1996results about "Surface reaction electrolytic coating" patented technology

A photo-electricity generating device is produced through the steps of: immersing an electrode and an electroconductive substrate in an aqueous solution comprising nitrate ions and zinc ions, supplying a current passing through a gap between the electrode and the electroconductive substrate to form a first zinc oxide layer on the electroconductive substrate, etching the first zinc oxide layer, and forming a semiconductor layer on the zinc oxide layer. The zinc oxide layer may preferably be formed in two zinc oxide layers under different electrudeposition conditions. In this case, the etching step may preferably be performed between steps for forming these zinc oxide layers. The zinc oxide layer is provided with an unevenness at its surface suitable for constituting a light-confining layer of a resultant photo-electricity generating device.

The present invention provides articles of manufacture comprising biocompatible nanostructures comprising significantly increased surface area for, e.g., organ, tissue and/or cell growth, e.g., for bone, tooth, kidney or liver growth, and uses thereof, e.g., for in vitro testing of drugs, chemicals or toxins, or as in vivo implants, including their use in making and using artificial tissues and organs, and related, diagnostic, screening, research and development and therapeutic uses, e.g., as drug delivery devices. The present invention provides biocompatible nanostructures with significantly increased surface area, such as with nanotube and nanopore array on the surface of metallic, ceramic, or polymer materials for enhanced cell and bone growth, for in vitro and in vivo testing, cleansing reaction, implants and therapeutics. The present invention provides optically transparent or translucent cell-culturing substrates. The present invention provides biocompatible and cell-growth-enhancing culture substrates comprising elastically compliant protruding nanostructure substrates coated with Ti, TiO₂ or related metal and metal oxide films.

An advanced coating for parts used in plasma processing chamber. The advanced coating is formed over an anodized surface that has not been sealed. After the coating is formed, the coated area is masked, and the remaining anodized surface is sealed. The porous and rough structure of the anodized but un-sealed aluminum enhances adhesion of the coating. However, to prevent particle generation, the exposed anodized surface is sealed after formation of the coating. The coating can be of yttria, formed by plasma enhanced atomic deposition techniques which results in a dense and smooth coating.

Methods of forming a nano-scale electronic and optoelectronic devices include forming a substrate having a semiconductor layer therein and a substrate insulating layer on the semiconductor layer. An etching template having a first array of non-photolithographically defined nano-channels extending therethrough, is formed on the substrate insulating layer. This etching template may comprise an anodized metal oxide, such as an anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) thin film. The substrate insulating layer is then selectively etched to define a second array of nano-channels therein. This selective etching step preferably uses the etching template as an etching mask to transfer the first array of nano-channels to the underlying substrate insulating layer, which may be thinner than the etching template. An array of semiconductor nano-pillars is then formed in the second array of nano-channels. The semiconductor nano-pillars in the array may have an average diameter in a range between about 8 nm and about 50 nm. The semiconductor nano-pillars are also preferably homoepitaxial or heteroepitaxial with the semiconductor layer.

A TBC system suitable for protecting the surface of a substrate subjected to a hostile thermal environment. The TBC system comprises a bond coat on the substrate surface, an alumina scale on the bond coat, and a multilayer TBC comprising a thermal-sprayed first ceramic layer on the alumina scale and a thermal-sprayed second ceramic layer overlying the first ceramic layer. The first ceramic layer consists essentially of partially stabilized zirconia so as to comprise the tetragonal and cubic phases of zirconia. The second ceramic layer consists essentially of fully stabilized zirconia so as to consist essentially of the cubic phase of zirconia. The second ceramic layer is also characterized by having vertical microcracks that extend through the thickness thereof. The second ceramic layer is thicker and more erosion resistant than the first ceramic layer.

The invention relates to the deposition or attachment of materials to surfaces. It relates to a process for coating a surface with a first material and a second material, comprising the following steps: placing the first material on the said surface, inserting into the first material placed on the said surface precursor molecules of the second material, converting the said precursor molecules of the second material inserted into the first material into the said second material such that this second material becomes formed on the said surface to be coated and within the said first material placed on the said surface. The object of the process of the invention is to allow the deposition of materials of any type onto surfaces of any type.

