This application provides a metal foil. The metal foil may include a first metal layer and a metal base layer that are stacked up. A roughness Rz of a surface that is of the metal base layer and that is oriented toward the first metal layer is α.sub.1 μm, a roughness Rz of a surface that is of the first metal layer and that is oriented back from the metal base layer is β.sub.1 μm, α.sub.1 may be in a range of 1.8 to 2.9, and β.sub.1 may be in a range of 1 to 1.4.

An electric contact includes a multilayered coating structure. The multilayered coating structure includes an intermediate layer and a top layer arranged on top of the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer includes Bi.sub.3Ni and the top layer includes a plurality of free bismuth grains.

An object comprising a chromium-based coating on a substrate is disclosed, wherein the chromium is electroplated from an aqueous electroplating bath comprising trivalent chromium cations, wherein the chromium-based coating comprises 87-98 weight-% of chromium, 0.3-5 weight-% of carbon, and 0.1-11 weight-% of nickel and/or iron, and wherein the chromium-based coating has a Vickers microhardness value of 1000-2000 HV, and wherein the chromium-based coating does not contain chromium carbide. Further is disclosed a method for its production, and an aqueous electroplating bath.

The present invention provides a zinc battery anode that includes a first layer of zinc foil. An electroplated zinc seed layer is formed on the first layer of zinc foil, the electroplated zinc seed layer having a thickness in a range of 0.01 to 2 microns. The invention further provides a method for forming a seed layer on a zinc battery anode. In the process, the zinc seed layer is deposited on a zinc foil battery anode by electrochemical deposition from a zinc ion-containing solution at a current density of approximately 20 mA cm.sup.−2 to 100 mA cm.sup.−2 to form a uniform and dense seed layer. Through use of a seed layer on the zinc anode, dendrite formation is prevented and long battery life is demonstrated.

Coated articles and methods for applying coatings are described. In some cases, the coating can exhibit desirable properties and characteristics such as durability, corrosion resistance, and high conductivity. The articles may be coated, for example, using an electrodeposition process.

Exemplary methods of electroplating include contacting a patterned substrate with a plating bath in an electroplating chamber, where the pattern substrate includes at least one opening having a bottom surface and one or more sidewall surfaces. The methods may further include forming a nanotwin-containing metal material in the at least one opening. The metal material may be formed by two or more cycles that include delivering a forward current from a power supply through the plating bath of the electroplating chamber for a first period of time, plating a first amount of the metal on the bottom surface of the opening on the patterned substrate and a second amount of the metal on the sidewall surfaces of the opening, and delivering a reverse current from the power supply through the plating bath of the electroplating chamber to remove some of the metal plated in the opening on the patterned substrate.

Exemplary methods of electroplating include contacting a patterned substrate with a plating bath in an electroplating chamber, where the pattern substrate includes at least one opening having a bottom surface and one or more sidewall surfaces. The methods may further include forming a nanotwin-containing metal material in the at least one opening. The metal material may be formed by two or more cycles that include delivering a forward current from a power supply through the plating bath of the electroplating chamber for a first period of time, plating a first amount of the metal on the bottom surface of the opening on the patterned substrate and a second amount of the metal on the sidewall surfaces of the opening, and delivering a reverse current from the power supply through the plating bath of the electroplating chamber to remove some of the metal plated in the opening on the patterned substrate.

An anti-corrosion terminal material including a base material made of copper or copper alloy and a coating film laminated on the base material: the coating film includes: a first coating film, provided with a zinc layer made of zinc alloy and a tin layer made of tin or tin alloy which are laminated in this order, and formed at a planned core contact part; and a second coating film including the tin layer but not comprising the zinc layer, which is provided at a planned contact part being a contact part when the terminal is formed: and the zinc layer has a thickness not less than 0.1 μm and not more than 5.0 μm and zinc concentration not less than 30% by mass and not more than 95% by mass, and has any one or more of nickel, iron, manganese, molybdenum, cobalt, cadmium, lead and tin as a balance.

A Ni-plated steel sheet according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a base steel sheet; an Fe—Ni diffusion alloy region disposed on the base steel sheet; and a Ni plating region disposed on the Fe—Ni diffusion alloy region, in which an average equivalent circle diameter of crystal grains made of Ni (fcc) in the Ni plating region measured in a cross section perpendicular to a rolled surface of the base steel sheet is 0.2 to 4.0 μm.

An oxide superconducting wire includes a superconducting laminate including an oxide superconducting layer disposed, either directly or indirectly, on a substrate, and a stabilization layer which is a Cu plating layer covering an outer periphery of the superconducting laminate. An average crystal grain size of the Cu plating layer is 3.30 μm or more and equal to or less than a thickness of the Cu plating layer.