Cards made in accordance with the invention include a specially treated thin decorative layer attached to a thick core layer of metal or ceramic material, where the thin decorative layer is designed to provide selected color(s) and/or selected texture(s) to a surface of the metal cards. Decorative layers for use in practicing the invention include: (a) an anodized metal layer; or (b) a layer of material derived from plant or animal matter (e.g., wood, leather); or (c) an assortment of aggregate binder material (e.g., cement, mortar, epoxies) mixed with laser reactive materials (e.g., finely divided carbon); or (d) a ceramic layer; and (e) a layer of crystal fabric material. The cards may be dual interface smart cards which can be read in a contactless manner and/or via contacts.

Provided is a plating film that can exhibit a high gloss and a low contact resistance value. The plating film according to an embodiment of the present invention is a plating film including a noble metal matrix and nanodiamond particles dispersed in the noble metal matrix. The plating film according to an embodiment of the present invention preferably has a gloss at an incident angle of 60 of not less than 250 GU and/or a contact resistance value at a load of 50 gf of not greater than 1 m, and a difference between a contact resistance value at a load of 50 gf and a contact resistance value at a load of 5 gf of not greater than 5 m. The nanodiamond particles are preferably nanodiamond particles including a surface-modifying group containing a sterically repulsive group and particularly preferably nanodiamond particles including a surface-modifying group containing a polyglycerol chain.

Provided is a plating film that can exhibit a high gloss and a low contact resistance value. The plating film according to an embodiment of the present invention is a plating film including a noble metal matrix and nanodiamond particles dispersed in the noble metal matrix. The plating film according to an embodiment of the present invention preferably has a gloss at an incident angle of 60 of not less than 250 GU and/or a contact resistance value at a load of 50 gf of not greater than 1 m, and a difference between a contact resistance value at a load of 50 gf and a contact resistance value at a load of 5 gf of not greater than 5 m. The nanodiamond particles are preferably nanodiamond particles including a surface-modifying group containing a sterically repulsive group and particularly preferably nanodiamond particles including a surface-modifying group containing a polyglycerol chain.

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

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

Cards made in accordance with the invention include a decorative layer attached to a core layer, where the decorative layer is designed to provide selected color(s) and/or selected texture(s) to a surface of the metal cards. At least one of the decorative layers is a layer derived from plant matter (e.g., wood). The cards may be dual interface smart cards that can be read in a contactless manner and/or via contacts.

Cards made in accordance with the invention include a decorative layer attached to a core layer, where the decorative layer is designed to provide selected color(s) and/or selected texture(s) to a surface of the metal cards. At least one of the decorative layers is a layer derived from plant matter (e.g., wood). The cards may be dual interface smart cards that can be read in a contactless manner and/or via contacts.

A method for electroplating a nonmetallic grating including providing a nonmetallic grating; performing an atomic layer deposition (ALD) reaction to form a seed layer on the nonmetallic grating; and electroplating a metallic layer on the seed layer such that the metallic layer uniformly and conformally coats the nonmetallic grating. An apparatus including a silicon substrate having gratings with an aspect-ratio of at least 20:1; a atomic layer deposition (ALD) seed layer formed on the gratings; and an electroplated metallic layer formed on the seed layer, wherein the electroplated metallic layer uniformly and conformally coats the gratings.

A method for electroplating a nonmetallic grating including providing a nonmetallic grating; performing an atomic layer deposition (ALD) reaction to form a seed layer on the nonmetallic grating; and electroplating a metallic layer on the seed layer such that the metallic layer uniformly and conformally coats the nonmetallic grating. An apparatus including a silicon substrate having gratings with an aspect-ratio of at least 20:1; a atomic layer deposition (ALD) seed layer formed on the gratings; and an electroplated metallic layer formed on the seed layer, wherein the electroplated metallic layer uniformly and conformally coats the gratings.

Provided is a plating film containing Au and Tl, including Tl oxides including Tl.sub.2O on a surface of the plating film, a ratio of Tl atoms constituting Tl.sub.2O to a total of Tl atoms constituting the Tl oxides and Tl atoms constituting Tl simple substances on the surface being 40% or more.