A method of preparing graphene sheets. The method includes: immersing a portion of a first electrode and a portion of a second electrode in a solution containing an acid, an anionic surfactant, a salt, an oxidizing agent, or any combination thereof as an electrolyte, the immersed portion of the first electrode including a first carbon material and the immersed portion of the second electrode including a second carbon material or a metal; causing a potential to exist between the first and second electrodes; and recovering, from the solution, graphene sheets exfoliated from the carbon material(s). Also disclosed is a method of preparing a graphene film electrode. The method includes: dissolving graphene sheets in an organic solvent to form a solution, applying the solution on a substrate, adding deionized water to the solution on the substrate so that a graphene film is formed, and drying the graphene film.

Nanotubular structured titanium (Ti) substrates have been coated with nanoparticulate hydroxyapatite (nano-HA). The nano-HA surface is highly adherent to the nanotubular Ti surface and is free of microparticles. The nano-HA coated nanotubular Ti surface promotes osteoblast cell adhesion and is particularly suitable for orthopedic and dental implants where deposition of osteoblasts and other proteins is important in bone formation.

A multilayered ceramic topcoat of a thermal barrier coating system is useful for high temperature corrosive applications such as hot section components in gas turbine engines. The ceramic topcoat includes at least two layers, each having generally columnar grain microstructures with different grain orientation directions. A preferred method of producing the multilayered ceramic topcoat includes positioning a superalloy substrate at a first angled orientation relative to a ceramic vapor cloud in an electron beam physical vapor deposition apparatus for a time sufficient to grow a first ceramic layer. The substrate is then reoriented to a second, different angled orientation for a time sufficient to grow a second ceramic layer. The ceramic layers exhibit columnar microstructures having respective grain orientation directions which are related to the first and second substrate orientations. For uniformly coating a complex contoured surface such as a turbine blade airfoil, the blade can be rotated during coating deposition at each angled orientation. Alternatively, the article may be continuously reoriented according to a predetermined speed cycle to produce generally arcuate, sinusoidal, helical, or other columnar grain microstructures.

Disclosed is a method for creating a mark desired properties on an anodized specimen and the mark itself. The method includes providing a laser marking system having a controllable laser pulse parameters, determining the laser pulse parameters associated with the desired properties and directing the laser marking system to mark the article using the selected laser pulse parameters. Laser marks so made have optical density that ranges from transparent to opaque, white color, texture indistinguishable from the surrounding article and durable, substantially intact anodization. The anodization may also be dyed and optionally bleached to create other colors.

A process for forming a zinc oxide film including immersing an electroconductive substrate having a surface including a plurality of linear projections in an aqueous solution containing at least nitrate ions and zinc ions to form a zinc oxide film on the electroconductive substrate by a liquid-phase deposition. The plurality of linear projections may preferably provide an uneven surface which has a center-line average surface roughness Ra(X) of 15-300 nm when scanned in a direction parallel to the linear projections, a center line average surface roughness Ra(Y) of 20-600 nm when scanned in a direction perpendicular to the linear projections, and an Ra(X)/Ra(Y) ratio of at most 0.8. The thus formed zinc oxide film is provided with an uneven surface suitable for an optical-confinement layer of a photo-electricity generating device excellent in photoelectric performances.

A method for treating a surface of a medical implant to create nanostructures on the surface that results in increased in-vivo chondrocyte adhesion to the surface. Further, disclosed is a method to fabricate a drug delivery system. The drug delivery system includes a medical implant that has undergone a surface treatment process that results in the modification of the surface configuration and topography. The modified surface acts as a depot or reservoir for loaded biological material, biologic agents or pharmaceutical products. Additionally, a device for delivering pharmaceutical products or other biological materials is disclosed. The device includes integrally attached nanostructures that retain or adsorb the loaded pharmaceutical products and/or biological materials. Further disclosed is a medical implant that includes a surface configured to allow for and regulate protein adsorption. The surface of the medical implant has a layer of nanostructures rigidly attached with varying porosity and orientation that allow for surface protein adsorption to be controlled.

The present invention provides conductive carbon nanotube (CNT) electrode materials comprising aligned CNT substrates coated with an electrically conducting polymer, and the fabrication of electrodes for use in high performance electrical energy storage devices. In particular, the present invention provides conductive CNTs electrode material whose electrical properties render them especially suitable for use in high efficiency rechargeable batteries. The present invention also provides methods for obtaining surface modified conductive CNT electrode materials comprising an array of individual linear, aligned CNTs having a uniform surface coating of an electrically conductive polymer such as polypyrrole, and their use in electrical energy storage devices.

