An electroplating bath for depositing a silver/tin alloy on a substrate. The electroplating bath comprises (a) a source of tin ions; (b) a source of silver ions; (c) an acid; (d) a first complexing agent; (e) a second complexing agent, wherein the second complexing agent is selected from the group consisting of allyl thioureas, aryl thioureas, and alkyl thioureas, and combinations thereof; and (f) optionally, a wetting agent, and (g) optionally, an antioxidant.

A silver-plated product is produced by forming a surface layer of silver on a base material by electroplating at a liquid temperature of 10 to 35° C. and a current density of 3 to 15 A/dm.sup.2 in a silver plating solution so as to satisfy (32.6x−300)≦y≦(32.6x+200) assuming that a product of a concentration of potassium cyanide in the silver plating solution and a current density is y (g.Math.A/L.Math.dm.sup.2) and that a liquid temperature of the silver plating solution is x (° C.), the silver plating solution containing 80 to 110 g/L of silver, 70 to 160 g/L of potassium cyanide and 55 to 70 mg/L of selenium.

The present invention relates to a surface modifier for electrolytic nickel plating including at least one carboxyl group-containing compound and a nickel electroplating solution including the surface modifier. The use of the nickel electroplating solution according to the present invention enables efficient formation of a plated nickel layer with high surface roughness and mattness even without performing strong electrolysis, unlike in the prior art.

A magnesium alloy composite structure includes a magnesium alloy substrate, a zinc layer applied to the magnesium alloy substrate, a copper layer applied to the zinc layer, a nickel strike layer applied to the copper layer; an autocatalytic nickel layer applied to the nickel strike layer and a surface layer applied to the autocatalytic nickel layer. Various surface layers include Aluminum Titanium Nitride, Boron Nitride, Chromium Nitride, Titanium Nitride, Zirconium Nitride, Zirconium Oxide, Zirconium Oxycarbide, Titanium Carbide, Titanium Nitride and Diamond Like Carbon.

The present invention relates to a very specific electroplating bath for depositing a black chromium layer, a respective method thereof, and a respective substrate with said black chromium layer thereon. The substrate comprising said black chromium layer is excellently suited for decorative purposes.

The present invention relates to a method for electrodepositing a dark chromium layer on a substrate and a substrate having at least one side fully covered with a dark chromium layer. The method includes utilizing an aqueous trivalent chromium electroplating bath comprising colloidal particles and a step of treating the substrate with a rinse liquid having a temperature of 50° C. or more.

A method and system for manufacturing an optical article is provided. The method may comprise providing at least one ophthalmic lens substrate having a surface; applying at least one conductive coating on at least a portion the ophthalmic lens substrate; and electroplating the ophthalmic lens substrate to form a plating layer that is in a contacting relationship with the conductive coating of the optical article. Other layers may also be applied.

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.

Embodiments of the present methods deposit smooth, semi-bright nickel coatings from a nickel bath at room temperature, with relatively high concentrations (between about 5 and about 10%) of an organic modifier (such as butanol) under acidic conditions and using a modified pulse potential. The methods for electrodepositing nickel coatings result in nickel coatings that have improved internal structure and corrosion resistance.

A combined oil control ring comprising a pair of annular side rails each having a gap, and an axially corrugated spacer expander arranged between the side rails; the corrugated spacer expander having on the inside seating tabs for pushing inner peripheral surfaces of the side rails; the side-rail-pushing surface of each seating tab being provided with a nitrided layer; an entire surface of each spacer expander except for those provided with the nitrided layer being coated with a plating film; and the plating film having Vickers hardness HV0.01 of 300 or less.