Abstract: A method for making high power electrochemical charge storage devices, provides for depositing an electrically conducting polymer (16), (18), onto a non-noble metal substrate (10), which has been prepared by treatment with a surfactant. Using this method, high power, high energy electrochemical charge storage devices may be fabricated with highly reproducible low cost.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of reactivating a deactivated anode that has a coating of a noble metal or noble metal oxide on a substrate. A coating of a noble metal is deposited on the anode either electrolessly or electrolytically. The noble metal in the deposited coating can be platinum, palladium, iridium, rhodium, ruthenium, osmium, or a mixture thereof.

Abstract: An electrolytic solution comprising glycerine and dibasic potassium phosphate. The electrolytic solution has a water content of less than 1000 ppm and is prepared by mixing the glycerine and the dibasic potassium phosphate and then heating to about 150 to 180.degree. C. for about 1 to 12 hours. A method of anodizing a metal comprising forming a film on the metal with an electrolytic solution comprising glycerine and dibasic potassium phosphate. The metal is preferably a valve metal, such as tantalum, and the film is formed at a temperature of 150.degree. C. or higher.

Abstract: An electrolytic solution comprising glycerine and dibasic potassium phosphate. The electrolytic solution has a water content of less than 1000 ppm and is prepared by mixing the glycerine and the dibasic potassium phosphate and then heating to about 150.degree. to 180.degree. C. for about 1 to 12 hours. A method of anodizing a metal comprising forming a film on the metal with an electrolytic solution comprising glycerine and dibasic potassium phosphate. The metal is preferably a valve metal, such as tantalum, and the film is formed at a temperature of 150.degree. C. or higher.

Abstract: A process for polishing a metal surface, typically based on Al, Mg, Ta, Ti, Zr, Hf or their alloys, comprises a first conventional polishing step by chemical or electrolytic means and a second electrolytic micro-polishing step by anodizing in a mineral, organic or mixed acid solution to form a oxide layer of the barrier type having a thickness between 100 and 500 nm.

Abstract: An electrodeposition coating method characterized in that in electrodeposition coating of a water soluble composition of a polyimide precursor which is prepared by using 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid or its imide-forming derivative and a diamine and has a percentage of residual acid value of 30 to 3%, there is added previously a water soluble solvent selected from the group consisting of an alcoholic solvent, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, dimethylformamide and dimethylacetamide to the above-mentioned composition, and an electrodeposition coating agent used therefor. There can be provided the electrodeposition coating method practicable for the use of a water soluble polyimide composition which is capable of forming a uniform baked coating film having a continuous surface and being excellent in adhesivity to substrate and in toughness.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for forming a ceramic coating on a valve metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, zirconium, titanium, hafnium and alloys of these metals. The process comprises the steps of (a) immersing the metal as an electrode in an electrolytic bath comprising water and a solution of an alkali metal hydroxide; (b) providing an opposite electrode immersed in or containing the electrolyte liquid; (c) passing a modified shaped-wave alternate electric current from a high voltage source of at least 700 V through a surface of the metal to be coated and the opposite electrode, thereby causing dielectric breakdown, heating, melting, and thermal compacting of a hydroxide film formed on the surface of the metal to form and weld a ceramic coating thereto, and (d) changing the composition of the electrolyte while the ceramic coating is being formed, the change being effected by adding an oxyacid salt of an alkali metal.

Abstract: A method for making high power electrochemical charge storage devices, provides for depositing an electrically conducting polymer (16), (18), onto a non-noble metal substrate (10), which has been prepared by treatment with a surfactant. Using this method, high power, high energy electrochemical charge storage devices may be fabricated with highly reproducible low cost.

Abstract: A method of producing composite oxide ceramic fluorine polymer layers on articles of aluminum, magnesium, titanium or their alloys, particularly of light metal components, includes introducing particles of fluorine polymers into the capillary system of an oxide ceramic layer. The particles have a particle size which at least in one dimension is smaller than the diameter of the capillaries. The article is then subjected to alternating pressure conditions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composite oxide thin film which is characterized in that said thin film is formed, by energizing a work electrode and an opposite electrode immersed in a solution containing reactive components, through the reaction between said reactive components in the solution and said work electrode. More particularly, the present invention provides a composite oxide thin film formed through an electric-chemical reaction under water thermal conditions. According to the present invention, improvement of crystallinity is promoted by the use of water thermal conditions as compared with the conventional thin film forming methods, and it is possible to obtain a uniform composite oxide thin film having an excellent crystallinity directly at a relatively low temperature. A large-area thin film can thus easily be manufactured.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process of surface hardening for titanium alloys comprising .alpha. phase by carburization in a molten salt which consists of carbonate as the carbon-yielding agent with electrolysis within 790.degree. C. to 930.degree. C. The hardness within the effective carburizing layer is influenced by bath temperature, applied current density and carburizing period. The major hardening effect is due to the formation of solid solution of carbon in .alpha.-Ti.

