Articles prepared by additive manufacturing of preforms that are coated by electrodeposition of nanolaminate materials, and methods of their production are described.

A method for processing a smooth or structured surface of a pressing element is described, the method comprising the steps of: a) chrome-plating said surface of the pressing element so as to form a coating comprising a first layer having chrome grains oriented in a first direction and a second layer overlapping said first layer, said second layer having chrome grains oriented in a second direction which is different from said first direction; b) applying a mask on the chrome-plated surface of the pressing element by means of a digital printing technology; c) chemically treating the chrome-plated surface of the pressing element on which said mask was applied, said chemical treatment being performed so as to partially remove said chrome coating in the exposed areas of said chrome-plated surface, i.e. in the areas not being protected by said mask, and d) removing said mask from the chrome-plated surface of the pressing element, obtaining a smooth or structured surface having a coating with areas having a different grade of gloss and colour.

A pressing element obtained by the above processing method and a method for the production of coated panels, such as panels for furniture or floors, bearing a predetermined decorative pattern which uses such pressing element are also described.

The present disclosure provides electrolyte solutions for electrodeposition of zinc-manganese alloys, methods of forming electrolyte solutions, methods of electrodepositing zinc-manganese alloys, and multilayered zinc-manganese alloys. An electrolyte solution for electroplating can include a metal salt, boric acid, an alkali metal chloride, polyethylene glycol, and a hydroxy benzaldehyde. An electrolyte solution can be formed by dissolving a metal salt, boric acid, an alkali metal chloride, polyethylene glycol, and a hydroxy benzaldehyde in water or an aqueous solution. Electrodepositing zinc-manganese alloys on a substrate can include introducing a cathode and an anode into an electrolyte solution comprising a metal salt, boric acid, an alkali metal chloride, polyethylene glycol, and a hydroxy benzaldehyde. Electrodepositing can further include passing a current between the cathode and the anode through the electrolyte solution to deposit zinc and manganese onto the cathode.

Described herein are apparatus and methods for the continuous application of nanolaminated materials by electrodeposition.

An electroplating system includes an enclosure with an interior, an anode lead extending through the enclosure and into the interior, and a porous body. The porous body is supported within the interior of the enclosure for coupling an electroplating solution within the interior with a workpiece. A conduit extends through the enclosure and into the interior of the enclosure to provide a flow of nitrogen enriched air to the interior of enclosure for drying and removing oxygen from the electroplating solution.

The present invention provides a method of tin-plating a copper alloy for electric or electronic parts and automobile parts which has excellent insertion force, heat-resistant peeling, and solderability, and a tin-plating material of a copper alloy manufactured therefrom.

In a terminal material with a silver coating film including a silver layer on a surface, a terminal and a terminal material having high reliability are easily manufactured with low cost without a heat treatment. A base material formed of copper or a copper alloy; and nickel layer, an intermediate layer, and a silver layer laminated on the base material in this order are included, the nickel layer has a thickness of 0.05 μm to 5.00 μm and is formed of nickel or a nickel alloy, the intermediate layer has a thickness of 0.02 μm to 1.00 μm and is an alloy layer containing silver (Ag) and a substance X, and the substance X includes one or more kinds of tin, bismuth, gallium, indium, and germanium.

A surface-treated copper foil includes a treating surface, and a peak extreme height (Sxp) of the treating surface being in a range of 0.4-2.5 μm, where the hysteresis loop of the surface-treated copper foil includes a first magnetization and a second magnetization when the magnetic field strength of the hysteresis loop is zero, and the absolute difference between the value of the first magnetization and the value of the second magnetization is in a range of 20-1200 emu/m.sup.3.

A terminal material having a base material in which at least a surface is made of Cu or Cu alloy; an Ni layer with at thickness of 0.1 μm to 1.0 μm inclusive on the base material; a Cu—Sn intermetallic compound layer with a thickness of 0.2 μm to 2.5 μm inclusive on the Ni layer; and an Sn layer with a thickness of 0.5 μm to 3.0 μm inclusive on the Cu—Sn intermetallic compound layer, when cross sections of the Cu—Sn intermetallic compound layer and the Sn layer are analyzed by the EBSD method with a measuring step 0.1 μm and a boundary in which misorientation between adjacent pixels is 2° or more is deemed to be a crystal boundary, an average crystal grain size Dc of the Cu—Sn intermetallic compound layer is 0.5 μm or more, and a grain size ratio Ds/Dc is five or less.

Provided is a method for forming a metal film capable of forming a homogeneous metal film having a uniform film thickness by stably ensuring a fluid pressure of an electrolytic solution during film formation. The method places a substrate on a mount base. While sucking a gas between the substrate and a porous film through which the electrolytic solution can pass from a suction port of a suction passage formed on the mount base, the method brings the porous film into contact with the surface of the substrate. The method interrupts the suction passage while the porous film contacts the surface of the substrate. While interrupting the suction passage, the method allows the electrolytic solution to pass through the porous film while pressing the porous film against the surface of the substrate with a fluid pressure of the electrolytic solution and deposits metal from metal ions in the passed electrolytic solution on the surface of the substrate, thereby forming the metal film.