Methods for treating a substrate are disclosed. The substrate is deoxidized and then immersed in an electrodepositable pretreatment composition comprising a lanthanide series element and/or a Group IIIB metal, an oxidizing agent, and a metal-complexing agent to deposit a coating from the electrodepositable pretreatment composition onto a surface of the substrate. Optionally, the electrodepositable pretreatment composition may comprise a surfactant. A coating from a spontaneously depositable pretreatment composition comprising a Group IIIB and/or Group IVB metal may be deposited on the substrate surface prior to electrodepositing a coating from the electrodepositable pretreatment composition. Following electrodeposition of the electrodepositable pretreatment composition, the substrate optionally may be contacted with a sealing composition comprising phosphate and a Group IIIB and/or IVB metal. Substrates treated according to the methods also are disclosed.

A method for producing a forming tool having a forming punch and a mating die corresponding to the forming tool for forming a substrate is provided, which includes the steps of preparing at least the forming punch of the forming tool from a light metal and forming a protective coating on at least one region on a surface of at least the forming punch of the forming tool. The protective coating is applied to a region that is configured to contact the substrate, and in one form, the light metal is aluminum or an aluminum alloy. A forming tool having a forming part and a mating die is also provided, in which at least the forming tool is made from a light metal and includes the protective coating.

The invention relates to a process for producing a corrosion-inhibiting coating for substrates having a surface consisting of zinc, magnesium, aluminum or one of their alloys, wherein the surface to be treated is brought into contact in direct succession with two aqueous treatment solutions containing chromium(III) ions, metal ions of the substrate surface to be treated and at least one complexing agent. The first treatment solution has a pH in the range from 1.0 to 4.0, while the second treatment solution has a pH of from 3.0 to 12.0. The process of the invention produces a smaller amount of wastewater polluted with heavy metals.

Provided is a super water-repellent layer structure. The super water-repellent layer structure comprises a substrate having a ratchet structure formed on the upper surface thereof and a super water-repellent nanowire structure formed on the ratchet structure, wherein water drops can move in one direction without an external force. A super water-repellent layer structure can be provided which enables water drops to move in one direction using the ratchet structure and the super water-repellent nanowire structure even without force applied from the outside in a state in which the surface thereof is hardly inclined. Thus, such a super water-repellent layer structure can be applied to various industries such as water harvesting, drainage of condensation water of a heat exchanger, etc., a microfluidic industry.

Provided is a super water-repellent layer structure. The super water-repellent layer structure comprises a substrate having a ratchet structure formed on the upper surface thereof and a super water-repellent nanowire structure formed on the ratchet structure, wherein water drops can move in one direction without an external force. A super water-repellent layer structure can be provided which enables water drops to move in one direction using the ratchet structure and the super water-repellent nanowire structure even without force applied from the outside in a state in which the surface thereof is hardly inclined. Thus, such a super water-repellent layer structure can be applied to various industries such as water harvesting, drainage of condensation water of a heat exchanger, etc., a microfluidic industry.

The present invention relates to the lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) amorphous alloy plating solution which may be used to form a PZT amorphous alloy film having excellent mechanical and physical properties and a method for plating a PZT amorphous alloy using the same. The PZT amorphous alloy plating solution may include a Pb precursor, a Zr precursor, and a Ti precursor. 10˜50 parts by weight of the Zr precursor and 5˜30 parts by weight of the Ti precursor may be included based on 100 parts by weight of the Pb precursor. Accordingly, electrical conductivity can be improved because the PZT amorphous alloy plating solution has a structure which has low crystallinity or which is amorphous. Furthermore, excellent electrical characteristics can be achieved because the PZT amorphous alloy plating solution has excellent conductivity or chemical stability.

Process for the fabrication of an electrode structure comprising an electrochemically active material suitable for use in an energy storage device. The method includes electrodepositing the electrochemically active material onto an electrode in electrodeposition bath containing a non-aqueous electrolyte. The electrode structure can be used for various applications such as electrochemical energy storage devices including high power and high-energy lithium-ion batteries.

Process for the fabrication of an electrode structure comprising an electrochemically active material suitable for use in an energy storage device. The method includes electrodepositing the electrochemically active material onto an electrode in electrodeposition bath containing a non-aqueous electrolyte. The electrode structure can be used for various applications such as electrochemical energy storage devices including high power and high-energy lithium-ion batteries.

Provided are: a multilayer structure in which a titanium oxide layer exhibits excellent photocatalytic activity; and a method for producing this multilayer structure. The above-described multilayer structure comprises: a conductive part which contains a metal element A other than Ti, while having electrical conductivity; and a titanium oxide layer which is arranged on the conductive part and contains 1.0% by atom or more of the metal element A.

A method for sealing pores includes: providing an object which includes a substrate formed of a metal or alloy of the metal, and a passivation layer formed on the substrate, the passivation layer being formed of metal oxide and having a plurality of pores; immersing the object as a cathode and an anode in a solution containing metal cations and anions; providing an electric current between the anode and the object with an electric current density across the object being less than 0.5 A/dm.sup.2, such that the metal cations and anions in the solution undergo a redox reaction on the passivation layer; and sealing the pores of the passivation layer with a metallic compound formed by the redox reaction of the metal cations and the anions in the solution.