In some embodiments, the present invention is directed to nanoporous anodized aluminum oxide templates of high uniformity and methods for making same, wherein such templates lack a AAO barrier layer. In some or other embodiments, the present invention is directed to methods of electrodepositing nanorods in the nanopores of these templates. In still other embodiments, the present invention is directed to electrodepositing catalyst material in the nanopores of these templates and growing nanorods or other 1-dimensional nanostructures via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or other techniques.

The invention relates to an intensive anodic oxidation process to prepare porous anodic alumina film. An aluminum sheet is as an anode; a platinum sheet as a cathode; argon as shielded gas; mixed solution of perchloric acid with absolute alcohol as electrochemical polishing compound for the aluminum sheet; mixed solution of oxalic acid, absolute alcohol and deionized water as electrolyte; and mixed solution of phosphoric acid, chromic acid and deionized water as alumina film corrodent. Through aluminum sheet annealing, purging, electrochemical polishing, mild anodic oxidation, corrosion on aluminum sheet oxide film, intensive anodic oxidation and stripping oxide film, and finally, pale yellow, high purity and ordered porous-structured nanometer-leveled alumina film is achieved; The alumina film pore is in circular shape sized in 30 to 35nm, pore distance in 80 to100nm and pore depth in 162.4 micrometers; growth rate of the alumina film is 54 micrometers/h, which is 27 times higher than 2 micrometers/h of growth rate of anodic oxidation aluminum film prepared through mild anodic oxidation process.

Composition for post-treating anodized aluminum and aluminum alloys and the process for using said composition to improve the corrosion-resistance, abrasion, and adhesion bonding properties of the anodized aluminum and its alloys. The composition comprises an acidic aqueous solution having a pH ranging from about 2.5 to 4.5 containing effective amounts of trivalent chromium salts, alkali metal hexafluorozirconates, an alkali metal fluoro-compound e.g. fluoroborates and/or fluorosilicates, and effective amounts of water soluble thickeners and surfactants.

The invention relates to a unique battery having an active, porous membrane and method of making the same. More specifically the invention relates to a sealed battery system having a porous, metal oxide membrane with uniform, physicochemically functionalized ion channels capable of adjustable ionic interaction. The physicochemically-active porous membrane purports dual functions: an electronic insulator (separator) and a unidirectional ion-transporter (electrolyte). The electrochemical cell membrane is activated for the transport of ions by contiguous ion coordination sites on the interior two-dimensional surfaces of the trans-membrane unidirectional pores. The membrane material is designed to have physicochemical interaction with ions. Control of the extent of the interactions between the ions and the interior pore walls of the membrane and other materials, chemicals, or structures contained within the pores provides adjustability of the ionic conductivity of the membrane.

The invention discloses a method for preparing a metal titanium or titanium alloy super-oleophobic surface. The method comprises the following steps of: performing primary anodic oxidation treatment on metal titanium or titanium alloy to obtain a roughened surface with a microstructure; forming a titanium dioxide nanotube array film on the surface with microstructure through secondary anodic oxidation so as to obtain a composite fine structured micro-nanostructure; and modifying with a low-surface-energy substance to obtain the super-oleophobic surface and the super-hydrophobic and super-oleophobic surface. The metal titanium or titanium alloy surface has super-oleophobic and super-hydrophobic characteristics for multiple kinds of organic liquid, the static contact angle is greater than 155 degrees; the rolling angle is less than 10 degrees; meanwhile, the surface also shows superior super-oleophobic and super-hydrophobic characteristics for pure water and aqueous solution of acid, alkali and salt.

The invention relates to a method of making a nanotubular titania substrate having a titanium dioxide surface comprised of a plurality of vertically oriented titanium dioxide nanotubes containing oxygen vacancies, including the steps of anodizing a titanium metal substrate in an acidified fluoride electrolyte and annealing the titanium oxide surface in a non-oxidating atmosphere. The invention further relates to a nanotubular titania substrate having an annealed titanium dioxide surface comprised of self-ordered titanium dioxide nanotubes containing oxygen vacancies. The invention further relates to a photo-electrolysis method for generating H₂ wherein the photo-anode is a nanotubular titania substrate of the invention. The invention also relates to an electrochemical method of synthesizing CdZn/CdZnTe nanowires, wherein a nanoporous TiO₂ template was used in combination with non-aqueous electrolyte. The invention also relates to a nanotubular titania substrate having CdTe or CdZnTe nanowires extending therefrom.

Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to the use of graphene as a transparent conductive coating (TCC). In certain example embodiments, graphene thin films grown on large areas hetero-epitaxially, e.g., on a catalyst thin film, from a hydrocarbon gas (such as, for example, C₂H₂, CH₄, or the like). The graphene thin films of certain example embodiments may be doped or undoped. In certain example embodiments, graphene thin films, once formed, may be lifted off of their carrier substrates and transferred to receiving substrates, e.g., for inclusion in an intermediate or final product. Graphene grown, lifted, and transferred in this way may exhibit low sheet resistances (e.g., less than 150 ohms/square and lower when doped) and high transmission values (e.g., at least in the visible and infrared spectra).

The invention provides a method for a preparing TiO2 nanotube array film, relating to a method for preparing a nanotube film. The method solves the problems of the prior art that the prepared nanotube array film features thin film, irregular micro appearance, heterogeneous length of nanotubes, reunion of tube orifice and cracking of the film. The preparation method comprises: 1. a titanium plate is cut into two titanium sheets of the same size, and polishing, ultrasound processing and washing are carried out on the two titanium sheets; 2. electrolyte is prepared; 3. primary anodic oxidation is carried out on the titanium sheets; 4. demoulding is carried out; 5. secondary anodic oxidation is carried out on the titanium sheets; 6. the titanium sheets are dried after ultrasonic processing; and 7. calcination treatment is carried out, thus obtaining the TiO2 nanotube array film. In the invention, twice anodic oxidations are carried out on the titanium sheets, thus producing the TiO2 nanotube array film featuring regular micro appearance, homogeneous, smoothness, thick film layer, reunion-free tube orifice and no cracking. The preparation method of the invention features simple technique and equipment and controllable thickness of the nanotube film.

The invention discloses a composite wear-resistant antifriction coating on a titanium alloy surface and a preparation method thereof. The coating comprises a laser texturing surface, an oxide ceramic layer and a self-lubricating coating which are connected in sequence, wherein micropore arrays are uniformly distributed on the laser texturing surface; the oxide ceramic layer is a hard oxide ceramic coating; and the self-lubricating coating is a MoS2 coating, PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) coating or graphite coating. In the invention, the laser surface texturing technology is combined with the plasma electrolytic oxidation technology, and a texturing/ceramization composite coating is prepared on the titanium alloy surface which is then coated with a solid lubricant to improve the friction performance of the surface.

The present invention provides methods of electroplating a film or films onto a top surface of a continuously moving roll-to-roll sheet. In one aspect, the invention includes continuously electroplating a film onto a conductive surface using an electroplating unit as the roll-to-roll sheet moves therethrough, detecting a thickness of the film electroplated onto a portion of the roll-to-roll sheet and generating a thickness signal corresponding thereto. In this aspect, when continuously electroplating, the thickness of the film is adjusted toward a predetermined thickness value using the thickness signal for a subsequent portion of the roll-to-roll sheet that follows the portion of the roll-to-roll sheet.

PCT No. PCT/FR96/00495 Sec. 371 Date Oct. 7, 1997 Sec. 102(e) Date Oct. 7, 1997 PCT Filed Apr. 2, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO96/31638 PCT Pub. Date Oct. 16, 1996Process for depositing a film of a metal oxide or of a metal hydroxide on a substrate in an electrochemical cell, wherein (i) the metal hydroxide is of formula M(OH)xAy, M representing at least one metallic species in an oxidation state i chosen from the elements in Groups II and III of the Periodic Table, A being an anion whose number of charges is n, 0<x</=i and x+ny=i, (ii) the electrochemical cell comprises (a) an electrode comprising the substrate, (b) a counterelectrode, (c) a reference electrode and (d) an electrolyte comprising a conducting solution comprising at least one salt of the metal M, the process comprising the steps of: dissolving oxygen in the electrolyte and imposing a cathode potential of less than the oxygen reduction potential and greater than the potential for deposition of the metal M in the electrolyte in question on the electrochemical cell.

