Patent ID: 8440301
Filing Date: 2013-05-14
Classification: C23C,H01M,Y02E,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An article, said article comprising: a coating applied to at least part of the surface thereof, said coating being conductive and corrosion resistant, the coating comprises a layer including a transition metal applied to a surface of the article and a material applied thereto which is substantially carbon based with a graphite microcrystalline structure; said article is electrically conductive and the said coating is applied using apparatus including a chamber in which the article is held with an electrical bias on a carrier, and at least one magnetron with a target of the material which is sputter deposited onto the article such as to allow the article and coating to continue to be electrically conductive when placed in a corrosive medium with the coating acting to protect the article from the corrosive medium and a power supply is provided to the at least one magnetron to cause the sputter deposition of material therefrom and wherein the level of the power supply is increased during the sputter application of the material to form the coating on the article and there is at least a phase during the sputter application in which the current of the power supply is increased at a greater rate than the voltage of the power supply.