A corrosion-resistant coating on an aluminum-containing substrate such as an aluminum substrate, an aluminum alloy substrate (e.g., AA 2024, AA 6061, or AA7075), or other aluminum-containing substrate includes a corrosion inhibitor-incorporated ZnAl layered double hydroxide (LDH) layer and a sol-gel layer. A zinc salt and a corrosion inhibitor (e.g., a salt of an oxyanion of a transition metal such as a vanadate) is dissolved to form a zinc-corrosion inhibitor solution, and the substrate is immersed in or otherwise contacted with the solution to form the corrosion inhibitor-incorporated ZnAl LDH layer on the substrate. A sol-gel composition is applied on the corrosion inhibitor-incorporated ZnAl LDH layer of the substrate to form a sol-gel layer, and the sol-gel layer is cured.

The present invention related to a silicon based coating suitable for being applied onto metallic surfaces of a household appliance. The coating of the present invention protects the metallic surfaces of the household appliance against the yellowing or changes in color, through temperatures, among other factors, and eases the cleaning of the same.

The present invention provides copper substrate coated with a lead-lanthanum-zirconium-titanium (PLZT) ceramic film, which is prepared by a method comprising applying a layer of a sol-gel composition onto a copper foil. The sol-gel composition comprises a precursor of a ceramic material suspended in 2-methoxyethanol. The layer of sol-gel is then dried at a temperature up to about 250 C. The dried layer is then pyrolyzed at a temperature in the range of about 300 to about 450 C. to form a ceramic film from the ceramic precursor. The ceramic film is then crystallized at a temperature in the range of about 600 to about 750 C. The drying, pyrolyzing and crystallizing are performed under a flowing stream of an inert gas.

Methods of increasing the solubility of a base in supercritical carbon dioxide include forming a complex of a Lewis acid and the base, and dissolving the complex in supercritical carbon dioxide. The Lewis acid is soluble in supercritical carbon dioxide, and the base is substantially insoluble in supercritical carbon dioxide. Methods for increasing the solubility of water in supercritical carbon dioxide include dissolving an acid or a base in supercritical carbon dioxide to form a solution and dissolving water in the solution. The acid or the base is formulated to interact with water to solubilize the water in the supercritical carbon dioxide. Some compositions include supercritical carbon dioxide, a hydrolysable metallic compound, and at least one of an acid and a base. Some compositions include an alkoxide and at least one of an acid and a base.

Provided are methods and systems for forming piezoelectric coatings on power line cables using sol-gel materials. A cable may be fed through a container with a sol-gel material having a piezoelectric material to form an uncured layer on the surface of the cable. The layer is then cured using, for example, infrared, ultraviolet, and/or other types of radiation. The cable may be suspended in a coating system such that the uncured layer does not touch any components of the system until the layer is adequately cured. Piezoelectric characteristics of the cured layer may be tested in the system to provide a control feedback. The cured layer, which may be referred to as a piezoelectric coating, causes resistive heating at the outer surface of the cable during vibration of the cable due transmission of alternating currents and environmental factors.

Disclosed are methods and systems for forming a layer on a web with reduced levels of particulates. The layer is formed from a fluid mixture(s) or solution of chemical reagents that react to form the layer. The system includes a conveyor device provided configured to carry the web within the chamber while the first surface of the web undergoes one or more processing steps; a first fluid delivery apparatus and a second fluid delivery apparatus, and a first fluid removal apparatus. The first fluid removal apparatus is positioned within a space arranged between the first and the second delivery apparatuses.

A method of preparing at least one layer of a multilayer dielectric (MLD) film stack by producing a sol from a mixture that comprises an epoxide and at least one precursor to a metal oxide, depositing the sol on a substrate, and preparing a metal oxide layer from the deposited sol. The mixture can also include one or any combination of a solvent, water, a precursor to a glassforming oxide, at least one modifier, a cosolvent, or a porogen. Two or more layers of the film stack can be prepared in similar fashion using the same or different sols.

A method for coating a substrate with a CoPi modified BiVO.sub.4/WO.sub.3 heterostructure film includes direct current reactive sputtering tungsten (W) onto a substrate in a gaseous mixture containing oxygen to form a tungsten trioxide (WO.sub.3) film, direct current reactive sputtering bismuth (Bi) onto the tungsten trioxide (WO.sub.3) film in a gaseous mixture containing oxygen to form a dibismuth trioxide (Bi.sub.2O.sub.3) film, drop-casting a vanadyl acetylacetonate solution onto the Bi.sub.2O.sub.3 film and heating at a temperature of at least 450 C. in ambient air to convert the Bi.sub.2O.sub.3 film to a BiVO.sub.4 film, and photoelectrochemically coating the BiVO.sub.4 film with a cobalt-phosphate (CoPi) to form a modified film on the surface of the substrate. A photoanode containing the CoPi modified BiVO.sub.4/WO.sub.3 heterostructure film prepared by the method, and its application in water splitting.

A method for coating a substrate with a Co-Pi modified BiVO.sub.4/WO.sub.3 heterostructure film includes direct current reactive sputtering tungsten (W) onto a substrate in a gaseous mixture containing oxygen to form a tungsten trioxide (WO.sub.3) film, direct current reactive sputtering bismuth (Bi) onto the tungsten trioxide (WO.sub.3) film in a gaseous mixture containing oxygen to form a dibismuth trioxide (Bi.sub.2O.sub.3) film, drop-casting a vanadyl acetylacetonate solution onto the Bi.sub.2O.sub.3 film and heating at a temperature of at least 450 C. in ambient air to convert the Bi.sub.2O.sub.3 film to a BiVO.sub.4 film, and photoelectrochemically coating the BiVO.sub.4 film with a cobalt-phosphate (Co-Pi) to form a modified film on the surface of the substrate. A photoanode containing the Co-Pi modified BiVO.sub.4/WO.sub.3 heterostructure film prepared by the method, and its application in water splitting.

The present invention is concerned with methods for the deposition of ceramic films on ceramic or metallic surfaces, particularly the deposition of sub-micron thickness ceramic films such as films of stabilised zirconia and doped ceria such as CGO (cerium gadolinium oxide). The present invention is particularly useful in the manufacture of high and intermediate temperature operating fuel cells including solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) and also metal supported intermediate temperature SOFC operating in the 450-650 C. range.