Treatments for anodic coatings that provide improved resistance to staining and cracking during various manufacturing processes are described. According to some embodiments, the methods include placing the anodic coatings in partially sealed states by sealing only the outermost portions of the anodic coatings, which protect the outer surfaces of the anodic coatings from contamination and staining. Inner portions of the anodic coatings are left unsealed, thereby making the anodic coatings more compliant and resistant to cracking when exposed to manufacturing processes, even those that involve exposure to high temperatures or high mechanical stress. Subsequent to the processing, another sealing process can be implemented to fully seal the anodic coatings so that they provide good corrosion and wear resistance.

An object is to provide a novel composition for blackening treatment that can sufficiently blacken copper circuits of printed wiring boards, circuits made of silver paste, and other various articles containing a copper-based metal, such as copper or a copper alloy, or a silver-based metal, such as silver or a silver alloy, without impairing the smoothness of the copper-based metal or silver-based metal. A composition is provided for blackening treatment of a copper-based metal or a silver-based metal, the composition comprising an aqueous solution containing: (i) at least one water-soluble metal compound selected from the group consisting of water-soluble palladium compounds, water-soluble ruthenium compounds, and water-soluble silver compounds; (ii) at least one halide selected from the group consisting of hydrohalic acids, metal halides, and ammonium halides; and (iii) at least one nitrogen atom-containing compound selected from the group consisting of alkylene diamines, polyalkylene polyamines, polyamide polyamines, and crosslinked polyamide polyamines.

An object is to provide a novel composition for blackening treatment that can sufficiently blacken copper circuits of printed wiring boards, circuits made of silver paste, and other various articles containing a copper-based metal, such as copper or a copper alloy, or a silver-based metal, such as silver or a silver alloy, without impairing the smoothness of the copper-based metal or silver-based metal. A composition is provided for blackening treatment of a copper-based metal or a silver-based metal, the composition comprising an aqueous solution containing: (i) at least one water-soluble metal compound selected from the group consisting of water-soluble palladium compounds, water-soluble ruthenium compounds, and water-soluble silver compounds; (ii) at least one halide selected from the group consisting of hydrohalic acids, metal halides, and ammonium halides; and (iii) at least one nitrogen atom-containing compound selected from the group consisting of alkylene diamines, polyalkylene polyamines, polyamide polyamines, and crosslinked polyamide polyamines.

Materials for, and methods of, colorizing a metallic surface with micro-gratings using vibration cutting technologies are provided. Micro-gratings on aluminum, brass, and stainless steel surfaces can be rapidly created to effect, under illumination, at least one color observable in the visible spectrum using elliptical vibration texturing, a vibration-assisted mechanical cutting process. The modified metallic surface can display multiple visible colors, an iridescent effect caused by changes in one or more cutting parameters employed to produce the micro-gratings, the angle of illumination by an incident light, and/or the viewing angle of the surface under illumination.

Materials for, and methods of, colorizing a metallic surface with micro-gratings using vibration cutting technologies are provided. Micro-gratings on aluminum, brass, and stainless steel surfaces can be rapidly created to effect, under illumination, at least one color observable in the visible spectrum using elliptical vibration texturing, a vibration-assisted mechanical cutting process. The modified metallic surface can display multiple visible colors, an iridescent effect caused by changes in one or more cutting parameters employed to produce the micro-gratings, the angle of illumination by an incident light, and/or the viewing angle of the surface under illumination.

Materials for, and methods of, colorizing a metallic surface with micro-gratings using vibration cutting technologies are provided. Micro-gratings on aluminum, brass, and stainless steel surfaces can be rapidly created to effect, under illumination, at least one color observable in the visible spectrum using elliptical vibration texturing, a vibration-assisted mechanical cutting process. The modified metallic surface can display multiple visible colors, an iridescent effect caused by changes in one or more cutting parameters employed to produce the micro-gratings, the angle of illumination by an incident light, and/or the viewing angle of the surface under illumination.

Materials for, and methods of, colorizing a metallic surface with micro-gratings using vibration cutting technologies are provided. Micro-gratings on aluminum, brass, and stainless steel surfaces can be rapidly created to effect, under illumination, at least one color observable in the visible spectrum using elliptical vibration texturing, a vibration-assisted mechanical cutting process. The modified metallic surface can display multiple visible colors, an iridescent effect caused by changes in one or more cutting parameters employed to produce the micro-gratings, the angle of illumination by an incident light, and/or the viewing angle of the surface under illumination.

Provided are a chromium-free passivated and film-covered tinned plate, a passivation treatment solution for manufacturing a passivation film, and a manufacturing method for a tinned plate. The chromium-free passivated and film-covered tinned plate comprises a tinned plate and a polyester film laminated on a surface of the tinned plate. The tinned plate comprises a substrate, a tin coating and a passivation film covering a surface of the tin coating. The passivation film does not contain chromium, and contains 2.0-20 mg/m.sup.2 of zinc and 10-60 mg/m.sup.2 of silicon. A solvent in the passivation treatment solution is water, and the solution contains 0.5-5.0 wt % of a zinc salt and 10-30 wt % of an organosiloxane or a polysiloxane. The manufacturing method for the tinned plate comprises: (1) electrotinning a steel substrate to form a tin coating; (2) subjecting the steel substrate having the tin coating to a soft melting treatment to form an iron-tin alloy layer; (3) spray-coating a passivation treatment solution to form a tinned plate having a passivation film; (4) squeeze-drying the tinned plate; (5) hot air drying; and (6) thermally laminating a polyester film onto a surface of the surface-treated tinned plate.

Provided are conducting members for fuel cells obtained by applying a protective film forming agent to a surface-treated base material having a base material and at least one alloy plating layer formed on the base material in order to form a protective film on the alloy plating layer, and thereafter subjecting the surface-treated base material to an acid treatment. In the conducting members for fuel cells of the present invention, the protective film forming agent preferably contains a mixture of a compound having a thiol group and an azole-based compound, and/or an azole-based compound having a thiol group. In the conducting members for fuel cells of the present invention, the acid treatment is preferably a treatment using sulfuric acid or nitric acid.

Materials for, and methods of, colorizing a metallic surface with micro-gratings using vibration cutting technologies are provided. Micro-gratings on aluminum, brass, and stainless steel surfaces can be rapidly created to effect, under illumination, at least one color observable in the visible spectrum using elliptical vibration texturing, a vibration-assisted mechanical cutting process. The modified metallic surface can display multiple visible colors, an iridescent effect caused by changes in one or more cutting parameters employed to produce the micro-gratings, the angle of illumination by an incident light, and/or the viewing angle of the surface under illumination.