A method of manufacturing a martensitic stainless steel pipe includes: preparing a hollow shell, S1; a pickling step, S3-2, in which the hollow shell is immersed in nitrohydrofluoric acid solution at a temperature below 50° C.; after pickling step S3-2, a high-pressure water washing step, S4, in which high-pressure water is injected onto the outer surface of the hollow shell to clean the outer surface of the hollow shell; after high-pressure water washing step S4, a hot-water immersion step, S5, in which the hollow shell is immersed in hot water if necessary; and spraying gas onto the surface of the hollow shell, S6, before a lapse of 15 minutes from completion of high-pressure water washing step S4 or hot-water immersion step S5.

A method of manufacturing a martensitic stainless steel pipe includes: preparing a hollow shell, S1; a pickling step, S3-2, in which the hollow shell is immersed in nitrohydrofluoric acid solution at a temperature below 50° C.; after pickling step S3-2, a high-pressure water washing step, S4, in which high-pressure water is injected onto the outer surface of the hollow shell to clean the outer surface of the hollow shell; after high-pressure water washing step S4, a hot-water immersion step, S5, in which the hollow shell is immersed in hot water if necessary; and spraying gas onto the surface of the hollow shell, S6, before a lapse of 15 minutes from completion of high-pressure water washing step S4 or hot-water immersion step S5.

Cleaning processing equipment may include generating a function characterizing a relationship between fouling formation in the processing equipment and operation of the processing equipment. A cleaning recipe may be selected based on properties of fouling material formed in the processing equipment during operation of the processing equipment. Operating costs associated with cleaning schedules may be determined based on the first function and the cleaning recipe and one of the cleaning schedules may be selected based on the respective determined operating costs. A cleaning process on the processing equipment may be executed according to the selected cleaning schedule using the selected cleaning recipe.

A plant for cleaning rolled metal strips provided with a superficial layer of oxide, the plant comprising unwinding means for unwinding at least one coil of rolled strip and pickling means for pickling said rolled strip; wherein there are provided measuring means for measuring the thickness of the superficial layer of oxide, arranged between said unwinding means and said pickling means. A relating cleaning method is also claimed.

Atomic layer etching (ALE) processes are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods comprise at least one etch cycle in which the substrate is alternately and sequentially exposed to a first vapor phase non-metal halide reactant and a second vapor phase halide reactant. In some embodiments both the first and second reactants are chloride reactants. In some embodiments the first reactant is fluorinating gas and the second reactant is a chlorinating gas. In some embodiments a thermal ALE cycle is used in which the substrate is not contacted with a plasma reactant.

Atomic layer etching (ALE) processes are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods comprise at least one etch cycle in which the substrate is alternately and sequentially exposed to a first vapor phase non-metal halide reactant and a second vapor phase halide reactant. In some embodiments both the first and second reactants are chloride reactants. In some embodiments the first reactant is fluorinating gas and the second reactant is a chlorinating gas. In some embodiments a thermal ALE cycle is used in which the substrate is not contacted with a plasma reactant.

Atomic layer etching (ALE) processes are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods comprise at least one etch cycle in which the substrate is alternately and sequentially exposed to a first vapor phase non-metal halide reactant and a second vapor phase halide reactant. In some embodiments both the first and second reactants are chloride reactants. In some embodiments the first reactant is fluorinating gas and the second reactant is a chlorinating gas. In some embodiments a thermal ALE cycle is used in which the substrate is not contacted with a plasma reactant.

Atomic layer etching (ALE) processes are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods comprise at least one etch cycle in which the substrate is alternately and sequentially exposed to a first vapor phase non-metal halide reactant and a second vapor phase halide reactant. In some embodiments both the first and second reactants are chloride reactants. In some embodiments the first reactant is fluorinating gas and the second reactant is a chlorinating gas. In some embodiments a thermal ALE cycle is used in which the substrate is not contacted with a plasma reactant.

A method and a device are provided for removing surface oxides on nodules of a metal powder, before the nodules of the metal powder are used in an industrial process in which the nodules of the metal powder are assembled via a solid route or via a liquid route. In the method and the device, the surface oxides are stripped from the nodules of the metal powder by bringing the nodules of the metal powder into contact with vapour from at least one of: sublimation of a stripping solid material, and sublimation of the stripping solid material followed by a chemical transformation of a product of the sublimation.

A method and a device are provided for removing surface oxides on nodules of a metal powder, before the nodules of the metal powder are used in an industrial process in which the nodules of the metal powder are assembled via a solid route or via a liquid route. In the method and the device, the surface oxides are stripped from the nodules of the metal powder by bringing the nodules of the metal powder into contact with vapour from at least one of: sublimation of a stripping solid material, and sublimation of the stripping solid material followed by a chemical transformation of a product of the sublimation.