Processes for providing laminated coatings on workpieces, and articles made therefrom

A method for forming a plurality of articles by forming a nanolaminate coating on a plurality of workpieces, the method comprising:

• contacting at least a portion of the plurality of workpieces with an electrodeposition bath in contact with an interior volume of a plating barrel, wherein the electrodeposition bath comprises at least a first and second electrodepositable material, wherein the workpieces each independently have a longest dimension and the plating barrel has a length and a radius;
• rotating the plating barrel;
• electrodepositing a first identifiable layer onto at least a portion of the plurality of workpieces by applying a first electric current for a first amount of time via at least two cathodes having ends positioned within the interior volume of the plating barrel, the ends being separated by a distance, and the first identifiable layer comprising the at least first and second electrodepositable materials;
• and
• electrodepositing a second identifiable layer onto the portion of the plurality of workpieces by applying a second electric current for a second amount of time via the at least two cathodes, the second identifiable layer comprising at least the first and second electrodepositable materials, wherein at least one of the composition, grain size, structure, and thickness, or combinations thereof, of the second identifiable layer is different from that of the first identifiable layer.

An article comprising a nanolaminate coating, the nanolaminate coating comprising:

• a first identifiable layer having a thickness ranging from about 150 nanometers to about 20,000 nanometers at one or more locations on the article, the first identifiable layer comprising at least a first and second component, the first identifiable layer having a first composition, a first grain size, and a first grain structure;
• a second identifiable layer having a thickness ranging from about 150 nanometers to about 20,000 nanometers at one or more locations on the article, the second identifiable layer comprising the first and second component, the second identifiable layer having a second composition, a second grain size, and a second grain structure, wherein at least one of the second composition, the second grain size, and the second grain structure, or combinations thereof, are different than the first composition, the first grain size, and the first grain structure;
• and
• one or more discontinuities characterized by an inward deformation of the first and second identifiable layers toward the substrate surface.