at least partially within an electroplating solution including a gold-tin alloy in solution at a predetermined gold:tin ratio. Electrical current applied to the masked panel is conducted across the planar surface via the conductive material to induce a predetermined electrical current distribution across the planar surface and thereby pull gold ions and tin ions from the electroplating solution. The pulled ions are deposited upon a supermajority of an unmasked area of the masked panel. The predetermined pattern is selected to achieve deposition of the gold-tin alloy with substantially uniform alloy composition, directly corresponding to the predetermined gold:tin ratio, across the supermajority of the unmasked area of the masked panel.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and apparatus for determining leveler concentration in an electroplating solution. The approach allows the concentration of leveler to be detected and measured, even at very low leveler concentrations. According to the various embodiments, the methods involve providing an electrode with a metal surface, exposing the electrode to a pre-acceleration solution with at least one accelerator, allowing the surface of the electrode to become saturated with accelerator, measuring an electrochemical response while plating the electrode in a solution, and determining the concentration of leveler in the solution by comparing the measured electrochemical response to a model relating leveler concentration to known electrochemical responses. According to other embodiments, the apparatus includes an electrode, a measuring apparatus or an electrochemical cell configured to measure an electrochemical response, and a controller designed to carry out the method outlined above.

Abstract: Electromagnetic water treatment devices for applying electromagnetic fields to liquids, such as water are disclosed. The water treatment devices may include a water-immersible probe configured to generate electromagnetic output fields effective to remove scale, prevent the growth of scale and/or eliminate microbes in a water supply system. Systems and methods for treating water using the disclosed devices are also provided.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a nuclear fuel material recovery method of recovering a nuclear fuel material containing thorium metal by reprocessing an oxide of a nuclear fuel material containing thorium oxide in a spent fuel is provided. The method has: a first electrolytic reduction step of electrolytically reducing thorium oxide in a first molten salt of alkaline-earth metal halide; a first reduction product washing step of washing a reduction product; and a main electrolytic separation step of separating the reduction product. The first molten salt further contains alkali metal halide, and contains at least one out of a group consisting of calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium fluoride and magnesium fluoride. The method may further has a second electrolytic reduction step of electrolytically reducing uranium oxide, plutonium oxide, and minor actinoid oxide in a second molten salt of alkali metal halide.

Abstract: A method for surface treatment of aluminum alloys for forms an oxidation film in the aluminum alloys for casting by adding a metallic anion compound to an electrolytic solution. The method can prevent cracks from occurring on a surface of the aluminum alloys for casting at the time of applying an anodizing method.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for producing a duplicate of a nano-pattern texture of a surface of an object through electroforming using an imprint mold comprises selecting the object having the nano-pattern texture, disposing the selected object and pretreating a surface of the object by washing, drying and then forming a nano-thin film thereto to block transfer of impurities, metallizing a surface of the plastic mold through, e.g., vapor deposition, spraying, and wet silver mirror reaction, and performing a first electroforming of the surface of the plastic mold, and repeating to thus manufacture a plurality of metal module master molds.

Abstract: A film deposition device (1A) of a metal film includes: a solid electrolyte membrane (13) that allows metal ions to be contained; a positive electrode (11) made of a porous body; a power supply part (14) that applies a voltage between the positive electrode and a base material; and a contact pressurization part (20) that comes into contact with the positive electrode (11) and uniformly pressurizes a film deposition region of a surface of the base material by the solid electrolyte membrane (13) via the positive electrode (11). The positive electrode (11) made of the porous body is capable of transmitting a solution containing the metal ions such that the metal ions are supplied to the solid electrolyte membrane. The power supply part (14) applies a voltage between the positive electrode and the base material so that the metal film made of the metal is deposited.

Abstract: A component of a substrate processing apparatus that performs plasma processing on a substrate includes a base mainly formed of an aluminum alloy containing silicon. A film is formed on the surface of the base by an anodic oxidation process which includes connecting the component to an anode of a power supply and immersing the component in a solution mainly formed of an organic acid. The film is impregnated with ethyl silicate.

Abstract: This invention relates to an electrochemical sensor (1), comprising a base element (3), which is made of electrically insulating material and has a planar surface (9), and a pair of conductors (5), which are attached to said planar surface (9) of the base element (3), wherein the two conductors (5) of the pair are connected by at least one wire-shaped electrochemical working electrode (7). The invention further related to a sensor array (21), which has several previously described sensors (1), and to a method for coating a working electrode (7) of the previously described sensor (1).

