Abstract: The present invention is related to a method for electrolytically depositing a zinc-nickel alloy layer on a substrate, wherein the method comprises an interrupting of the execution of the electrolytical deposition of a zinc-nickel alloy layer on the surface of a substrate by terminating applying the current from the external current source to each of the soluble zinc anode(s) and to each of the soluble nickel anode(s); and wherein afterwards at least one soluble zinc anode, which is remaining in the electrolysis reaction container, is electrically connected by an electrical connection element to form an electrical connection to at least one soluble nickel anode, which is remaining in the electrolysis reaction container, for at least a part of the defined period of time in which no current from the external current source is applied to each of the soluble zinc anode(s) and to each of the soluble nickel anode(s).

Abstract: Method for increasing corrosion resistance of substrate including an outermost chromium alloy layer, including (i) providing substrate comprising an outermost layer, the layer having color space defined by CIELAB with lightness L* of 79 or more, including oxygen and carbon, and including iron in amount up to 1 atom-%, (ii) providing an aqueous, acidic passivation solution, the solution including trivalent chromium ions, phosphate ions, one or more than one organic acid anion, (iii) contacting the substrate with the passivation solution and passing electrical current between the substrate as cathode and an anode in the passivation solution wherein a passivation layer is deposited onto the outermost layer, wherein in step (i) the outermost layer is electrolytically deposited from aqueous, acidic deposition composition, the composition including trivalent chromium ions, at least one organic acid comprising an isothiureido moiety and/or salts thereof, and chloride ions in amount of 0 wt-% to 0.1 wt-%.

Abstract: A deflectable, flexible device includes an elongate body, a convoluted tip portion at a distal end of the elongate body, and a lumen to receive one or more wires. The convoluted tip portion includes an electroformed pleated region which is formed by electrodepositing a metal on a mandrel having a pleated region. The convoluted tip portion may be hermetically sealed to permit repeated sterilization. The electroformed pleated region may include one or more fluid emission orifices. The convoluted tip portion extends or bends in response to fluid pressure manipulation, contact with tissue, manipulation with an internal spring or wire, or by a user pushing, pulling, or twisting the catheter directly or via an introducer sheath or the like. The convoluted tip portion may further include an RF ablation element or other energy-driven technique to create continuous linear lesions or a sensing element.

Abstract: A surface treatment method for an aluminum exterior part of a vehicle includes: pre-treating the aluminum exterior part comprising aluminum or an aluminum alloy; etching a surface of the pre-treated aluminum exterior part by immersing the pre-treated aluminum exterior part in an etching solution; forming an oxide layer on the surface of the aluminum exterior part by immersing the aluminum exterior part, which is subjected to the etching, in a hydrothermal synthetic solution; and forming an electrodeposition coating layer on the surface of the aluminum exterior part, which is subjected to the forming the oxide layer.

Abstract: The invention refers to a process for metallization of an article having a plastic surface avoiding the metallization of the rack which fixes the article within the plating bath.

Abstract: Copper electroplating compositions which include an imidazole compound enables the electroplating of copper having uniform morphology on substrates. The composition and methods of enable copper electroplating of photoresist defined features. Such features include pillars, bond pads and line space features.

Abstract: Development of an alternative process to conventional toxic chromic acid anodization (CAA) with equivalent corrosion resistance is a challenging task. The present invention provides a chromate free process for the manufacture of corrosion resistant sealed anodized coating for long term corrosion resistance of aerospace grade aluminum alloy. This method includes the steps of cleaning, chemical etching, anodizing in Tartaric-Sulphuric acid electrolyte followed by dipping the specimen in the sealing bath containing at least two water soluble either Mn and Mo or Mn and V oxyanions as corrosion inhibitors and a sufficient amount of alkali metal ion based nitrates at a temperature range between 60 and 80° C. for about 20 to 40 minutes at a pH range of 7 to 9. The sealed anodic coatings developed from this invention showed improved corrosion resistance in neutral 5% NaCl fog environment for greater than 2000 h of exposure.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a electronic device is provided having a current collector capable of a high specific charge collecting area and power, but is also achieved using a simple and fast technique and resulting in a robust design that may be flexed and can be manufactured in large scale processing. To this end the electronic device comprising an electronic circuit equipped with a current collector formed by a metal substrate having a face forming a high-aspect ratio structure of pillars having an interdistance larger than 600 nm. By forming the high-aspect structure in a metal substrate, new structures can be formed that are conformal to curvature of a macroform or that can be coiled or wound and have a robust design.

