A film-forming powder containing a rare earth oxyfluoride has an average particle size D50 of 0.6-15 m, a total volume of 10 m pores of 0.51-1.5 cm.sup.3/g as measured by mercury porosimetry, and a BET surface area of 3-50 m.sup.2/g is suitable for forming a dense film in high yields or deposition rates and high productivity. The film-forming powder having a greater pore volume can be prepared by forming a rare earth ammonium fluoride complex salt on surfaces of rare earth oxide particles to provide precursor particles, and heat treating the precursor particles at a temperature of 350 to 700 C.

A powder application apparatus includes a transport device, a powder supplier, a squeegee, and an ultra-high frequency vibration generator. The transport device is configured to move a sheet in a predetermined direction. The powder supplier is configured to supply powder on a surface of the sheet. The squeegee is positioned at a distance from the sheet, and the powder supplier is configured to adjust a thickness of the powder supplied onto the surface of the sheet. The ultra-high frequency vibration generator is configured to vibrate the squeegee at a frequency of 2 kHz or more and 300 kHz or less.

A powder application apparatus includes a transport device, a powder supplier, a squeegee, and an ultra-high frequency vibration generator. The transport device is configured to move a sheet in a predetermined direction. The powder supplier is configured to supply powder on a surface of the sheet. The squeegee is positioned at a distance from the sheet, and the powder supplier is configured to adjust a thickness of the powder supplied onto the surface of the sheet. The ultra-high frequency vibration generator is configured to vibrate the squeegee at a frequency of 2 kHz or more and 300 kHz or less.

Methods for making electroactive composite materials for electrochemical cells are provided. The method includes introducing a particle mixture comprising a first particle having a first diameter (R.sub.1) and comprising a first electroactive material and a second particle having a second diameter (R.sub.2) smaller than the first diameter (R.sub.1) and comprising a second electroactive material into a dry-coating device having a rotatable vessel defining a cavity and a rotor disposed therewithin. The vessel is rotated at a first speed in a first direction, and the rotor is rotated at a second speed greater than the first speed in a second direction opposing the first direction. The particle mixture flows between cavity walls and the rotor and experiences thrusting and compression forces that create a substantially uniform coating comprising the second electroactive material on one or more exposed surfaces of the first particle.

Methods for making electroactive composite materials for electrochemical cells are provided. The method includes introducing a particle mixture comprising a first particle having a first diameter (R.sub.1) and comprising a first electroactive material and a second particle having a second diameter (R.sub.2) smaller than the first diameter (R.sub.1) and comprising a second electroactive material into a dry-coating device having a rotatable vessel defining a cavity and a rotor disposed therewithin. The vessel is rotated at a first speed in a first direction, and the rotor is rotated at a second speed greater than the first speed in a second direction opposing the first direction. The particle mixture flows between cavity walls and the rotor and experiences thrusting and compression forces that create a substantially uniform coating comprising the second electroactive material on one or more exposed surfaces of the first particle.

An inner surface-modified tube includes fine particles that are buried in an inner surface of a tube with part of surfaces of the fine particles exposed, wherein the fine particles are unevenly distributed such that more fine particles are distributed in a region from a center of the tube to the inner surface of the tube than in a region from the center of the tube to an outer surface of the tube based on a thickness direction of the tube, an arithmetic average roughness Ra of the inner surface of the tube is 1 nm or more and 100 m or less, a particle diameter of each fine particle is 10 nm or more and 100 m or less, and an inner diameter of the tube is 0.01 mm or more and 100 mm or less.

An inner surface-modified tube includes fine particles that are buried in an inner surface of a tube with part of surfaces of the fine particles exposed, wherein the fine particles are unevenly distributed such that more fine particles are distributed in a region from a center of the tube to the inner surface of the tube than in a region from the center of the tube to an outer surface of the tube based on a thickness direction of the tube, an arithmetic average roughness Ra of the inner surface of the tube is 1 nm or more and 100 m or less, a particle diameter of each fine particle is 10 nm or more and 100 m or less, and an inner diameter of the tube is 0.01 mm or more and 100 mm or less.

A method of making a light weight component is provided. The method including the steps of: forming a metallic foam core into a desired configuration; applying an external metallic shell to an exterior surface of the metallic foam core after it has been formed into the desired configuration; forming an inlet opening and an outlet opening in the external metallic shell in order to provide a fluid path through the metallic foam core; and injecting a thermoplastic material into the metallic foam core via the inlet opening.

A method of making a light weight component is provided. The method including the steps of: forming a metallic foam core into a desired configuration; applying an external metallic shell to an exterior surface of the metallic foam core after it has been formed into the desired configuration; forming an inlet opening and an outlet opening in the external metallic shell in order to provide a fluid path through the metallic foam core; and injecting a thermoplastic material into the metallic foam core via the inlet opening.

This disclosure relates to basic inorganic compositions. Methods of providing antifungal/antibacterial resistance and/or hydrophobicity and/or corrosion resistance by coating surfaces with the basic inorganic compositions are provided. In another aspect, a silicate composition comprising at least one alkali earth metal; and a Group IV element of silicon, germanium, tin, or lead having at least one hydrocarbon moiety covalently bonded thereto is provided.