A novel method of blackening surgical needles is disclosed. Surgical needles having outer surfaces are first placed into a first pretreatment bath having a novel composition. The needles are then placed into a second blackening bath having a novel composition for a sufficient period of time to effectively blacken the surfaces of the needles. The novel methods for blackening the surfaces of a stainless steel alloy surgical needle provide a chromium (VI)-free alternative to current needle manufacturing processes. Another unique feature of this novel method is its short processing time. The blackening processes of the present invention can be utilized for in-line treatment processes which can be easily incorporated into high speed needle manufacturing processes, such as strip mounted processes. In addition, the processes of the present invention are readily adaptable to batch processes. Also disclosed are novel systems for blackening surgical needles and novel blackening baths for surgical needles.

A novel method of blackening surgical needles is disclosed. Surgical needles having outer surfaces are first placed into a first pretreatment bath having a novel composition. The needles are then placed into a second blackening bath having a novel composition for a sufficient period of time to effectively blacken the surfaces of the needles. The novel methods for blackening the surfaces of a stainless steel alloy surgical needle provide a chromium (VI)-free alternative to current needle manufacturing processes. Another unique feature of this novel method is its short processing time. The blackening processes of the present invention can be utilized for in-line treatment processes which can be easily incorporated into high speed needle manufacturing processes, such as strip mounted processes. In addition, the processes of the present invention are readily adaptable to batch processes. Also disclosed are novel systems for blackening surgical needles and novel blackening baths for surgical needles.

This disclosure relates to method phosphating an iron surface susceptible to corrosion, the method comprising contacting an iron surface with an aqueous mixture of an acidic phosphate component, a basic component, and at least one silicate; and forming a passivation zone chemically bound to the iron surface of one or more iron ions corresponding to the iron surface, the acidic phosphate component, the basic component, and at least one corrosion inhibitor precursor.

This disclosure relates to method phosphating an iron surface susceptible to corrosion, the method comprising contacting an iron surface with an aqueous mixture of an acidic phosphate component, a basic component, and at least one silicate; and forming a passivation zone chemically bound to the iron surface of one or more iron ions corresponding to the iron surface, the acidic phosphate component, the basic component, and at least one corrosion inhibitor precursor.

Disclosed herein is a method of pretreatment of a metallic substrate for a subsequent metal cold forming process. The method includes at least steps (1) and (2), namely providing at least one substrate having at least one surface at least partially made of at least one metal (step (1)), contacting the at least one surface of the substrate provided in step (1) with an aqueous lubricant composition (B) (step (2)), where the aqueous lubricant composition (B) includes besides water at least constituents (b1) to (b4) and optionally (b5).

Further disclosed herein are a pretreated metallic substrate obtained by the method, a method of cold forming of a metallic substrate, and an aqueous lubricant composition (B).

The invention relates to a method of preparing a metal oxide/metal composite, comprising depositing a metal oxide from a dispersion in a liquid on a metal surface; or depositing a metal oxide in the presence of a metal from a dispersion in a liquid on a substrate; or depositing a metal oxide from a metal salt solution on a metal substrate. The metal oxide/metal composites obtained by the process show synergistic antimicrobial activity due to release of high concentrations of redox active species (ROS) at the metal oxide/metal heterojunction. The invention also relates to use of the metal oxide/metal composite as an antimicrobial coating.

Disclosed is a surface-treatment solution for producing a zinc or zinc alloy coated steel sheet with a surface-coating layer that does not contain a chromium compound in the surface-coating layer and that is excellent in all of heat discoloration resistance, heat cracking resistance, planar part anti-corrosion property, corrosion resistance after alkali degreasing, blackening resistance, stack blackening resistance, anti-water stain property, solvent resistance, perspiration resistance, coating adhesion property, and storage stability. The disclosed surface-treatment solution contains a glycidyl group-containing silane coupling agent (A), a tetraalkoxysilane (B), a zirconium carbonate compound (C), and an anionic polyurethane resin (D) having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 80 C. to 130 C., a vanadium compound (E), a molybdic acid compound (F), and water, the surface-treatment solution having a pH of 8.0 to 10.0, and the amount of each component satisfying a predetermined relationship.

A novel method of blackening surgical needles is disclosed. Surgical needles having outer surfaces are first placed into a first pretreatment bath having a novel composition. The needles are then placed into a second blackening bath having a novel composition for a sufficient period of time to effectively blacken the surfaces of the needles. The novel methods for blackening the surfaces of a stainless steel alloy surgical needle provide a chromium (VI)-free alternative to current needle manufacturing processes. Another unique feature of this novel method is its short processing time. The blackening processes of the present invention can be utilized for in-line treatment processes which can be easily incorporated into high speed needle manufacturing processes, such as strip mounted processes. In addition, the processes of the present invention are readily adaptable to batch processes. Also disclosed are novel systems for blackening surgical needles and novel blackening baths for surgical needles.

A novel method of blackening surgical needles is disclosed. Surgical needles having outer surfaces are first placed into a first pretreatment bath having a novel composition. The needles are then placed into a second blackening bath having a novel composition for a sufficient period of time to effectively blacken the surfaces of the needles. The novel methods for blackening the surfaces of a stainless steel alloy surgical needle provide a chromium (VI)-free alternative to current needle manufacturing processes. Another unique feature of this novel method is its short processing time. The blackening processes of the present invention can be utilized for in-line treatment processes which can be easily incorporated into high speed needle manufacturing processes, such as strip mounted processes. In addition, the processes of the present invention are readily adaptable to batch processes. Also disclosed are novel systems for blackening surgical needles and novel blackening baths for surgical needles.

Provided is a rolling die that increases the durability of a nitrided molded surface. The rolling die (1) includes a tool base material that is made of steel and has a molded surface (2) on which a plurality of working teeth (10) is formed. The tool base material includes a nitride layer (15) in which nitrogen is diffused. The nitride layer (15) is disposed to reach a position that is 20 to 70 ?m in depth from the molded surface (2). The molded surface (2) has a surface hardness of at least 1100 HV. The rate of depth change from the depth (D1) of the nitride layer (15) at crests (11) of the working teeth (10) to the depth (D2) of the nitride layer (15) at roots (13) of the working teeth (10) is not higher than 30%.