Reflectors, for example, for lamps used for technical lighting purposes, having a surface which is resistant to mechanical and chemical attack and has high total reflectivity. The body (10) of the reflector, which is, for example, a rolled aluminum product such as a foil, a strip of a sheet, has a surface layer in the form of a layer system containing (a) a pretreatment layer (11), onto which is deposited (b) a functional layer (12) with silanes, having organo-functional groups, of a metal compound, and onto which is deposited (c) a metal-containing reflective layer (13). Layer (a) is deposited on the reflector body and increases the strength of bonding to the above lying layers (a) and (b). Layer (b) effects a flattening and increase in the mechanical strength of the above lying layer (c). The pretreatment layer can be a layer produced by anodic oxidation. The functional layer (b) can be a sol-gel layer. The reflective layer (c) can be a metallic reflective layer, in some cases with one or more protective layers, which are deposited, e.g., by vacuum thin layer deposition process.

A titanium dioxide films synthesizing method includes the step of coating a titanium film on the surface of a homogenous (or heterogeneous) substrate, and the step of using the titanium-coated substrate as anode in an electrolyte to synthesize an nano-structured titanium dioxide film with single anatase phase on the surface of the titanium film by employing electrochemical anodic oxidation at room temperature.

The invention discloses a method for preparing a titanium dioxide nanotube array, which comprises the following steps: grinding the surface of a titanium sheet by using abrasive paper, polishing by using chemical polishing solution, and drying for later use; preparing electrolyte, wherein a fluoride is used as a solute, water is used as a solvent and an alcohol additive is added; preparing an electrolytic cell having two electrode systems, wherein a titanium sheet is used as an anode, a platinum sheet is used as a counter electrode, and a layer of TiO2 nanotube array can be formed on the surface of the titanium sheet by electrochemical anodic oxidation; subjecting the anodically oxidized titanium sheet to ultrasonic cleaning in acidic solution and drying; and performing anodic oxidation again by using the titanium sheet as the anode, and thus, forming the TiO2 nanotube array with uniform pipe diameter and flat surface on the surface of the titanium sheet. In the method, the problems of non-uniform tube diameter, uneven nantube surface and irregular array of two-step anodic oxidization are solved, and the titanium dioxide nanotube array with more regular shape is formed.

The invention relates to a method for preparing an ordered porous anodic titanium dioxide nanotube array. The method can prepare an ultra-large area defect-free titanium dioxide nanotube array film, the surface layer is the porous shape like an anodic aluminum oxide template, and the lower layer is a nanotube ordered array, thereby overcoming the common problems of easy lodging and aggregation of tubes in the prior art of preparing the anodic titanium dioxide nanotube array and simultaneously solving the problems that the prepared nanotube array film has more surface defect corrosion pits and the sediment blocks tube mouths. The nanotube array can realize the controllable growth by controlling the preparation conditions and the process and obtain the ordered array films with different tube diameters, different wall thicknesses and different tube lengths. The diameter range of the nanotubes is 20-200nm, the wall thickness range is 5-30nm, and the length range of the titanium dioxide tubes is 100nm-1mm. The invention particularly relates to a technology which can effectively and completely strip the titanium dioxide array film, effectively strip a titanium substrate from the TiO2 nanotube array and obtain the different sizes of porous nanotube array self-support films.

A method for applying a metal layer onto at least one surface of an aluminium or aluminium alloy workpiece, including the steps of pretreating the surface and applying the metal layer by plating, wherein the pretreating step includes a non-electrolytic treatment by immersion of the workpiece in a single acidic solution, preferably a sulphuric acid solution, having a temperature of at most 100° C. A brazed assembly comprising at least one component of an aluminium workpiece made by this method is also disclosed.

A method for making structural automotive components and the like provides a strip of high strength steel having a selected thickness. A predetermined thickness of a metal coating, such as nickel, is applied to the opposite faces of the steel strip. The coated steel strip is cut to form a blank. The blank is heated in a generally open atmosphere to a temperature in the range of 800° C. to 1000° C. within less than ten minutes, thereby diffusing at least a portion of the metal coating a predetermined distance into the faces of the steel strip portion of the blank to alleviate scale formation, and simultaneously raise the temperature of the blank for hot forming the same. The heated blank is hot formed in a pressing tool, and cooled therein to heat treat the formed component through microstructure phase change, without substantial scale formation, such that the component need not be descaled prior to post-form processing and/or assembly in a vehicle.