Articles having functional surfaces, for example antimicrobial functional surfaces, are prepared by methods comprising anodization. Organophosphorous compounds are deposited on a surface by methods comprising anodization, followed by attaching functional compounds, functional oligomers or functional polymers. Alternatively, functional organophosphorous compounds, functional oligomers or functional polymers are deposited on a surface by methods comprising anodization.

Articles having functional surfaces, for example antimicrobial functional surfaces, are prepared by methods comprising anodization. Organophosphorous compounds are deposited on a surface by methods comprising anodization, followed by attaching functional compounds, functional oligomers or functional polymers. Alternatively, functional organophosphorous compounds, functional oligomers or functional polymers are deposited on a surface by methods comprising anodization.

Systems and methods are disclosed for a rock-salt structure formed from an electrochemically-driven amorphous-to-crystalline (a-to-c) transformation of nanostructured Nb.sub.2O.sub.5, the rock-salt structure including, upon cycling with lithium ions (Li+), an insertion of lithium ions (Li+) into Nb.sub.2O.sub.5 to form the rock-salt structure (RS—Nb.sub.2O.sub.5).

Systems and methods are disclosed for a rock-salt structure formed from an electrochemically-driven amorphous-to-crystalline (a-to-c) transformation of nanostructured Nb.sub.2O.sub.5, the rock-salt structure including, upon cycling with lithium ions (Li+), an insertion of lithium ions (Li+) into Nb.sub.2O.sub.5 to form the rock-salt structure (RS—Nb.sub.2O.sub.5).

A method for vacuum heat treating Nb, such as is used in superconducting radio frequency cavities, to engineer the interstitial oxygen profile with depth into the surface to conveniently optimize the low-temperature rf surface resistance of the material. An example application is heating of 1.3 GHz accelerating structures between 250-400° C. to achieve a very high quality factor of 5×10.sup.10 at 2.0 K. With data supplied by secondary ion mass spectrometry measurements, application of oxide decomposition and oxygen diffusion theory was applied to quantify previously unknown parameters crucial in achieving the oxygen alloy concentration profiles required to optimize the rf surface resistance. RF measurements of vacuum heat treated Nb superconducting radio frequency cavities confirmed the minimized surface resistance (higher Q.sub.0) previously expected only from 800° C. diffusive alloying with nitrogen.

A method for vacuum heat treating Nb, such as is used in superconducting radio frequency cavities, to engineer the interstitial oxygen profile with depth into the surface to conveniently optimize the low-temperature rf surface resistance of the material. An example application is heating of 1.3 GHz accelerating structures between 250-400° C. to achieve a very high quality factor of 5×10.sup.10 at 2.0 K. With data supplied by secondary ion mass spectrometry measurements, application of oxide decomposition and oxygen diffusion theory was applied to quantify previously unknown parameters crucial in achieving the oxygen alloy concentration profiles required to optimize the rf surface resistance. RF measurements of vacuum heat treated Nb superconducting radio frequency cavities confirmed the minimized surface resistance (higher Q.sub.0) previously expected only from 800° C. diffusive alloying with nitrogen.

Disclosed herein are methods specifically tailored for facilitating the mitigation of cosmetic impressions associated with fingerprint impressions on surface(s) of articles of manufacture made from anodized substrates. To this end, such methods provide for removal of fingerprints by enzymatically functionalizing the surface(s) of the article of manufacture (e.g., a cosmetic coating thereof) to generate an enzymatically active surface and activating such enzymatically functionalized surface(s) to promote such fingerprint removal. Thus methods and articles of manufacture made in accordance with such methods provide improved end-use utility and functionality of many products for consumer electronic applications, automotive applications, building materials applications, and the like.

A heating apparatus, a non-combusted heating device and a method for manufacturing the same are disclosed. In certain aspects, the heating apparatus includes a casing with an end for receiving a product to be heated, a heating element at least partially disposed within the casing, and an insulation layer formed between an internal surface of the casing and an external surface of the heating element. The insulation layer includes a polycrystalline material having a valve metal oxide.

A chemical treatment process has been identified as a simple and effective means of improving the bonding of injection-molded polymer to titanium surfaces. This process forms an oxide layer on a titanium surface that includes a layered double hydroxide. The layered double hydroxide both raises the bond strength and minimizes air or water leakage. The process enables the use of titanium alloys with injection molded polymer structural bonds in strong, lightweight, and water-resistant enclosures for consumer electronics.

In one example, an electronic device housing may include a substrate, a micro-arc oxidation layer formed on a surface of the substrate, and an electroless plating layer formed on the micro-arc oxidation layer. Example electroless plating layer may be one of an electroless tin plating layer and an electroless silver plating layer. Further, the electronic device housing may include an electrophoretic deposition layer formed on the electroless plating layer.