Nanostructured coating materials, methods of their production, and methods of use in a variety of applications are described. The nanostructured materials described herein include one or more 2.sup.+ and/or 3.sup.+ metal ion(s), optionally in a ternary phase, on a substrate.

Aqueous solutions of halogenides (oxyhalides) of zirconium and hafnium (M) with values of α=X/M near one, for X=Cl, Br and I form amorphous solids or glasses, designated as M,X, in contrast to important crystalline oxyhalide end members with α=2 (designated as MOX). The present disclosure describes methods for producing amorphous thin films comprising halogenides upon evaporation, and provides some measured physical properties, with attention to compositions for α<2. The value of a below which only glasses are formed is about one for oxychlorides and oxybromides of both Zr and Hf. The chemical formulas for all the halogenide thin films prepared as noted above can be written as a function of the single parameter α, according to M(OH).sub.4-αX.sub.α.(4α-1)H.sub.2O. This is valid for e.g., crystalline zirconium oxychloride octahydrate, and for the glassy solids found for α<2 and down to the onset of hydrolysis, α≈0.5. Thin films made by the disclosed methods are highly dense (90% of theoretical crystal density), extremely smooth (rms<0.4 nm), and highly transparent in the visible spectrum, >90%. Such thin films are useful as alkali diffusion barriers.

The present disclosure provides methods for forming sol-gels, sol-gel films and substrates, such as vehicle components, having a sol-gel film disposed thereon. At least one method of forming a sol-gel includes mixing a metal alkoxide, an acid stabilizer, and an organic solvent to form a first mixture having about 10 wt % or less water content based on the total weight of the first mixture. The method includes mixing an organosilane with the first mixture to form a second mixture having about 10 wt % or less water content based on the total weight of the second mixture.

A method for manufacturing a coated metal powder includes: preparing a silanol solution in which a silicon-containing substance is dissolved in an alkaline aqueous solution; charging a metal powder into the silanol solution to obtain a dispersion; and forming a coating containing a silicon oxide on a particle surface of the metal powder by adding an acidic aqueous solution to the dispersion.

The present invention provides an apparatus for the deposition of thin films on a substrate, including large substrates, held preferably face-down, in a cartridge containing a liquid solution with at least a chemical precursor which, upon being subject to a uniform microwave field transmitted through a microwave-transparent window, leads to the formation of a thin film on the substrate. The present invention also provides a system for launching microwaves and controlling the process for film deposition on the substrate. The present invention also provides a process for obtaining a film of uniform thickness and characteristics on a substrate or for incorporating controlled non-uniformity. The present invention also provides an apparatus and method for film deposition on a series of substrates in a continuous batch process.

A sol-gel method for producing an anti-corrosion coating consisting of at least one layer of an oxide on a metal substrate. A non-aqueous solution of a precursor of the oxide is prepared and deposited on one surface at least of the metal substrate in order to cover said surface at least partially with a film comprising the precursor of the oxide. Hydrolysis-condensation of the precursor of the oxide is carried out by exposing the film to a humid atmosphere in order to form an oxide network in the film. Then, a treatment for stabilizing the film on the surface of the substrate is carried out, followed by a heat treatment of the surface of the metal substrate in order to crystallize the network of oxide and form the anti-corrosion coating.

A methods and systems are disclosed for coating a large oven cavity. A method of coating an oven includes spraying a coating at room temperature onto a plurality of surfaces in the oven cavity in one or more layers and manipulating the oven to position the plurality of surfaces while spraying in various embodiments. An article includes an oven having a cavity, where the cavity has a surface with a volume of about 3 ft.sup.3 to about 7 ft.sup.3, and a coating on the surface of the cavity, the coating including a sol-gel ceramic.

Nanostructured coating materials, methods of their production, and methods of use in a variety of applications are described. The nanostructured materials described herein include one or more 2.sup.+ and/or 3.sup.+ metal ion(s), optionally in a ternary phase, on a substrate.

The present disclosure provides methods for forming sol-gels, sol-gel films and substrates, such as vehicle components, having a sol-gel film disposed thereon. At least one method of forming a sol-gel includes mixing a metal alkoxide, an acid stabilizer, and an organic solvent to form a first mixture having about 10 wt % or less water content based on the total weight of the first mixture. The method includes mixing an organosilane with the first mixture to form a second mixture having about 10 wt % or less water content based on the total weight of the second mixture.

The present disclosure relates to an electrode for electrolysis, in which a structure of a metal base layer is optimized, and a preparation method thereof, wherein the electrode for electrolysis of the present invention exhibits an overvoltage improved in comparison to a conventional electrode while having excellent durability due to a small loss of a coating layer.