Disclosed are methods for treating metal substrates that include contacting the substrate with a pretreatment composition comprising a rare earth metal and a zirconyl compound. The present invention also relates to coated substrates produced thereby and further to substrates additionally coated with an electrophoretically applied coating composition.

A composite can include a substrate and a conversion coating overlying the substrate and comprising at least one of a zirconium oxide, a hafnium oxide, or a combination thereof. The conversion coating can be formed from a zirconia or hafnia-based complex obtained by reacting at least one of a zirconium ion source, a hafnium ion source, or a combination thereof, with a chelating compound in a reaction and another chelating compound in another reaction.

A process for generating a compact alumina passivation layer on an aluminum component includes rinsing the component in deionized water for at least one minute, drying it for at least one minute, and exposing it to concentrated nitric acid, at a temperature below 10 C., for one to 30 minutes. The process also includes rinsing the component in deionized water for at least one minute, drying it for at least one minute, and exposing it to NH.sub.4OH for one second to one minute. The process further includes rinsing the component in deionized water for at least one minute and drying it for at least one minute. A component for use in a plasma processing system includes an aluminum component coated with an Al.sub.xO.sub.y film having a thickness of 4 to 8 nm and a surface roughness less than 0.05 m greater than a surface roughness of the component without the Al.sub.xO.sub.y film.

Embodiments relate to a cerium-containing nano-coating composition, the composition including an amorphous matrix including one or more of cerium oxide, cerium hydroxide, and cerium phosphate; and crystalline regions including one or more of crystalline cerium oxide, crystalline cerium hydroxide, and crystalline cerium phosphate. The diameter of each crystalline region is less than about 50 nanometers.

Embodiments relate to a cerium-containing nano-coating composition, the composition including an amorphous matrix including one or more of cerium oxide, cerium hydroxide, and cerium phosphate; and crystalline regions including one or more of crystalline cerium oxide, crystalline cerium hydroxide, and crystalline cerium phosphate. The diameter of each crystalline region is less than about 50 nanometers.

Disclosed are: a chemical conversion treatment solution for metal surfaces, which enables the formation of a chemical conversion coating film having excellent corrosion resistance and adhesion properties on metal base materials even though the solution does not contain chromium and fluorine, comprising at least one compound (A) selected from a water-soluble titanium compound and a water-soluble zirconium compound and an organic compound (B) that has multiple functional groups and can serve as a stabilizing agent, and which has a pH value of 2.0 to 6.5, wherein the content of the compound (A) is 0.1 to 10 mmol/L, and the content of the organic compound (B) is 2.5- to 10-fold larger than the content of the metal in the compound (A) by mole; and a method for treating the surface of a metal base material or a structure or body using the chemical conversion treatment solution for metal surfaces.

Disclosed are: a chemical conversion treatment solution for metal surfaces, which enables the formation of a chemical conversion coating film having excellent corrosion resistance and adhesion properties on metal base materials even though the solution does not contain chromium and fluorine, comprising at least one compound (A) selected from a water-soluble titanium compound and a water-soluble zirconium compound and an organic compound (B) that has multiple functional groups and can serve as a stabilizing agent, and which has a pH value of 2.0 to 6.5, wherein the content of the compound (A) is 0.1 to 10 mmol/L, and the content of the organic compound (B) is 2.5- to 10-fold larger than the content of the metal in the compound (A) by mole; and a method for treating the surface of a metal base material or a structure or body using the chemical conversion treatment solution for metal surfaces.

Embodiments relate to a cerium-containing nano-coating composition, the composition including an amorphous matrix including one or more of cerium oxide, cerium hydroxide, and cerium phosphate; and crystalline regions including one or more of crystalline cerium oxide, crystalline cerium hydroxide, and crystalline cerium phosphate. The diameter of each crystalline region is less than about 50 nanometers.

Embodiments relate to a cerium-containing nano-coating composition, the composition including an amorphous matrix including one or more of cerium oxide, cerium hydroxide, and cerium phosphate; and crystalline regions including one or more of crystalline cerium oxide, crystalline cerium hydroxide, and crystalline cerium phosphate. The diameter of each crystalline region is less than about 50 nanometers.

An aqueous surface treatment agent, which is used for surface treatment of a metal, contains (A) a trivalent chromium compound and (B) a water-soluble or water-dispersible acrylic resin. With respect to this aqueous surface treatment agent, the water-soluble or water-dispersible acrylic resin (B) has a solid acid value of 150 mgKOH/g to 740 mgKOH/g and a solid hydroxyl value of 24 mgKOH/g to 350 mgKOH/g; and the ratio of the mass of trivalent chromium contained in the trivalent chromium compound (A) to the mass of the solid content of the water-soluble or water-dispersible acrylic resin (B) is 0.07 to 2.8.