A copper alloy plate containing in a center part of a plate thickness direction more than 2.0% (% by mass) and 32.5% or less of Zn; 0.1% or more and 0.9% or less of Sn; 0.05% or more and less than 1.0% of Ni; 0.001% or more and less than 0.1% of Fe, and 0.005% or more and 0.1% or less of P; and the balance Cu, including a surface layer part in which a surface Zn concentration in a surface is 60% or less of a center Zn concentration in the center part, having a depth from the surface to where Zn concentration is 90% of the center Zn concentration; and in the surface layer, the Zn concentration increases from the surface toward the center part in the plate thickness direction at a concentration gradient of 10% by mass/μm or more and 1000% by mass/μm or less.

Exemplary thermoelectric devices and methods are disclosed herein. Thermoelectric generator performance is increased by the shaping isothermal fields within the bulk of a thermoelectric pellet, resulting in an increase in power output of a thermoelectric generator module. In one embodiment, a thermoelectric device includes a pellet comprising a semiconductor material, a first metal layer surrounding a first portion of the pellet, and a second metal layer surrounding a second portion of the pellet. The first and second metal layers are configured proximate to one another about a perimeter of the pellet. The pellet is exposed at the perimeter. And the perimeter is configured at a sidewall height about the pellet to provide a non-linear effect on a power output of the thermoelectric device by modifying an isotherm surface curvature within the pellet. The device also includes a metal container thermally and electrically bonded to the pellet.

A Cu—Ni—Si based copper alloy containing Ni and Si: in a center portion in a plate thickness direction, containing 0.4% by mass or more and 5.0% by mass or less of Ni, 0.05% by mass or more and 1.5% by mass or less of Si, and the balance Cu and inevitable impurities; where an Ni concentration on a plate surface is 70% or less of a center Ni concentration in the thickness center portion; a surface layer portion having a depth from the plate surface to be 90% of the center Ni concentration; in the surface layer portion, the Ni concentration increases from the plate surface toward the thickness center portion at 5.0% by mass/.Math.m or more and 100% by mass/.Math.m or less of a concentration gradient; to improve the electric connection reliability under high-temperature environment.

There is provided a bonding wire for semiconductor devices that exhibits a favorable bondability even when being applied to wedge bonding at the room temperature, and also achieves an excellent bond reliability. The bonding wire includes a core material of Cu or Cu alloy (hereinafter referred to as a “Cu core material”), and a coating containing a noble metal formed on a surface of the Cu core material. A concentration of Cu at a surface of the wire is 30 to 80 at%.

The preset invention has as its object the provision of a laminate free of hexavalent chromium and excellent in corrosion resistance and wear resistance, and a manufacturing process of the laminate. To solve the above-described problems, a laminate according to the present invention includes a substrate, and a laminated film portion with metal films laminated in two or more layers. The laminate has an interface layer between each two adjacent ones of the metal films. The laminated film portion contains a first metal element as a principal component, the first metal element being at least one element of Ni, Cr, Co, and W, and a second metal element that is a metal element of smaller cohesive energy than that of the first metal element. The second metal element contained in the interface layer is at a content ratio higher than that of the second metal element contained in each of the adjacent metal films.

A method of forming a multilayered zinc alloy coating comprises steps of providing a bath of an aqueous electrolyte including zinc and a second electrodepositable component in an electrolytic cell having an anode and a cathode; applying a current or voltage between the anode and the cathode; modulating the applied current or voltage over time between at least two current or voltage values to thereby modulate the current density over multiple cycles between at least two current density values, wherein a first current density value is in a range of 0.3 to less than 2 A/dm.sup.2 and a second current density value is higher than the first current density value and is in a range of 0.6 to less than 5 A/dm.sup.2; and controlling the modulation of the applied current or voltage to obtain a multilayered structure having multiple layers of one or more of alternating proportions of the second component, alternating corrosion potential, alternating grain size, and alternating grain orientation, wherein one or more of the multiple layers has a thickness in the range of 1 to 10 μm.

A method of forming a multilayered zinc alloy coating comprises steps of providing a bath of an aqueous electrolyte including zinc and a second electrodepositable component in an electrolytic cell having an anode and a cathode; applying a current or voltage between the anode and the cathode; modulating the applied current or voltage over time between at least two current or voltage values to thereby modulate the current density over multiple cycles between at least two current density values, wherein a first current density value is in a range of 0.3 to less than 2 A/dm.sup.2 and a second current density value is higher than the first current density value and is in a range of 0.6 to less than 5 A/dm.sup.2; and controlling the modulation of the applied current or voltage to obtain a multilayered structure having multiple layers of one or more of alternating proportions of the second component, alternating corrosion potential, alternating grain size, and alternating grain orientation, wherein one or more of the multiple layers has a thickness in the range of 1 to 10 μm.

A double layered electrolytic copper foil is disclosed. It is possible to freely control various physical properties of the double layered electrolytic copper foil. The double layered electrolytic copper foil contains a first copper layer, a second copper layer, and an interface formed between one surface of the first copper layer and one surface of the second copper layer. A method of manufacturing the double layered electrolytic copper foil is also disclosed.

A metal coated article includes a platinum-group metal region adjacent a refractory metal region, which is adjacent a substrate comprising an inorganic material. A refractory metal carbide layer is adjacent the substrate and the refractory metal layer is adjacent the refractory metal carbide layer. The platinum-group metal region comprises a refractory metal/platinum-group metal layer and a platinum-group metal layer. Related methods are also disclosed.

A metal coated article includes a platinum-group metal region adjacent a refractory metal region, which is adjacent a substrate comprising an inorganic material. A refractory metal carbide layer is adjacent the substrate and the refractory metal layer is adjacent the refractory metal carbide layer. The platinum-group metal region comprises a refractory metal/platinum-group metal layer and a platinum-group metal layer. Related methods are also disclosed.