Abstract: A method of producing oxide ceramic layers on Al, Mg, Ti, Ta, Zr, Nb, Hf, Sb, W, Mo, V, Bi or their alloys by a plasma-chemical anodical oxidation in a chloride-free electrolytic bath having a pH value of 2 to 8 and a constant bath temperature of -30.degree. to +15.degree. C. A current density of at least 1 A/dm.sup.2 is maintained constant in the electrolytic bath until the voltage reaches a predetermined end value.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new process for obtaining tissue-protective devices of bone surgery implants prepared from a medical-purity metal, titanium and/or a titanium-base microalloy containing at least 98% by weight of titanium, by establishing a biocompatible (tissue-protective) coating on the metal surface by anodic oxidation after degreasing and chemical or electrochemical etching, which comprises carrying out the anodic oxidation of the etched implant surfaces in an aqueous solution of a phosphate concentration lower than 20% by weight with a current density of 2 to 50 mA/cm.sup.2 until reaching a voltage of at least 105 V, then, after washing to ion-free, heat-treating the thus-oxidized implants at a temperature between 120.degree. C. and 750.degree. C. for 5 to 120 minutes, and repeating once or twice the anodic oxidation and heat-treatment with the phosphate concentration, current density and temperature values as given above for the first step.

Abstract: Method for coating a rectifier metal (aluminum) with alkali metal molybdenate/alkali metal silicate or alkali metal tungstenate/alkali metal silicate comprises immersing a rectifier metal (anode) and a cathodic metal in an electrolytic solution and imposing voltage potential between the two electrodes. The voltage is first raised to about 240 to about 260 volts during an oxidation stage, and thereafter to about 380-420 volts to form the desired coating.Unique electrolytic solutions are provided for the electrodeposition method.

Abstract: A zirconium or zirconium alloy passivation process comprises providing an electrolyte which is capable of removing nickel, nickel alloys and alloys containing nickel from the surface of a zirconium or zirconium alloy article, keeping the dissolved metal in solution while simultaneously anodizing the article surfaces. Such nickel, if not removed provides a window for hydride accumulation to occur, detrimentally affecting the alloy properties when subject to a nuclear reactor environment. An article placed in the electrolyte in proximity to a cathode and connected to a power source has the trace nickel, nickel alloys and alloys containing nickel removed to background levels and reduces the potential for hydride accumulation within the article in a nuclear reactor environment, and provides for increased article life.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic disk substrate made of titanium, in which chemical etching is performed on a titanium disk for magnetic disk substrate, thereby removing a surface portion thereof having a thickness of at least 2 nm, and the new surface of the titanium disk, formed by the chemical etching, is anodized, thereby forming anodized film on the titanium disk.

Abstract: A method for coating implantable medical devices, such as orthopaedic prostheses, with a dense, substantially non-porous oxide coating so as to minimize ion release therefrom, and the product of that process is described. The prosthesis is subjected to anodic electrolytic deposition in an alcoholic electrolyte containing alkali metal nitrate or nitric acid. In a preferred embodiment the anodically coated prosthesis is also coated with a bioactive layer of calcium phosphate.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for producing an anodized film on titanium, its alloys and other metals such that the film deposited will have a specific leak rate of less than one nanoamp per square centimeter at room temperature with an impressed electric field of at least five volts, where the anodization is performed in a solution consisting of liquid ortho-phosphoric acid of reduced water content in an aprotic solvent, and articles of manufacture therefrom.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process of surface hardening of Ti-6A1-4V alloy that can be performed by electrolytic charging in an acid solution, subsequent solution treatment, followed by dehydrogenation to obtain an equiaxed alpha grain in transformed beta matrix. Surface hardnesses of the processed specimens are better than that of the mill-annealed specimen. The depth of hardened layer depends on the charging time.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for coloring titanium, or its alloys which comprises the steps of anodizing titanium metal, or its alloy in an electrolytic solution until the voltage reaches a predetermined voltage at a constant current temporarily cutting off the current supply to interrupt the anodizing; and then supplying a direct current again at a predetermined current density to continue anodizing, wherein the color tone of the anodic oxide film formed on the titanium or its alloy is adjusted by controlling the supplied amount of current, without causing an increase in voltage. By the coloring process of the present invention, the color of titanium metal or its alloys can be changed to various color tones at low voltages.

