A heterogeneous composition is disclosed, including an alloy mixture and a ceramic additive. The alloy mixture includes a first alloy having a first melting point of at least a first threshold temperature, and a second alloy having a second melting point of less than a second threshold temperature. The second threshold temperature is lower than the first threshold temperature. The first alloy, the second alloy, and the ceramic additive are intermixed with one another as distinct phases. An article is disclosed including a first portion including a material composition, and a second portion including the heterogeneous composition. A method for forming the article is disclosing, including applying the second portion to the first portion.

A steel sheet for cans has, on the surface thereof, in order from the steel sheet side, a chromium metal layer and a hydrous chromium oxide layer. The chromium metal layer is deposited in an amount of 65-200 mg/m.sup.2, and the hydrous chromium oxide layer is deposited in an amount of 3-15 mg/m.sup.2 in terms of chromium. The chromium metal layer includes: a flat chromium metal layer that has a thickness of at least 7 nm; and a granular chromium metal layer that includes granular protrusions that are formed on the surface of the flat chromium metal layer. The maximum grain size of the granular protrusions is 100 nm or smaller. The number density of the granular protrusions per unit area is 10/m.sup.2 or higher.

A coated metallic substrate including at least a first coating consisting of aluminum is provided. The first coating has a thickness between 1.0 and 4.5 m and is directly topped by a second coating based on zinc, such second coating having a thickness between 1.5 and 9.0 m. The thickness ratio of the first coating with respect to the second coating is between 0.2 and 1.2.

A surface-treated steel sheet for fuel tanks, including a ZnNi alloy plating layer on one surface or both surfaces of a steel sheet; and a trivalent chromate covering layer or a chromate-free covering layer on the ZnNi alloy plating layer, wherein, in a surface outermost layer of the trivalent chromate covering layer or the chromate-free covering layer, concavities, of which a depth from an arithmetic average height of a cross-sectional curve of the surface outermost layer is more than or equal to 0.1 m, exist in a proportion of 50 to 1000 concavities/mm2 and at an area ratio of 20 to 80% to a surface area of the steel sheet.

A metal plate to be used in the manufacture of a deposition mask comprises: a base metal plate; and a surface layer disposed on the base metal plate, wherein the surface layer includes elements different from those of the base metal plate, or has a composition ratio different from that of the base metal plate, and an etching rate of the base metal plate is greater than the etching rate of the surface layer. An embodiment includes a manufacturing method for a deposition mask having an etching factor greater than or equal to 2.5. The deposition mask of the embodiment includes a deposition pattern region and a non-deposition region, the deposition pattern region includes a plurality of through-holes, the deposition pattern region is divided into an effective region, a peripheral region, and a non-effective region, and through-holes can be formed in the effective region and the peripheral region.

A metallic material that includes a base material; and a surface layer formed on a surface of the base material and exposed on an outermost surface, wherein the surface layer contains Ag, and In less than the Ag in atomic ratio, and a connection terminal being made of the metallic material, wherein the surface layer is formed on a surface of the base material, at least in a contact portion electrically contacting an opposite electrically conductive member.

A metal plate to be used in the manufacture of a deposition mask comprises: a base metal plate; and a surface layer disposed on the base metal plate, wherein the surface layer includes elements different from those of the base metal plate, or has a composition ratio different from that of the base metal plate, and an etching rate of the base metal plate is greater than the etching rate of the surface layer. An embodiment includes a manufacturing method for a deposition mask having an etching factor greater than or equal to 2.5. The deposition mask of the embodiment includes a deposition pattern region and a non-deposition region, the deposition pattern region includes a plurality of through-holes, the deposition pattern region is divided into an effective region, a peripheral region, and a non-effective region, and through-holes can be formed in the effective region and the peripheral region.

A method for fabricating a substrate provided with a plurality of layers, includes: providing a steel substrate with an oxide layer including metal oxides on the steel substrate; providing a metal coating layer directly on the oxide layer, the metal coating layer including: at least 8% by weight nickel; at least 10% by weight chromium; and a remainder being iron and impurities from a fabrication process; and providing an anti-corrosion coating layer directly on the metal coating layer.

Billets and methods for manufacturing them are disclosed. The billets include a cladding member including an alloy selected from the group including stainless steel, nickel-chrome, nickel-copper, and copper-nickel alloys, and a steel body that is positioned so that it has an interface with the cladding member, the steel body having a formation in which the scavenging metal is located and elements being provided for separating the scavenging metal from the cladding member at the interface.

A method of applying a protective coating to an article comprises the steps of a) depositing aluminum in a surface region of an article, and b) depositing chromium is the surface region of the article subsequent to step a), whereby at least a portion of the chromium replaces at least a portion of the aluminum. Another method and an article are also disclosed.