A precious metallic laminate may include a first transparent substrate, a transparent transition layer deposited on the first transparent substrate, and a metallic layer deposited on the transparent transition layer. The metallic layer may include a precious metal. The laminate may include a second transparent substrate covering the metallic layer.

A precious metallic laminate may include a first transparent substrate, a transparent transition layer deposited on the first transparent substrate, and a metallic layer deposited on the transparent transition layer. The metallic layer may include a precious metal. The laminate may include a second transparent substrate covering the metallic layer.

A low-resistance conductive thin film is disclosed. The present invention provides a low-resistance conductive thin film including: a substrate; a first capping layer disposed on the substrate; a second capping layer disposed on the first capping layer; a metal layer disposed on the second capping layer; a third capping layer disposed on the metal layer; and a fourth capping layer disposed on the third capping layer.

A low-resistance conductive thin film is disclosed. The present invention provides a low-resistance conductive thin film including: a substrate; a first capping layer disposed on the substrate; a second capping layer disposed on the first capping layer; a metal layer disposed on the second capping layer; a third capping layer disposed on the metal layer; and a fourth capping layer disposed on the third capping layer.

There is disclosed a protected item including an item that needs protection and a protective coating having a hardness of at least about 8 on the Mohs scale. The protected item includes a light transmission in part or all of the visible wavelength of at least about 60% and a light reflection in the visible wavelength of about 4% or less.

Tubular ceramic structures, e.g., anode components of tubular fuel cells, are manufactured by applying ceramic-forming composition to the external surface of the heat shrinkable polymeric tubular mandrel component of a rotating mandrel-spindle assembly, removing the spindle from the assembly after a predetermined thickness of tubular ceramic structure has been built up on the mandrel and thereafter heat shrinking the mandrel to cause the mandrel to separate from the tubular ceramic structure.

A jet-black coating that resists wear; first, at least one DLC layer with a high degree of hardness is applied to a component and then a gradient layer, whose density decreases in the direction toward the surface, is applied to this DLC layer. By means of the refraction index progression that this produces in the gradient layer, the gradient layer functions as a reflection-reducing layer.

A method of growing carbon nanotubes includes following steps. A reactor is constructed, wherein the reactor includes a reactor chamber and a rotating mechanism inside the reactor chamber. A carbon nanotube catalyst composite layer is applied, the carbon nanotube catalyst composite layer is configured to be rotated by the rotating mechanism in the reactor chamber, and the carbon nanotube catalyst composite layer includes a carbon nanotube layer and a number of catalyst particles dispersed in the carbon nanotube layer. The carbon nanotube catalyst composited layer is positioned inside the reactor chamber. A mixture of carbon source gas and carrier gas is introduced into the reactor chamber. The carbon nanotube catalyst composite layer is rotated. The carbon nanotube catalyst composite layer is heated to grow carbon nanotubes.

A method of growing carbon nanotubes includes following steps. A reactor is constructed, wherein the reactor includes a reactor chamber and a rotating mechanism inside the reactor chamber. A carbon nanotube catalyst composite layer is applied, the carbon nanotube catalyst composite layer is configured to be rotated by the rotating mechanism in the reactor chamber, and the carbon nanotube catalyst composite layer includes a carbon nanotube layer and a number of catalyst particles dispersed in the carbon nanotube layer. The carbon nanotube catalyst composited layer is positioned inside the reactor chamber. A mixture of carbon source gas and carrier gas is introduced into the reactor chamber. The carbon nanotube catalyst composite layer is rotated. The carbon nanotube catalyst composite layer is heated to grow carbon nanotubes.

A workpiece having a coating, said coating comprising at least one Ti.sub.XSi.sub.1-xN layer, characterized in that x≦0.85 and the Ti.sub.xSi.sub.1-xN layer contains nanocrystals, the nanocrystals present having an average grain size of not more than 15 nm and having a (200) texture. The invention also relates to a process for producing the aforementioned layer, characterized in that the layer is produced using a sputtering process, in which current densities of greater than 0.2 A/cm.sup.2 arise on the target surface of the sputtering target, and the target is a Ti.sub.XSi.sub.1-xN target, where x≦0.85. An intermediate layer containing TiAlN or CrAlN is preferably provided between the Ti.sub.xSi.sub.1-xN layer and the substrate body of the workpiece.