Plated aluminum product

Abstract

In a method of plating aluminum based articles, an iron-based composite plating bath formed by admixing a nano-sized, particle-deposited carbon material into an iron plating bath at a ratio of 1.0 g per liter is provided. Using the iron-based composite plating bath, an iron-based composite plating layer containing the nano-sized, particle-deposited carbon material is plated on an aluminum-based base material.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of plating aluminum based articles, comprising:
 providing an aluminum-based base material;   providing an iron-based composite plating bath formed by admixing a nano-sized, particle-deposited carbon material into an iron plating bath at a ratio of 1.0 g per liter; and   using the iron-based composite plating bath, plating on the aluminum-based base material an iron-based composite plating layer containing the nano-sized, particle-deposited carbon material.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the nano-sized, particle-deposited carbon material comprises a plurality of particle-deposited carbon nanofibers each having a core and a particle layer substantially uniformly coating the surface of the carbon nanofiber. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the particle-deposited carbon nanofibers are exposed to a surface of the iron-based composite plating layer, and the number of exposed particle-deposited carbon nanofibers is in the range of 50 to 220 per 30 μm 2 . 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the particle-deposited carbon nanofibers are exposed to a surface of the iron-based composite plating layer, and the number of exposed particle-deposited carbon nanofibers is in the range of 50 to 90 per 30 μm 2 . 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the particle layer contains SiC particles. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the aluminum-based base material is a cylinder in a cylinder block, or a piston that moves along a cylinder in a cylinder block. 
     
     
         7 . An article of manufacture produced by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         8 . A method of plating aluminum based articles, comprising:
 providing an aluminum-based base material;   providing an iron-based composite plating bath formed by admixing a nano-sized, particle-deposited carbon material into an iron plating bath at a ratio of 1.5 g to 3.0 g per liter; and   using the iron-based composite plating bath, plating on the aluminum-based base material an iron-based composite plating layer containing the nano-sized, particle-deposited carbon material.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the nano-sized, particle-deposited carbon material comprises a plurality of particle-deposited carbon nanofibers each having a core and a particle layer substantially uniformly coating the surface of the carbon nanofiber. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the particle-deposited carbon nanofibers are exposed to a surface of the iron-based composite plating layer, and the number of exposed particle-deposited carbon nanofibers is 50 to 220 per 30 μm 2 . 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the particle-deposited carbon nanofibers are exposed to a surface of the iron-based composite plating layer, and the number of exposed particle-deposited carbon nanofibers is 50 to 90 per 30 μm 2 . 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the particle layer contains SiC particles. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the aluminum-based base material is a cylinder in a cylinder block, or a piston that moves along a cylinder in a cylinder block. 
     
     
         14 . An article of manufacture produced by the method of  claim 8 . 
     
     
         15 . A method of plating aluminum based articles, comprising:
 providing an aluminum-based base material;   providing an iron-based composite plating bath formed by admixing a plurality of particle-deposited carbon nanofibers into an iron plating bath; and   plating on the aluminum-based base material an iron-based composite plating layer using the iron-based composite plating bath so that the particle-deposited carbon nanofibers are exposed to a surface of the iron-based composite plating layer, the number of exposed carbon nanofibers being in the range of 50 to 220 per 30 μm 2 .   
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the number of exposed particle-deposited carbon nanofibers is in the range of 50 to 90 per 30 μm 2 . 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of particle-deposited carbon nanofibers has a core and a particle layer substantially uniformly coating the surface of the carbon nanofiber. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the particle layer contains SiC particles. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of particle-deposited carbon nanofibers are admixed into the iron plating bath at a ratio of 1.0 g per liter. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of particle-deposited carbon nanofibers are admixed into the iron plating bath at a ratio of 1.5 g to 3.0 g per liter. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the aluminum-based base material is a cylinder in a cylinder block, or a piston that moves along a cylinder in a cylinder block. 
     
     
         22 . An article of manufacture produced by the method of  claim 15 .