Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of coating one or more metal components of a fuel cell stack, such as a bipolar plate, an electrode, gaskets etc., the method comprising the steps of providing an uncoated metal component; etching said uncoated metal component; optionally depositing an adhesion layer on the etched uncoated metal component; and depositing a carbon coating on either the adhesion layer or on the etched uncoated metal component, with the adhesion layer and the carbon coating respectively being deposited by means of one of a physical vapor deposition process, an arc ion plating process, a sputtering process, and a Hipims process. The invention further relates to a component of a fuel cell stack and to an apparatus for coating one or more components of a fuel cell stack.

Abstract: A plasma nitriding apparatus includes: a surface treatment unit which includes a treatment tank to house part of a treatment object inclusive of a surface treatment region, and performs a nitriding treatment on the surface treatment region inside of the treatment tank by using plasma of a treatment gas; and an outer container which receives supply of the treatment gas, and houses the treatment object and the treatment tank so that a region of the treatment object other than the part is exposed from the treatment tank.

Abstract: By using chemical vapor deposition or chemical vapor infiltration, silicon carbide is deposited on a preform 100 accommodated in a reaction furnace 11 for film formation, and the amount of additive gas added to raw material gas and carrier gas to be supplied to the reactive furnace 11 is used to control the growth rate and filling uniformity at film formation of silicon carbide. When the film formation of silicon carbide follows a first-order reaction, the amount of added additive gas is used to control the sticking probability of the film-forming species. When the film formation of silicon carbide follows a Langmuir-Hinshelwood rate formula, the amount of added additive gas is used to make a control so that a zero-order reaction region of the Langmuir-Hinshelwood rate formula is used.

Abstract: A plasma nitriding apparatus includes: a surface treatment unit which includes a treatment tank to house part of a treatment object inclusive of a surface treatment region, and performs a nitriding treatment on the surface treatment region inside of the treatment tank by using plasma of a treatment gas; and an outer container which receives supply of the treatment gas, and houses the treatment object and the treatment tank so that a region of the treatment object other than the part is exposed from the treatment tank.

Abstract: By using chemical vapor deposition or chemical vapor infiltration, silicon carbide is deposited on a preform 100 accommodated in a reaction furnace 11 for film formation, and the amount of additive gas added to raw material gas and carrier gas to be supplied to the reactive furnace 11 is used to control the growth rate and filling uniformity at film formation of silicon carbide. When the film formation of silicon carbide follows a first-order reaction, the amount of added additive gas is used to control the sticking probability of the film-forming species. When the film formation of silicon carbide follows a Langmuir-Hinshelwood rate formula, the amount of added additive gas is used to make a control so that a zero-order reaction region of the Langmuir-Hinshelwood rate formula is used.

Abstract: There are provided: an ultraviolet light absorber that has a sufficient UV-A and UV-B shielding effect, can be colored naturally to suit the color of the skin when applied to the skin, and can be favorably applied even to races with dark skin colors; and a cosmetic material using such an ultraviolet light absorber. The ultraviolet light absorber is one produced by substituting, at 10% or less, at least one element selected from the group consisting of Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Hf, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, Hg, La, and In into either A or B, or both of them, in a compound expressed by a general formula ABO4 (where A represents In, Bi, Ga, or Gd and B represents Ta, Nb, or V).

Abstract: A cosmetic material that exhibits sufficient shielding effects against UV-A and UV-B, does not color a resultant cosmetic product even when blended in cosmetic materials, and will not result in a non-powdery finish when applied to the skin, and a method for producing such a cosmetic material are provided. It is a cosmetic material with at least part of InTaO4 substituted with at least one element of Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Cu, Ga, Ge, As, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Tc, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Cd, Sn, Sb, Hf, W, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, Au, and Hg.