Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for direct metallization of non-conductive substrates as well as a conductor solution used in such a method. According to the invention, it is proposed to contact a non-conductive substrate surface after activation by a noble metal colloid-containing activator solution with a conductor solution, which comprises a metal that is reducible by a metal of the activator solution, a complexing agent and a reducing agent.

Abstract: To manufacture a coating for an article for a semiconductor processing chamber, the coating is applied to the article by a method including applying a sol-gel coating of Y2O3 over the article, and curing the sol-gel coating on the article by heating the article with the sol-gel coating and exposing the article with the sol-gel coating to plasma in a semiconductor manufacturing chamber.

Abstract: The present invention provides a battery manufacturing method including: a step of preparing a thickener aqueous solution by dissolving a thickener in an aqueous solvent (S10); a kneading step of introducing an active material into the prepared thickener aqueous solution and kneading a result (S20); a diluting step of adding an aqueous solvent to a kneaded material resulting from the kneading step such that the kneaded material is diluted, whereby an active material layer forming paste is obtained from the kneaded material (S30); and a step of obtaining an electrode in which an active material layer is formed on a current collector by coating the current collector with the active material layer forming paste and then drying the paste (S40).

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for treating metal substrates, including ferrous substrates, such as cold rolled steel and electrogalvanized steel. The methods include depositing an electropositive metal onto at least a portion of the substrate, and then contacting the substrate with a pretreatment composition that is substantially free of crystalline phosphates and chromates. The present invention also relates to coated substrates produced thereby.

Abstract: A conductive nanowire film based on a high aspect-ratio metal is disclosed. The nanowire film is produced by inducing metal reduction in a concentrated surfactant solution containing metal precursor ions, a surfactant and a reducing agent. The metal nanostructures demonstrate utility in a great variety of applications.

Abstract: A wire arc spray system (100) includes a plurality of arc spray subsystems (130) mounted to a movable carriage (120) on an x-y robot (110). Each arc spray subsystem includes a wire drive (132) that provides wire (133, 134) to a spray head (138) through a pair of lead cables (136). The spray heads are mounted for circular motion, such that the molten spray is applied to an underlying substrate in a swirling pattern. In one embodiment, the spray heads are mounted to a distal end of a rod (164) that extends through a swivel ball joint (166) and engages an eccentric link (162) fixed to a motor (160). The system applies an overlapping pattern of molten spray to provide excellent non-skid and adhesion properties. The system is particularly suited to spray coating with a wire comprising a hollow metallic portion and a core having ceramic particles.

Abstract: A curved, three-dimensional, ordered micro-truss structure comprising: a plurality of first struts extending along a first direction; a plurality of second struts extending along a second direction; and a plurality of third struts extending along a third direction, wherein the first, second, and third struts interpenetrate one another at a plurality of nodes, wherein the pluralities of first struts, second struts, third struts, and nodes form a plurality of ordered unit cells within the micro-truss structure, and wherein the plurality of ordered unit cells define a curved surface.

Abstract: Complexes of metals and N,O polydentate ligands are useful as precursors in the preparation of doped zinc oxide coatings by chemical vapor deposition.

Abstract: A method and system for constructing a printed circuit board with multifunctional holes. A first conductive material is deposited into a hole in a substrate to form a first plating on an inner surface of the hole. At least one outer portion of the hole is modified to have a larger diameter than the original hole and to remove the first conductive material from that outer portion. A seed material is deposited into the modified hole. An etchant is applied to the hole to non-mechanically remove the first conductive material from the unmodified portion of the hole. Another conductive material is deposited to into the modified hole that adheres to the seed material in the modified outer portion via to form a second plating at the outer portion.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing an electrode of a thermionic converter, a carbide layer is formed on a base material by a vapor synthesis, an N-type diamond layer doped with a donor impurity is formed on the carbide layer by a vapor synthesis, and a surface of the N-type diamond layer is terminated with hydrogen. The base material is made of a metal, and the carbide layer is made of a metal carbide.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for electroless (immersion) plating of tin and tin alloys having a thickness of ?1 ?m as a final finish in the manufacture of printed circuit boards, IC substrates, semiconductor wafers and the like. The method utilizes an electroless plated sacrificial layer of copper between the copper contact pad and the electroless plated tin layer which is dissolved completely during tin plating. The method compensates the undesired loss of copper from a contact pad during electroless plating of thick tin layers.

Abstract: A system and method for the automated or “robotic” application of hardfacing to a surface of a drill bit.

