Assemblies of stacked layers of materials are described. The assemblies include functional and structural layers. Functional layers include binderless ceramic materials on woven or non-woven substrates of natural, synthetic, or metallic materials. The layers of functional and structural materials may be configured to transport moisture or heat from an inner surface to an outer surface that is exposed to an ambient environment.

Provided are a treatment liquid for a trivalent chromium conversion coating, achieving excellent corrosion resistance and scratch resistance without containing a cobalt compound, with high stability and adequate consideration for environmental issues; and a method for treating a metal substrate using the same. Provided is a treatment liquid for a trivalent chromium conversion coating on the surface of a metal substrate comprising: a trivalent chromium compound; titanium lactate; one or more compounds of transition metal other than cobalt; two or more organic acids or organic acid salts, and at least one ion species selected from chloride ions, nitrate ions, and sulfate ions; but no cobalt compound.

Provided are a treatment liquid for a trivalent chromium conversion coating, achieving excellent corrosion resistance and scratch resistance without containing a cobalt compound, with high stability and adequate consideration for environmental issues; and a method for treating a metal substrate using the same. Provided is a treatment liquid for a trivalent chromium conversion coating on the surface of a metal substrate comprising: a trivalent chromium compound; titanium lactate; one or more compounds of transition metal other than cobalt; two or more organic acids or organic acid salts, and at least one ion species selected from chloride ions, nitrate ions, and sulfate ions; but no cobalt compound.

Provided is a zinc-based plated steel sheet having a post-treated coating filmed thereon including: a steel sheet; a zinc plated layer formed on the steel sheet; and a post-treated coating formed on the plated layer, wherein the atomic ratio (O/M) of oxygen (O) to metals (M) contained in the post-treated coating is greater than 2 and less than 20, and a method for post-treating a zinc-based plated steel sheet. According to this, the zinc-based plated steel sheet having the post-treated coating formed thereon has the effects excellent in lubricity, weldability, adhesiveness, film-removing property and paintability. As the method of post-treating a zinc-based plated steel sheet of the present invention employs a simple coating method irrespective of the kind of plating layer, the process is simple and economical and the process operation cost is low.

Provided is a zinc-based plated steel sheet having a post-treated coating filmed thereon including: a steel sheet; a zinc plated layer formed on the steel sheet; and a post-treated coating formed on the plated layer, wherein the atomic ratio (O/M) of oxygen (O) to metals (M) contained in the post-treated coating is greater than 2 and less than 20, and a method for post-treating a zinc-based plated steel sheet. According to this, the zinc-based plated steel sheet having the post-treated coating formed thereon has the effects excellent in lubricity, weldability, adhesiveness, film-removing property and paintability. As the method of post-treating a zinc-based plated steel sheet of the present invention employs a simple coating method irrespective of the kind of plating layer, the process is simple and economical and the process operation cost is low.

The present invention relates to a method for the cleaning and/or anti-corrosion pretreatment of a plurality of components in series, in which the components of the series are at least partially composed of zinc-coated (ZM) steel. After a cleaning stage and before further cleaning and/or anti-corrosion pretreatment, the components pass through a treatment stage for improving the wettability of the zinc-coated (ZM) steel surfaces in which at least the surfaces of the zinc-coated (ZM) steel of the components are brought into contact with an aqueous medium which contains at least one builder which is a salt of a Lewis acid-base pair in which the Lewis acid is selected from Li.sup.+, Na.sup.+, K.sup.+, Ca.sup.2+, Mg.sup.2+ or Al.sup.3+, and the Lewis base is selected from anions of a polyprotic Br?nsted acid.

Provided are a chromium-free surface-treated tinplate, a production method and a surface treating agent thereof. By coating, on the surface of a tinplate, an environmentally friendly aqueous surface treating agent containing 0.1-5 wt % of a zinc salt, 0.1-5 wt % of a zirconium salt and/or a molybdenum salt and 5-30 wt % of siloxane or polysiloxane, a layer of chromium-free passivation film having uniform and dense ingredients and a good performance and being stable is formed on the surface of a tin layer. The passivation film contains 0.1-20 mg/m.sup.2 of zinc, 0.1-20 mg/m.sup.2 of zirconium and/or molybdenum and 0.5-100 mg/m.sup.2 silicon. The passivation film can impart an excellent surface stability, corrosion resistance and paint film adhesion performance to the surface of the tinplate; in addition, contact with food is safe. The tinplate is comparable to chromium passivation in performance, and the production process thereof does not use a chromate, so that a truly green production process of a tinplate is achieved, complying with the requirements of increasingly strict environmental protection laws and regulations.

Provided are a chromium-free surface-treated tinplate, a production method and a surface treating agent thereof. By coating, on the surface of a tinplate, an environmentally friendly aqueous surface treating agent containing 0.1-5 wt % of a zinc salt, 0.1-5 wt % of a zirconium salt and/or a molybdenum salt and 5-30 wt % of siloxane or polysiloxane, a layer of chromium-free passivation film having uniform and dense ingredients and a good performance and being stable is formed on the surface of a tin layer. The passivation film contains 0.1-20 mg/m.sup.2 of zinc, 0.1-20 mg/m.sup.2 of zirconium and/or molybdenum and 0.5-100 mg/m.sup.2 silicon. The passivation film can impart an excellent surface stability, corrosion resistance and paint film adhesion performance to the surface of the tinplate; in addition, contact with food is safe. The tinplate is comparable to chromium passivation in performance, and the production process thereof does not use a chromate, so that a truly green production process of a tinplate is achieved, complying with the requirements of increasingly strict environmental protection laws and regulations.

Provided is a chemical conversion agent that, with respect to an aluminum metal material, etc., contributes to superior corrosion and moisture resistance, contributes to superior adhesion with a laminate film, and contributes to superior hydrofluoric acid and alkali resistance. The chemical conversion agent includes: one or more type of metal element (A) selected from a group comprising of zirconium, titanium, and hafnium; vanadium element (B); and a resin (C). The resin (C) includes a polyvinyl alcohol resin (C1). The ratio (Wa/Wb) of the weight-based total content (Wa) of the metal element (A) relative to the weight-based content (Wb) of vanadium element (B) is 0.1-15, and the ratio ((Wa+Wb)/Wc1) of the weight-based total content (Wa+Wb) of the metal element (A) and the vanadium element (B) relative to the weight-based total content (Wc1) of the polyvinyl alcohol resin (C1) is 0.25-15.

Provided is a chemical conversion agent that, with respect to an aluminum metal material, etc., contributes to superior corrosion and moisture resistance, contributes to superior adhesion with a laminate film, and contributes to superior hydrofluoric acid and alkali resistance. The chemical conversion agent includes: one or more type of metal element (A) selected from a group comprising of zirconium, titanium, and hafnium; vanadium element (B); and a resin (C). The resin (C) includes a polyvinyl alcohol resin (C1). The ratio (Wa/Wb) of the weight-based total content (Wa) of the metal element (A) relative to the weight-based content (Wb) of vanadium element (B) is 0.1-15, and the ratio ((Wa+Wb)/Wc1) of the weight-based total content (Wa+Wb) of the metal element (A) and the vanadium element (B) relative to the weight-based total content (Wc1) of the polyvinyl alcohol resin (C1) is 0.25-15.