1. A method for protecting an article against corrosion, the article comprising a magnesium surface portion and at least one of a steel surface portion and aluminum surface portion, the method comprising:
providing a first aqueous e-coating emulsion in which water can react with the magnesium surface to generate hydroxyl ions at the interface of the magnesium surface and the e-coating emulsion, the emulsion having dispersed therein a cathodic electrocoat composition that destabilizes in a basic aqueous environment; and
exposing at least the magnesium surface of the article to the first aqueous e-coating emulsion without applying a current or potential to the article to deposit an e-coating pre-film exclusively on the magnesium surface, and wherein the e-coating pre-film provides the magnesium surface with temporary protection against a chemical reaction with water in a neutral or acidic aqueous medium;
exposing at least the steel andor aluminum surfaces of the article to a conversion coating solution to deposit a conversion coating on the steel andor aluminum surface portions; and
exposing at least the steel andor aluminum surface portions to a second aqueous e-coating emulsion and applying a current or potential to the article such that it serves as a cathode, and wherein the application of a current or potential deposits an e-coating pre-film on the aluminum andor steel surface portions.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the article is an automobile body structure.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the magnesium surface portion of the article is an automotive body panel.
4. The method of claim 1 in which a magnesium surface portion of the article comprises a magnesium-containing conversion coating.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a first aqueous e-coating emulsion comprises providing an e-coating emulsion having dispersed therein a cathodic electrocoat that comprises an aminoepoxy resin neutralized with a weak organic acid and emulsified in water.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a first aqueous e-coating emulsion comprises providing an e-coating emulsion having dispersed therein a cathodic electrocoat that destabilizes in a basic environment that has a pH value of about 10.5 or greater.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a first aqueous e-coating emulsion comprises providing an e-coating emulsion that comprises a pH of about 5.8 to about 6.2, a conductivity of about 1300 to about 2000 microsiemenscm, and about 15 to about 35 acid milliequivalents per gram of nonvolatile matter.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing at least the steel andor aluminum surface portions to a second aqueous e-coating emulsion comprises exposing the surfaces to an e-coating emulsion that is the same composition as the first e-coating emulsion.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing at least the magnesium surface of the automobile component to the first e-coating emulsion comprises immersing the automobile component in a bath of the first e-coating emulsion.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing at least the magnesium surface of the article to the first e-coating emulsion comprises painting at least the magnesium surface portion with the first e-coating emulsion using a painting tool.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein exposing at least the magnesium surface of the article to the first e-coating emulsion comprises spraying at least the magnesium surface with the first e-coating emulsion.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-13. (canceled)
14. A footwear customization kit, comprising:
a container for containing an article of footwear;
a stand for holding the article of footwear in a steam environment; and
a steaming bag configured to cover the article of footwear and the stand in the steam environment;
wherein the stand includes:
a first member including at least two engaging slots; and
a second member including at least two receiving slots;
wherein the first member and the second member each have a flattened position and a folded position; and
wherein the first member in the folded position is configured to be attached to the second member in the folded position by engagement of the at least two engaging slots with the at least two receiving slots.
15-16. (canceled)
17. The footwear customization kit according to claim 14, wherein the first member further includes a first arm and a second arm and the second member further includes a third arm and a fourth arm, the first arm, the second arm, the third arm, and the fourth arm being collectively configured to support the stand and the article of footwear in the steam environment.
18. The footwear customization kit according to claim 17, wherein each of the first arm, the second arm, the third arm, and the fourth arm further includes at least one valley collectively sized and configured to grasp an outer periphery of a vessel for holding water.
19-20. (canceled)
21. A footwear customization kit, comprising:
an article of footwear including a portion that can be deformed when heated;
a stand configured to support the article of footwear in a steam environment; and
a steaming bag sized and configured to cover the article of footwear and the stand in the steam environment.
22. The footwear customization kit of claim 21, wherein the steaming bag comprises:
a central portion including an interior cavity for receiving the article of footwear, the central portion providing a first temperature within the interior cavity when the steaming bag covers the article of footwear in the steam environment; and
a peripheral portion extending outwardly from the central portion, the peripheral portion being configured to provide a second temperature on a portion of a surface of the peripheral portion when the steam bag covers the article of footwear in the steam environment, the second temperature being substantially less than the first temperature.
23. The footwear customization kit of claim 22, wherein a width of the peripheral portion varies, and wherein the width of the peripheral portion is smallest adjacent to a peripheral opening of the steaming bag that is in fluid communication with the interior cavity.
24. The footwear customization kit of claim 22, wherein a first side of the steaming bag and a second side of the steaming bag are separated at the central portion to form the interior cavity.
25. The footwear customization kit of claim 24, wherein the first side and the second side are fixedly attached at the peripheral portion.
26. The footwear customization kit of claim 22, wherein the peripheral portion includes a grasping hole.
27. The footwear customization kit of claim 21, the steaming bag further comprising:
a central portion including an interior cavity for receiving the article of footwear;
a first peripheral edge including a peripheral opening in fluid communication with the interior cavity, the peripheral opening extending through a substantial majority of the first peripheral edge; and
a second peripheral edge disposed opposite the first peripheral edge;
wherein a width of the interior cavity decreases from the first peripheral edge to the second peripheral edge.
28. The footwear customization kit of claim 27, wherein the central portion including the interior cavity has an approximately conical shape.
29. The footwear customization kit of claim 27, wherein the second peripheral edge comprises a vent.
30. The footwear customization kit of claim 29, wherein the vent is substantially smaller than the peripheral opening.
31. The footwear customization kit of claim 27, wherein the peripheral opening is configured to cover a top of an external steaming vessel.
32. The footwear customization kit of claim 21, wherein the stand is configured to support the article of footwear over an external steaming vessel, and wherein the steaming bag further is configured to cover a top of the external steaming vessel.
33. The footwear customization kit of claim 21, wherein the stand is configured to support the article of footwear over an external steaming vessel, and wherein the steaming bag further is configured to cover the article of footwear and the stand within an opening of a top of the external steaming vessel.
34. The footwear customization kit of claim 21, wherein the stand comprises a plurality of arms configured to support the stand and the article of footwear relative to a peripheral edge of an opening of a top of an external steaming vessel, and wherein the steaming bag is configured to cover the article of footwear and a portion of the plurality of arms.
35. The footwear customization kit of claim 34, wherein the steaming bag is configured to cover the article of footwear and the portion of the plurality of arms within at least a portion of an interior of the external steaming vessel.
36. A footwear customization kit comprising:
an article of footwear including a portion that can be deformed when heated;
a container generally sized to hold the article of footwear;
a stand having a first configuration for storing the stand with the article of footwear in the container, and a second configuration for supporting the article footwear in a steam environment; and
a steaming bag having a first configuration for storing the steaming bag with the article of footwear and the stand in the container, and a second configuration for covering the article of footwear and the stand in the steam environment.
37. The footwear customization kit of claim 36, wherein the stand in the first configuration has a substantially flattened configuration, and the stand in the second configuration has a three dimensional configuration; and
wherein the steaming bag in the first configuration has a substantially flattened configuration, and the steaming bag in the second configuration has an opening and interior cavity sized and shaped to receive the article of footwear and the stand.