Abstract: A zirconium alloy for use in nuclear fuel assemblies is provided, which provides increased resistance against oxidation and corrosion and also improved bonding with parent material, because pure metallic material such as silicon (Si) or chromium (Cr) is evenly coated on the surface of the parent material by plasma spraying. Because the plasma spray coating used to coat the pure metallic material on the zirconium alloy does not require vacuum equipment and also is not limited due to the shape of the coated product, this is particularly useful when evenly treating the surface of the component such as 4 m-long tube or spacer grip arrangement which is very complicated in shape. Furthermore, because the coated zirconium alloy confers excellent resistance to oxidation and corrosion under emergency such as accident as well as normal service condition, both the economic and safety aspects of nuclear fuel are improved.

Abstract: Catalysts include nanoparticles of catalytic metal and gallic acid or gallic acid derivatives or salts thereof. The catalysts are used in electroless metal plating. The catalysts are free of tin.

Abstract: Different types of apparatus for fabricating a deposit, method of deposition and an article are presented. The apparatus include a thermal spray gun comprising a combustion chamber, combustion zone, an air injection port, a fuel injection port, a nozzle and a liquid injection port. The combustion zone exists between the inlet side and outlet side of the combustion chamber. The method includes, among other things, providing a fuel and an oxidizer inside the combustion zone, initiating combustion inside the combustion zone, and directing products of the combustion toward the outlet side to create a combustion product stream. The method also includes introducing a feedstock mixture comprising a feedstock material and a liquid into the combustion product stream to create an entrained feedstock stream, and expelling the entrained feedstock stream from the spray gun through a nozzle to form a deposit on a surface of the article.

Abstract: Under one aspect of the present invention, a method for enhancing mobility of an atomic or molecular species on a substrate may include exposing a first region of a substrate to an atomic or molecular species that forms a molecular bond with the substrate in the first region; directing a laser pulse to a second region of the substrate so as to generate an acoustic wave in the second region, the acoustic wave having spatial and temporal characteristics selected to alter the molecular bond; and transmitting the acoustic wave from the second region to the first region, the acoustic wave altering the molecular bond between the substrate and the atomic or molecular species to enhance mobility of the atomic or molecular species on the substrate in the first region.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device and a method for producing a magnetic recording medium having a lubricant membrane with a uniform thickness on a surface. The device for producing the magnetic recording medium includes: a hanger device that is inserted into the central hole of the magnetic recording medium and supports the magnetic recording medium in a hanging state; and a raising and lowering device that raises and lowers one of the hanging device and an immersion tank with respect to the other thereof. The hanger device includes a support plate of which an upper end comes into contact with an inner circumference of the magnetic recording medium and a liquid-cutting plate which extends from a lower end of the support plate and is distant by a space along the inner circumference of the magnetic recording medium from the inner circumference of the magnetic recording medium.

Abstract: Technologies are generally described for a component, a method to form a component and/or a system configured to form a component. In an example, the method to form a component may include placing a first layer including a conductive material on a support. The method may include placing a second layer, including the conductive material and oxygen, on the first layer. The method may include placing a third layer, including tellurium and oxygen, on the second layer. The method may include placing a fourth layer, including tin and tellurium, on the third layer. In an example, placing of the fourth layer on the third layer may include placing a fifth layer including tellurium on the fourth layer, placing a sixth layer including tin on the fifth layer, placing a seventh layer including tellurium on the sixth layer and annealing the fifth, sixth, and seventh layers to form the fourth layer.

Abstract: A method of making silver carboxylate includes forming a mixture of at least one carboxylic acid and at least one aromatic hydrocarbon solvent, and at room temperature, introducing silver oxide into the mixture to form the silver carboxylate in the aromatic hydrocarbon solvent. The mixture may be free of alkali bases and mineral acids, with no additional materials being introduced into the mixture when introducing the silver oxide.

Abstract: A cylindrical internal surface processing method comprises forming a cylinder bore, roughening an upper section of the bore, depositing coating onto the bore, and machining a lower section of the bore and the coating. The forming of the cylinder bore includes forming the upper and lower sections with the lower section being axially spaced from the upper section and having an axial length greater than zero. The roughening creates a roughened surface such that a radially innermost edge of the roughened surface has an internal diameter smaller than an internal diameter of the lower section. The coating is deposited to cover the upper section and at least a portion of the lower section. The machining forms a tapered portion and a cylindrical portion, a radially outermost edge of the cylindrical portion having an internal diameter larger than that of a radially outermost edge of the roughened surface.