The invention relates to a method and a device for coating powder- or granular-form particles by means of gas flow sputtering with a hollow cathode functioning as a target, which is arranged in an evacuable container together with an anode and a collection container. In order to work efficiently and with easier handling, it is proposed that after a metered introduction into an inlet opening, the powder- or granular-form particles to be coated pass through the evacuated interior of the hollow cathode in a free fall of 0.3 m to 1 m and are collected in a lower collection container.

A surface treatment apparatus includes a treatment electrode, a housing unit that is installed at a position facing the treatment electrode and is rotatable around a rotation shaft having an inclination with respect to a horizontal direction while housing a workpiece, a chamber that houses the treatment electrode and the housing unit, a surface treatment device that performs surface treatment on the workpiece housed in the housing unit and includes the treatment electrode, and a rotation device that rotates the housing unit around the rotation shaft when the surface treatment device performs the surface treatment on the workpiece.

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for coating rollable elements. The apparatus may have a coating subsystem for generating a coating material, and a conical, dish-like element or an array of rotating rods for supporting the rolling elements thereon for rolling motion during a coating process during which the rolling elements receive the coating material. The conical dish-like element has a plurality of spaced apart track elements for supporting the rolling elements thereon. The array of rods has a plurality of spaced apart grooves for supporting the rolling elements. The openings between track elements or rotating rods allow for particulates and/or contaminants to pass during the coating process.

Systems, compositions, and methods for using reactive magnetron sputtering to encapsulate nanowire networks to improve their chemical, thermal, and electrical stability while maintaining transparency are disclosed. For example, oxynitride films are deposited onto silver nanowire networks using full-metal targets without imparting oxidative damage onto the nanowires. The oxynitrides can be deposited using residual water vapor in the chamber that can take advantage of relatively poor vacuum conditions, which would be compatible with high-volume roll-to-roll sputtering approaches, and would also reduce the cost of encapsulating sensitive metal nanostructures which would encounter high temperatures, currents, or humidity. The resulting films can be applicable in a wide variety of fields as transparent encapsulants, where metal nanostructures would need to be protected from harsh environmental conditions and/or high temperatures-including but not limited to: solar cell electrodes, transparent heaters, touch screens, and LEDs.

Catalyst sputtering-based methods of facilitating forming a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) catalyst layer are provided. The methods include forming a catalyst ink, including obtaining a powder including a plurality of support particles, and depositing, via sputtering, a catalyst onto the plurality of support particles to form a supported catalyst for the catalyst ink. Further, the method includes providing the catalyst ink with the supported catalyst on a membrane to facilitate forming the catalyst layer of the membrane electrode assembly.

Nanoclusters are produced in a gas phase using a nanocluster manufacturing section including: a vacuum container; a sputtering source that has a target as a cathode, performs magnetron sputtering by pulse discharge, and generates plasma; a pulse power source that supplies pulsed power to the sputtering source; a first inert gas supply section that supplies a first inert gas to the sputtering source; a nanocluster growth cell that is contained in the vacuum container; and a second inert gas introduction section that introduces a second inert gas into the nanocluster growth cell. A multitude of supports are rolled in the gas phase and each of the supports is sprinkled with a multitude of nanoclusters to cause each support to support the multitude of nanoclusters.

The use of Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) and Molecular Layer Deposition (MLD) applied to powders and intermediates of the MLCC fabrication process can provide significant advantages. Coating metal particles within a defined range of ALD cycles is shown to provide enhanced oxidation resistance. Surprisingly, a very thin ALD layer was found to substantially increase sintering temperature.

The invention relates to a coating arrangement for coating particles, a method for coating particles, and corresponding uses. The coating arrangement includes a coating chamber and a coating device arranged in the coating chamber. This device comprises a hollow body with an axis, the inner wall of which forms a particle track around the axis of the hollow body, a particle source and a particle sink, and at least one coating source. The coating source is adapted for emitting a coating material along a direction perpendicular to the axis of the hollow body. Furthermore, the coating device comprises a rotation device which is adapted for rotating the hollow body about its axis, and a cleaning device which is arranged in the interior of the hollow body in a stationary manner with respect to the hollow body and is adapted for removing adhering coating material from the inner wall of the hollow body.

A system for processing powder includes a process tube connected to load lock chamber via a vacuum valve. The load lock chamber includes first and second stations. Each of the first and second stations is configured to receive a barrel containing powder to be treated. A mechanical transfer mechanism is configured to: move a barrel containing powder to be treated from the first station into the process tube; move a barrel containing powder to be treated from the second station into the process tube; move a barrel containing treated powder from the process tube to the first station; and move a barrel containing treated powder from the process tube to the second station.

A method for surface treatment of a metal material in a powder state is provided, the method including obtaining a powder formed from a plurality of particles of the metal material to be treated; and subjecting the powder to an ion implantation process by directing a beam of singly-charged or multi-charged ions towards an outer surface of the particles, the beam being produced by a source of singly-charged or multi-charged ions, whereby the particles have an overall spherical shape with a radius (R). There is also provided a material in a powder state formed from a plurality of particles having a ceramic outer layer and a metal core, the particles having an overall spherical shape.