An organic release agent is vacuum deposited over a substrate and surface treated with a plasma or ion-beam source in a gas rich in oxygen-based functional groups to harden a very thin layer of the surface of the deposited layer in passivating environment. Aluminum is subsequently vacuum deposited onto the hardened release layer to form a very flat and specular thin film. The film is exposed to a plasma gas containing oxygen or nitrogen to passivate its surface. The resulting product is separated from the substrate, crushed to break up the film into aluminum flakes, and mixed in a solvent to separate the still extractable release layer from the aluminum flakes. The surface treatment of the release layer greatly reduces wrinkles in the flakes, improving the optical characteristics of the flakes. The passivation of the flake material virtually eliminates subsequent corrosion from exposure to moisture.

An intravascular stent and method of making an intervascular stent having a hybrid pattern a. The hybrid pattern comprises a plurality of circumferentially self-expansible members comprising a plurality of interconnected, geometrically deformable closed cells, adjacent self-expansible members interconnected by a plurality of bridge members linking a first interconnection between two closed cells in a first self-expansible member to a second interconnection between two closed cells in a second self-expansible member, wherein the second interconnection is circumferentially offset and non-adjacent to the first interconnection.

A product includes a three-dimensional structure comprising a continuous metallic material. The continuous metallic material includes at least two layers. A first layer of the at least two layers includes a metal and a second layer of the at least two layers includes a transition metal having a body-centered-cubic crystal structure. A method of forming a three-dimensional structure having a continuous metallic material includes forming a polymer template, depositing a seed layer on the polymer template, and depositing a metallic layer on the seed layer. The metallic layer includes a transition metal that is nucleated by the seed layer thereby forming the continuous metallic material having a body-centered-cubic crystal structure.

A method of manufacturing a pigment. The method includes: providing a substrate; forming stacked multiple sets of films successively on the substrate, wherein each set of films comprises a sacrificial layer and an optical film, the sacrificial layer and the optical film are successively stacked, and the sacrificial layer is a stripping agent with compressive stress or low stress; and obtaining the pigment by stripping and crushing formed multiple sets of films.

The present disclosure relates to a method for coating a surface (110B) of a structure (110), the method comprising steps of: placing a structure (110) inside a chamber, at least one ejector (104) being located inside the chamber and oriented towards a surface (110B) to be coated of the structure; enclosing the chamber; forming a vacuum in the chamber; and then injecting vapor through the at least one ejector (104) towards the surface, while causing a relative motion, for example rotation. between the structure and the at least one ejector.

A graphene vapor deposition system and method produce high-quality graphene films. The system includes a substrate supply with a copper sheet or copper-plated metal sheet, a vacuum housing, a hydraulic actuator, a pump, and a heating device to vaporize a carbon source for graphene deposition. A dissolving tank removes the copper substrate, yielding a free-standing graphene film. Automated components, such as robotic arms and a control system, enhance scalability and efficiency. The method involves positioning the substrate, creating a vacuum, vaporizing the carbon source, depositing graphene, and dissolving the copper substrate. Operating at about 600 C. to about 900 C., the process supports iterative deposition for improved uniformity. This system and method enable scalable, cost-effective graphene production for industrial applications.

An intravascular stent and method of making an intervascular stent having a hybrid pattern The hybrid pattern comprises a plurality of circumferentially self-expansible members comprising a plurality of interconnected, geometrically deformable closed cells, adjacent self-expansible members interconnected by a plurality of bridge members linking a first interconnection between two closed cells in a first self-expansible member to a second interconnection between two closed cells in a second self-expansible member, wherein the second interconnection is circumferentially offset and non-adjacent to the first interconnection.

Ternary and quaternary shape memory alloys, particularly nickel-titanium based quaternary and quaternary shape memory alloys, are disclosed and made by a method employing physical vapor deposition (PVD), such as by sputtering, of NiTiX, wherein X is a ternary metal constituent. By employing PVD processing, ternary and quaternary NiTi alloy bulk materials may be made in in the as-deposited state such that the configuration and conformation of a desired precursor material, e.g., wires, tubes, planar materials, curvilinear, or as the near finished end product, such as a hypotube for stent manufacture, semilunar for cardiac valves or conical for embolic or caval filters, is formed on a removable deposition substrate in the configuration and conformation of the precursor material or near-finished end product.

A method of depositing of a film on a substrate with controlled adhesion. The method comprises depositing the film including metal, wherein the metal is deposited on the substrate using physical vapor deposition at a pressure that achieves a pre-determined adhesion of the film to the substrate. The pre-determined adhesion allows processing of the film into a device while the film is adhered to the substrate but also allows removal of the device from the substrate.