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for plating a metal onto a work piece are described. In one aspect, an apparatus includes a plating chamber, a substrate holder, an anode chamber housing an anode, an ionically resistive ionically permeable element positioned between a substrate and the anode chamber during electroplating, an auxiliary cathode located between the anode and the ionically resistive ionically permeable element, and an insulating shield with an opening in its central region. The insulating shield may be movable with respect to the ionically resistive ionically permeable element to vary a distance between the shield and the ionically resistive ionically permeable element during electroplating.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for electroplating metal onto substrates are disclosed. The electroplating apparatus comprise an electroplating cell and at least one oxidization device. The electroplating cell comprises a cathode chamber and an anode chamber separated by a porous barrier that allows metal cations to pass through but prevents organic particles from crossing. The oxidation device (ODD) is configured to oxidize cations of the metal to be electroplated onto the substrate, which cations are present in the anolyte during electroplating. In some embodiments, the ODD is implemented as a carbon anode that removes Cu(I) from the anolyte electrochemically. In other embodiments, the ODD is implemented as an oxygenation device (OGD) or an impressed current cathodic protection anode (ICCP anode), both of which increase oxygen concentration in anolyte solutions. Methods for efficient electroplating are also disclosed.

Abstract: An Sn alloy plating apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a plating bath configured to store an Sn alloy plating solution therein with an insoluble anode and a substrate immersed in the Sn alloy plating solution, an Sn dissolving having an anion exchange membrane therein which isolates an anode chamber, in which an Sn anode is disposed, and a cathode chamber, in which a cathode is disposed, from each other, a pure water supply structure configured to supply pure water to the anode chamber and the cathode chamber, a methanesulfonic acid solution supply structure configured to supply a methanesulfonic acid solution, containing a methanesulfonic acid, to the anode chamber and the cathode chamber, and an Sn replenisher supply structure configured to supply an Sn replenisher, produced in the anode chamber and containing Sn ions and a methanesulfonic acid, to the plating bath.

Abstract: The uniformity of electroplating a metal (e.g., copper) on a semiconductor wafer is improved by using an electroplating apparatus having a flow-shaping element positioned in the proximity of the semiconductor wafer, wherein the flow-shaping element is made of a resistive material and has two types of non-communicating channels made through the resistive material, such that the electrolyte is transported towards the substrate through both types of channels. The first type of channels is not perpendicular to the plane defined by a plating face of the substrate. The second type of channels is perpendicular to the plane defined by the plating face of the substrate. The channels of the first and second type are substantially spatially segregated. In one embodiment a plurality of channels of the first type are located in the central portion of the flow-shaping element and are surrounded by a plurality of channels of the second type.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for plating a metal onto a work piece with a plating solution having a low oxygen concentration are described. In one aspect, a method includes reducing an oxygen concentration of a plating solution. The plating solution includes about 100 parts per million or less of an accelerator. After reducing the oxygen concentration of the plating solution, a wafer substrate is contacted with the plating solution in a plating cell. The oxygen concentration of the plating solution in the plating cell is about 1 part per million or less. A metal is electroplated with the plating solution onto the wafer substrate in the plating cell. After electroplating the metal onto the wafer substrate, an oxidizing strength of the plating solution is increased.

Abstract: In a process for anodizing a metal object (12), the metal object (12) is contacted with an anodizing electrolyte (32), and is first pre-anodized so as to grow a thin oxide film on the surface. The microscopic surface area is then deduced from electrical measurements either during pre-anodizing or on the pre-anodized surface. The metal object (12) can then be anodized. This is applicable when treating an implant to provide a surface that has the ability to incorporate biocidal material such as silver ions. The pre-anodizing uses a low voltage, for example no more than 2. V, and may take less than 120 seconds.

Abstract: A high temperature high pressure electrostatic treater and method of use are described for removing water from heavy crude oil. The electrostatic treater is comprised of a vessel with a wet bitumen inlet and water outlet in the upper portion of the vessel, a dry bitumen outlet in the lower portion of the vessel, a plurality of electrodes on an electrically isolating support inside the vessel, an entrance bushing, and an interface control to regulate the flow of water through the water outlet. The water outlet is located above the dry bitumen outlet. The electrostatic treater and method reduce the amount of diluent needed to process the heavy crude when compared to the prior art.

Abstract: Provided is a metal coating film formation device capable of forming a film using a simple device configuration and in a short time, and capable of performing the formation of a film of metal coating continuously for a long period. A film formation device 1A is provided with an anode 11, a solid electrolyte film 13 disposed between the anode 11 and the base material B, and a power supply unit 16 that applies a voltage between the anode 11 and the base material B. The anode 11 is a non-porous anode comprising the same metal as the metal of the metal coating. Between the anode 11 and the solid electrolyte film 13, a porous material 14 is disposed in contact with the anode 11 and the solid electrolyte film 13. The porous material 14 includes a plurality of pores providing communication between the anode 11 and the solid electrolyte film 13 and being supplied with a metal solution L.