Abstract: A method for forming a ceramics film on the surface of a substrate comprises performing spark discharge in an electrolytic bath, wherein the electrolytic bath comprises an aqueous solution of a water-soluble or colloidal silicate and/or an oxyacid salt to which ceramics fine particles and/or specific fine particles are dispersed and the spark discharge is carried out in the electrolytic bath while ensuring the suspended state of the ceramics particles and/or the specific fine particles in the electrolytic bath. The method makes it possible to effectively form, on the surface of a metal substrate, ceramics films having a variety of color tones as well as excellent insulating properties and hardness. Moreover, it further makes it possible to effectively form a composite ceramics film having excellent wear resistance on the surface of a metal substrate.

Abstract: Color change devices which are capable of undergoing a color change on bending. The devices comprise a flexible substrate having a color generating metal (e.g. a valve metal such as Ta or Nb) at at least one surface and an intimately contacting optically thin anodic film covering the color generating metal and generating a visible color by light interference and absorption effects. The thin anodic film is produced by anodizing the color generating metal in the presence of an adhesion-reducing agent (e.g. a fluoride) for weakening the normally tenacious bond between the anodic film and the metal. Devices of this kind capable of being activated by bending, as well as by separation of the constituent layers, are produced by carrying out the anodization step in the presence of a particular concentration of the adhesion reducing agent from a narrow range (e.g. 40-350 ppm of fluoride).

Abstract: By means of an electrolyte free of ammonia, cyanide, and fluoride, hence low in harmful substances and inoffensive to the environment, optically black coatings having a thickness of less than 10 microns and substantially equal optical absorption and thermal emission capability can be produced on light metals or alloys thereof by spark discharge anodizing. In comparison with prior art conversion coatings obtained by spark discharge anodizing, the coatings produced with this electrolyte have a substantially lower roughness of this electrolyte in spark discharge anodizing provides an alternative mode of coating particularly for structural components or subassemblies of complicated shapes having greater requirements for accuracy to gauge.

Abstract: Process for producing color change devices incorporating areas of contrasting appearance, and the devices so produced. The process involves masking limited areas of a layer of a color generating metal (e.g. Ta or Nb, especially commercially sputtered Ta foil), with a mask made of a material which permits anodization of an underlying surface and permits penetration of fluoride as an adhesion-reducing agent at levels employed in the process. The masked metal layer is anodized to form an anodic film on the metal, the anodization being carried out in an electrolyte containing fluoride at a concentration high enough to (a) weaken the adhesion of the anodic film to the underlying metal over the entire area of the film, and (b) to introduce voids in the anodic film in areas not covered by the mask to reduce the density, and thus the refractive index, of the film in these areas compared to areas covered by the mask. Finally the mask is removed.

Abstract: The method proposes utilization of an alkali bath for surface treatment of titanium or titanium alloy parts, the bath being comprised of an alkali hydroxide, a titanium complex forming component, and an impurity ion-complex forming component. The bath can be alternatively applied by a simple dipping procedure or as a part of an anodizing process.

Abstract: A method is provided for electrolytic coating of a rectifier metal with a hard, adherent, uniform and corrosion-resistant coating which predominates in vanadium oxides. A rectifier metal (anode) and a metal cathode are immersed in the electrolytic bath and voltage potential is applied across the two electrodes and raised to about 280 volts within about 25 to about 35 seconds, and thereafter raised further therefrom to between about 280 and about 360 volts within a few minutes until the desired coating thickness is obtained. The electrolytic bath comprises a mixture of a major amount of alkali metal orthovanadate and a minor amount of alkali metal silicate in water.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method of forming an adhesion promoting oxide surface on titanium in which the titanium surface is first abraded and then anodized in hydrofluoric acid free chromic acid.