A cathode is provided for electrolysis of water wherein the cathode material comprises a multi-principal element, transition metal dichalcogenide material that has four or more chemical elements and that is a single phase, solid solution. The pristine cathode material does not contain platinum as a principal (major) component. However, a cathode comprising a transition metal dichalcogenide having platinum (Pt) nanosized islands or precipitates disposed thereon is also provided.

A metal circuit structure based on a flexible printed circuit (FPC) contains: a substrate, a first metal layer attached on the substrate, a second metal layer formed on the first metal layer, and an intermediate layer defined between the first metal layer and the second metal layer. A first surface of the intermediate layer is connected with the first metal layer, and a second surface of the intermediate layer is connected with the second metal layer. The intermediate layer is made of a first material, the second metal layer is made of a second material, and the first material of the intermediate layer does not act with the second material of the second metal layer.

A method of coating an antimicrobial conductive metal layer on a non-conductive surface of articles with novel chemistry and methods with just a few process steps consisting of contacting the chemistries at room temperature for short durations is disclosed. The methodology is environmentally friendly, non-toxic aqueous bath of different salt compositions for providing uniform anti-microbial metal coating on the articles. The cost-effective methodology can be used on a wide variety of non-conductive surfaces such as glass, fibers, textiles, ceramic, plastic, foam and so on.

A coated article comprises a substrate and a self-healing coating disposed on a surface of the substrate, the self-healing coating comprising a metallic matrix; and a plurality of micro- or nano-sized particles dispersed in the metallic matrix; the micro- or nano-sized particles comprising an active agent disposed in a carrier comprising a micro- or nano-sized metallic container, a layered structure, a porous structure, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

An electroless palladium plating liquid containing at least hydrazine or a salt thereof as a reducing agent, which has excellent bath stability in the vicinity of acidity to neutrality range, long-term stability, and is capable of suppressing the Pd film deposition rate decrease caused by elution of etching resist. An electroless palladium plating solution of the invention includes a palladium compound, hydrazine or its salt, at least one selected from a group consisting of a compound represented by the following formula (1) or its salt and a compound represented by the following formula (2) or its salt; and a pH of 8 or less, NH.sub.2NHCOR.sub.1 (1), (NH.sub.2NHCO).sub.2(R.sub.2)n (2), wherein R.sub.1 represents H, NH.sub.2, an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, NHNH.sub.2, or an aromatic group, wherein each of these groups may have a substituent; R.sub.2 represents (CH.sub.2) or an aromatic group, wherein each of these groups may have a substituent; and n represents an integer of 0 to 10.

An electroless palladium plating liquid containing at least hydrazine or a salt thereof as a reducing agent, which has excellent bath stability in the vicinity of acidity to neutrality range, long-term stability, and is capable of suppressing the Pd film deposition rate decrease caused by elution of etching resist. An electroless palladium plating solution of the invention includes a palladium compound, hydrazine or its salt, at least one selected from a group consisting of a compound represented by the following formula (1) or its salt and a compound represented by the following formula (2) or its salt; and a pH of 8 or less, NH.sub.2NHCOR.sub.1 (1), (NH.sub.2NHCO).sub.2(R.sub.2)n (2), wherein R.sub.1 represents H, NH.sub.2, an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, NHNH.sub.2, or an aromatic group, wherein each of these groups may have a substituent; R.sub.2 represents (CH.sub.2) or an aromatic group, wherein each of these groups may have a substituent; and n represents an integer of 0 to 10.

Systems and methods for electroless plating a first metal onto a second metal in a molten salt bath including: a bath vessel holding a dry salt mixture including a dry salt medium and a dry salt medium of the first metal, and without the reductant therein, the dry salt mixture configured to be heated to form a molten salt bath; and the second metal is configured to be disposed in the molten salt bath and receive a pure coating of the first metal thereon by electroless plating in the molten salt bath, wherein the second metal is more electronegative than the first metal.

A substrate processing apparatus 5 includes a holder 52 (52A), a supply 53 and a cover body 6. The holder 52 (52A) is configured to attract and hold a substrate W. The supply 53 is configured to supply a heated plating liquid to the substrate W attracted to and held by the holder 52 (52A). The cover body 6 is configured to cover the substrate W attracted to and held by the holder 52 (52A), and heat the plating liquid on the substrate W by using a heating device 63 provided in a ceiling member 61 thereof facing a top surface of the substrate W. The holder 52 (52A) includes protrusions 130 projecting from a facing surface 110 thereof facing a bottom surface of the substrate W toward the bottom surface of the substrate W, and each protrusion has a protruding height equal to or larger than 1 mm.

An apparatus includes a printed circuit board (PCB), a power component disposed on the PCB, the power component to generate heat, and a multilayered coating disposed over the power component and at least a portion of the PCB to dissipate heat from the power component, the multilayered including: an electrical insulation layer comprising a non-polar compound and disposed on the power component and the at least a portion of the PCB; a chromium layer disposed on the electrical insulation layer; and a copper layer disposed on the chromium layer that is at least 10 microns (μm) thick, the copper layer conformally adhered to a top of the power component and to the PCB.

A circuit layer is formed by drilling vias and forming channels in a circuit layer which has catalytic particles exposed on the surfaces, channels, and vias. A first flash electroless deposition is followed by application of dry film, followed by selective laser ablation of the dry film channels and vias. A second electroless solution is applied which provides additional deposition over the first flash electroless deposition but only on the vias and trace channel areas. An electrodeposition follows, using the first deposition as a cathode. The dry film is stripped and the first electroless layer is etched, leaving only depositions in the channels and vias.