Abstract: A method for coating an interconnect for a solid oxide cell (SOC) stack comprises providing an interconnect substrate comprising Cr and Fe, coating the interconnect substrate with a first metallic layer by electrodeposition, coating the resulting structure with a second layer of metallic cobalt by electrodeposition and coating the resulting structure with a layer of metallic copper by ion-exchange plating. This way, a metallic copper-cobalt coating is formed on the interconnect.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments provide a method and apparatus for continuous production of micro/nanoscale particles using roll-to-roll manufacturing in combination with electroplating. The roll-to-roll process can move a mechanically flexible reel stock material along rotating elements designed to position the material for various additive, subtractive, and modification processes. In accordance with at least one embodiment, processes applied at various stations may include sputtering, electroplating, and/or etching.

Abstract: Cyanide-free acidic silver electroplating compositions include one or more acids or salts of tellurium and may be used to electroplate matte silver deposits on metals, such as nickel, copper or copper alloys. Matte silver metal may be electroplated at conventional plating rates or at high plating rates, such as in reel-to-reel and jet plating. The cyanide-free acidic silver electroplating compositions may be used to electroplate matte silver in the manufacture of electronic components such as electrical connectors, finishing layers for metallic substrates, optical devices and decorative applications.

Abstract: An electrochemical conversion method for converting at least a portion of a first mixture comprising hydrocarbon to C2+ unsaturates by repeatedly applying an electric potential difference, V(?1), to a first electrode of an electrochemical cell during a first time interval ?1; and reducing the electric potential difference, V(?1), to a second electric potential difference, V(?2), for a second time interval ?2, wherein ?2??1. The method is beneficial, among other things, for reducing coke formation in the electrochemical production of C2+ unsaturates in an electrochemical cell. Accordingly, a method of reducing coke formation in the electrochemical conversion of such mixtures and a method for electrochemically converting carbon to C2+ unsaturates as well as an apparatus for such methods are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an acidic zinc or zinc-nickel alloy plating bath composition comprising a source for zinc ions, optionally a source for nickel ions, a source for chloride ions and at least one dithiocarbamyl alkyl sulfonic acid or salt thereof. Said plating bath composition and the corresponding plating method result in zinc or zinc-nickel alloy layers having an improved throwing power and thickness distribution, particularly when plating substrates having a complex shape and/or in rack-and-barrel plating.

Abstract: The present inventive concept provides a method of manufacturing graphene using electrochemistry, the method including dipping a cathode including metal and an anode including graphite into an electrolyte and applying a DC power supply between the cathode and the anode, wherein the DC power supply is a DC switching power supply applying a positive (+) voltage and a negative (?) voltage alternately and repetitively. The method according to the present inventive concept can simply mass-produce high purity graphene by applying the DC switching power supply, thereby efficiently controlling the ions to peel the graphite.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for forming a conducting film includes depositing a base layer of a conducting polymer on a substrate, the polymer forming only a weak bond with the substrate, depositing a top layer of a conducting material on the base layer, applying adhesive tape to the top layer, and peeling the tape off of the substrate, removing the top layer along with the tape.

Abstract: Disclosed are pre-wetting apparatus designs and methods. These apparatus designs and methods are used to pre-wet a wafer prior to plating a metal on the surface of the wafer. Disclosed compositions of the pre-wetting fluid prevent corrosion of a seed layer on the wafer and also improve the filling rates of features on the wafer.

Abstract: A method for coating an article, wherein a surface of the article is at least partially coated with a coating that has a multiplicity of layers, wherein at least one layer of the coating is made of a nickel phosphorus alloy and wherein a mass fraction of the phosphorus in the nickel phosphorus alloy is at least 8%.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for preparing a polyaniline/RuO2/SnO2 composite electrode material, including: sputtering a SnO2 film onto a tantalum substrate by a magnetron sputtering method, to form a SnO2 layer; preparing porous-structured RuO2 nanoparticles with a uniform pore size distribution (10-15 nm) by a template method; and embedding polyaniline into the RuO2 nanoparticle matrix by a electrodeposition method, to finally obtain a multilayer-structured polyaniline/RuO2/SnO2 composite electrode material with a specific capacitance value of 680-702 F·g?1 and an excellent cycling charge-discharge performance after it is assembled into an electrochemical capacitor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for coating plastics or plastic surfaces with metals, especially plastics composed of acrylonitrile/butadiene/styrene copolymers (ABS) and composed of mixtures of these copolymers with other plastics (e.g. ABS blends), wherein the process comprises the pretreatment of the plastic surfaces with a composition C (etch solution) comprising at least two different ionic liquids IL1 and IL2.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various layered, carbon-containing materials for use in reducing carbon dioxide. In certain embodiments, the materials comprise single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs).