Disclosed herein are methods for forming one or more nanoparticles. The methods include depositing a solution comprising a block copolymer and a metal salt into one or more square pyramidal nanoholes formed in a substrate, and annealing the substrate to provide a single nanoparticle in each of the one or more square pyramidal nanoholes.

A roller chain having at least one pair of offset links wherein the offset link plates are made with a steel having a high chromium content and are through-hardened using an austempering heat treatment (such as a salt bath quench). The resulting offset link plates may have a hardness in range of 44-50 HRC on the Rockwell hardness scale and a bainite metallurgical microstructure. The offset link plates may also have a greater fatigue strength than at least one of the inner link plates and the outer link plates. The inner and outer link plates may be formed out of a plain carbon steel which is heated, quenched and tempered to produce a martensite microstructure.

A roller chain having at least one pair of offset links wherein the offset link plates are made with a steel having a high chromium content and are through-hardened using an austempering heat treatment (such as a salt bath quench). The resulting offset link plates may have a hardness in range of 44-50 HRC on the Rockwell hardness scale and a bainite metallurgical microstructure. The offset link plates may also have a greater fatigue strength than at least one of the inner link plates and the outer link plates. The inner and outer link plates may be formed out of a plain carbon steel which is heated, quenched and tempered to produce a martensite microstructure.

Disclosed are a non-normalized steel composition which includes carbon (C), silicon (Si), manganese (Mn), sulfur (S), vanadium (V), titanium (Ti), nitrogen (N), and iron (Fe), and a method of manufacturing the connecting rod for improving yield strength, fatigue strength, and the like of the connecting rod. The non-normalized steel composition includes carbon (C) in an amount of about 0.30 to 0.55 weight %, silicon (Si) in an amount of about 0.80 to 1.20 weight %, manganese (Mn) in an amount of about 0.80 to 1.20 weight %, sulfur (S) in an amount of about 0.06 to 0.10 weight %, vanadium (V) in an amount of about 0.20 to 0.35 weight %, titanium (Ti) in an amount of about 0.01 to 0.20 weight %, nitrogen (N) in an amount of about 0.005 to 0.02 weight %, and the remainder of iron (Fe), and inevitable impurities, based on a total weight of the composition.

A method of manufacturing a cam piece for a continuously variable valve duration and a cam piece manufactured therefrom, and more particularly, to material and heat treatment conditions of a cam piece, may include manufacturing a cam piece by casting; heating the cam piece; maintaining a heating temperature; and salt-bathing the cam piece, in which the cam piece includes 3.2 to 4.2 wt % of carbon (C), 2.2 to 3.4 wt % of silicon (Si), and the balance iron (Fe), and may have a carbon equivalent value of 4.4 to 4.6.

A cold rolled steel wire having the following chemical composition expressed in percent by weight, 0.2C %0.6, 0.5Mn %1.0, 0.1Si0.5%, 0.2Cr1.0%, P0.020%, S0.015%, N0.010%, and optionally not more than 0.07% Al, not more than 0.2% Ni, not more than 0.1% Mo and not more than 0.1% Cu, the balance being iron and the unavoidable impurities due to processing. This wire has a microstructure including bainite and, optionally, up to 35% acicular ferrite and up to 15% pearlite. A fabrication method and flexible conduits for hydrocarbon extraction are also provided.

A cold rolled steel wire having the following chemical composition expressed in percent by weight, 0.2C %0.6, 0.5Mn %1.0, 0.1Si0.5%, 0.2Cr1.0%, P0.020%, S0.015%, N0.010%, and optionally not more than 0.07% Al, not more than 0.2% Ni, not more than 0.1% Mo and not more than 0.1% Cu, the balance being iron and the unavoidable impurities due to processing. This wire has a microstructure including bainite and, optionally, up to 35% acicular ferrite and up to 15% pearlite. A fabrication method and flexible conduits for hydrocarbon extraction are also provided.

A cold rolled steel wire having the following chemical composition expressed in percent by weight, 0.2C %0.6, 0.5Mn %1.0, 0.1Si0.5%, 0.2Cr1.0%, P0.020%, S0.015%, N0.010%, and optionally not more than 0.07% Al, not more than 0.2% Ni, not more than 0.1% Mo and not more than 0.1% Cu, the balance being iron and the unavoidable impurities due to processing. This wire has a microstructure including bainite and, optionally, up to 35% acicular ferrite and up to 15% pearlite. A fabrication method and flexible conduits for hydrocarbon extraction are also provided.

A cold rolled steel wire having the following chemical composition expressed in percent by weight, 0.2C %0.6, 0.5Mn %1.0, 0.1Si0.5%, 0.2Cr1.0%, P0.020%, S0.015%, N0.010%, and optionally not more than 0.07% Al, not more than 0.2% Ni, not more than 0.1% Mo and not more than 0.1% Cu, the balance being iron and the unavoidable impurities due to processing. This wire has a microstructure including bainite and, optionally, up to 35% acicular ferrite and up to 15% pearlite. A fabrication method and flexible conduits for hydrocarbon extraction are also provided.

A thermal treatment process of a ferrous alloy sheet is provided. The process includes the step of performing a thermal treatment on said sheet when running, by immersing it into at least one molten oxides bath. The molten oxides bath has a viscosity lower than 3.Math.10.sup.1 Pa.Math.s, the surface of the bath is in contact with a non-oxidizing atmosphere and the molten oxides are inert towards iron. The difference between the temperature of the ferrous alloy sheet at the entry of the bath and the temperature of the bath is between 25 C. and 900 C. The residues of oxides remaining on the surfaces of the ferrous alloy sheet at the exit of the bath are eliminated. A device for implementing this process is also provided.