Embodiments of the present methods deposit smooth, semi-bright nickel coatings from a nickel bath at room temperature, with relatively high concentrations (between about 5 and about 10%) of an organic modifier (such as butanol) under acidic conditions and using a modified pulse potential. The methods for electrodepositing nickel coatings result in nickel coatings that have improved internal structure and corrosion resistance.

A combined oil control ring comprising a pair of annular side rails each having a gap, and an axially corrugated spacer expander arranged between the side rails; the corrugated spacer expander having on the inside seating tabs for pushing inner peripheral surfaces of the side rails; the side-rail-pushing surface of each seating tab being provided with a nitrided layer; an entire surface of each spacer expander except for those provided with the nitrided layer being coated with a plating film; and the plating film having Vickers hardness HV0.01 of 300 or less.

Crystal plane orientation enrichment compounds are applied to copper to modify copper grain orientation distribution to the favorable crystal plain orientation to enhance copper electroplating. Electroplating copper on the modified copper enables faster and selective electroplating.

A coating made of platinum-gold alloy is provided, together with a method of its preparation by electrodeposition. The alloy is composed of more than 50 atomic percent platinum. The microstructure of the alloy consists of generally ellipsoidal grains. More than half of the grains have a major axis of 10 nm or less.

A process to form devices may include forming a seed layer on and/or over a substrate, modifying a seed layer selectively, forming an image-wise mold layer on and/or over a substrate and/or electrodepositing a first material on and/or over an exposed conductive area. A process may include selectively applying a temporary patterned passivation layer on a conductive substrate, selectively forming an image-wise mold layer on and/or over a substrate, forming a first material on and/or over at least one of the exposed conductive areas and/or removing a temporary patterned passivation layer. A process may include forming a sacrificial image-wise mold layer on a substrate layer, selectively placing one or more first materials in one or more exposed portions of a substrate layer, forming one or more second materials on and/or over a substrate layer and/or removing a portion of a sacrificial image-wise mold layer.

Certain embodiments are described herein that are directed to articles comprising textured coatings that can enhance adhesion of a surface coating. In some examples, the textured coating comprises at least one metal or metallic compound present in a plurality of individual microstructures which can be positioned in different planes in different heights with respect to a reference zero point in the textured coating. In some configurations, a surface coating comprising a repellent material can be disposed onto the textured coating and may infuse into or grip the textured coating to enhance adhesion of the surface coating.

The present disclosure generally relates to methods of electro-depositing a crystalline layer of pure aluminum onto the surface of an aluminum alloy article. The methods may include positioning the article and an electrode in an electro-deposition solution. The electro-deposition solution includes one or more of an aluminum halide, an organic chloride salt, an aluminum reducing agent, a solvent such as a nitrile compound, and an alkali metal halide. The solution is blanketed with an inert gas, agitated, and a crystalline layer of aluminum is deposited on the article by applying a bias voltage to the article and the electrode.

Provided is a tin-plated copper terminal material, a terminal formed from the terminal material, and an electric-wire terminal structure using the terminal: the terminal material has a substrate of copper or a copper alloy; an intermediate zinc layer of a zinc alloy that is formed on the substrate and has a thickness of 0.10 μm to 5.00 μm; and a tin layer of tin or a tin alloy that is formed on the intermediate zinc layer and in which the length proportion occupied by low-angle grain boundaries is 2% to 30% with respect to the total length of all crystal grain boundaries; wherein galvanic corrosion is effectively suppressed.

A metal nanolaminate includes a plurality of units stacked in a longitudinal direction of the metal nanolaminate. Each of the units includes a first layer and a second layer stacked in the longitudinal direction. The first layer includes a first metal material formed of a first metallic element and the second layer includes the first metal material and a second metal material formed of a second metallic element. Each of the first layer and the second layer has a thickness of at least 5 nm but less than 100 nm in the longitudinal direction.

In one example, an article including a soft substrate defining at least one of a first outer perimeter of the substrate or an aperture extending through the soft substrate defining a second outer perimeter of the aperture; a hard coating on the outer surface of the soft substrate; and at least one reinforcement member extending through the soft substrate at a location adjacent to at least one of the first outer perimeter or the second outer perimeter, wherein the at least one reinforcement member increases resistance to compression of the soft substrate at the location of the at least one reinforcement member.