A method of forming a corrosion-resistant ceramic coating on a metallic substrate, the method comprising providing a passivation layer on a surface of the metallic substrate by electrochemical passivation of the metallic substrate under a first electrical current and using a first electrically conducting solution; and providing the corrosion-resistant ceramic coating on an outermost surface of the metallic substrate, the outermost surface in use adapted to be exposed to a corrosive environment, by plasma electrolytic oxidation of the metallic substrate with the passivation layer, in a second electrically conducting solution and under a second electrical current having a discharge voltage. The first and the second electrically conducting solutions comprise a tetrafluoroborate compound.

Described herein are systems and methods for performing a surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) to the surface of a variety of materials including thin films, nanomaterials, and other delicate and brittle materials. In an aspect, a surface of a material is modified to a modified surface and from an original state to a modified state, wherein the modified state comprises a physical modification, a chemical modification, or a biological modification. In another aspect, a surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT) is applied to the modified surface of the material for a defined duration of time, wherein a condition associated with the SMAT is adjusted based on a structural composition of the material. In yet another aspect, a defined strain is imposed on the structural composition of the material based on the SMAT.

Embodiments of methods and apparatuses for forming the metal oxide nanostructure on surfaces are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the nanostructures can be formed on a substrate made of a nickel titanium alloy, resulting in a nanostructure that can include both titanium oxide and nickel oxide. The nanostructure can be formed on the surface(s) of an implantable medical device, such as a stent.

An anodic-oxidation equipment for forming a porous layer on a substrate to be treated, including: an electrolytic bath filled with an electrolytic solution; an anode and a cathode disposed in the electrolytic solution; and a power supply for applying current between the anode and the cathode in the electrolytic solution, wherein the anode is the substrate to be treated, and the cathode is a silicon substrate having a surface on which a nitride film is formed. This provides a cathode material in anodic-oxidation for forming porous silicon by an electrochemical reaction in an HF solution, the cathode material having a resistance to electrochemical reaction in an HF solution and no metallic contamination, etc., and furthermore, being less expensive than a conventional cathode material. Furthermore, high-quality porous silicon is provided at a lower cost than has been conventional.

According to one embodiment, a anodization apparatus includes: a first process tank used for an anodization process on a first portion of a substrate; a second process tank provided inside of the first process tank and used for the anodization process on a second portion of the substrate; a first electrolyte supply unit configured to supply a first electrolyte to the first process tank; a second electrolyte supply unit configured to supply a second electrolyte to the second process tank; a retainer configured to retain the substrate; a first electrode provided above the first process tank and/or the second process tank; and a second electrode provided below the first process tank and the second process tank.

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a housing comprising a first surface opened while facing a first direction, a second surface facing a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, and one or more side parts disposed in different directions between the first surface and the second surface, a nonconductive structure disposed along at least a portion of the at least one side wall within the housing, and one or more stop recesses including at least one recess formed on one surface of the one or more side parts and a portion of the nonconductive structure surrounding a peripheral portion of the at least one recess.

This application relates to an enclosure for a portable electronic device. The enclosure includes a metal substrate, and an anodized layer overlaying the metal substrate and including pores having a near-infrared (NIR) light-absorbing material therein, where an average specular reflectance of NIR light that is incident upon an external surface of the anodized layer is less than 3%.

Convenient anodizing is provided through a pen form factor anodizing tool having a reservoir for holding anodizing fluid and an electrical cable connection communicating electrical power to a tip dispensing anodizing fluid from the reservoir at a anodizing voltage from electrical power through the electrical cable connection.

A method of forming a corrosion-resistant ceramic coating on a metallic substrate, the method comprising providing a passivation layer on a surface of the metallic substrate by electrochemical passivation of the metallic substrate under a first electrical current and using a first electrically conducting solution; and providing the corrosion-resistant ceramic coating on an outermost surface of the metallic substrate, the outermost surface in use adapted to be exposed to a corrosive environment, by plasma electrolytic oxidation of the metallic substrate with the passivation layer, in a second electrically conducting solution and under a second electrical current having a discharge voltage. The first and the second electrically conducting solutions comprise a tetrafluoroborate compound.

A substrate (1, 10) for electrical circuits, comprising at least one metal layer (2,3, 14) and a paper ceramic layer (11), which is joined face to face with the at least one metal layer (2,3, 14) and has a top side and bottom side (11a, 11b), wherein the paper ceramic layer (11) has a large number of cavities in the form of pores. Especially advantageously, the at least one metal layer (2, 3, 14) is connected to the paper ceramic layer (11) by means of at least one glue layer (6, 6a, 6b), which is produced by applying at least one glue (6a, 6a, 6b, 6b) to the metal layer (2,3, 14) and/or to the paper ceramic layer (11), wherein the cavities in the form of pores in the paper ceramic layer (11) are filled at least at the surface by means of the applied glue (6a, 6a, 6b,6b).