Nanoparticle surface treatment

A method of producing a self-protective oxide coating on the surface of an alumina- or chromia-forming metal alloy, comprising:

• a) treating a surface of an alumina- or chromia- forming base metal alloy with to a solution of nanoparticles of an oxide of an element that exhibits a reactive element effect, said solution having a concentration of nanoparticles of less than 5% by weight;
• b) drying said base metal alloy after said exposure to produce treated metal having nanoparticles dispersed on a treated surface, wherein said treated surface comprises a portion in contact with nanoparticles and a portion not in contact with nanoparticles, wherein the portion of said treated surface not in contact with nanoparticles is greater than the portion of said treated surface in contact with nanoparticles;
• and
• c) exposing said treated metal having nanoparticles dispersed on said treated surface to oxidizing conditions wherein in said oxidizing conditions, a self-protective oxide coating is formed on said treated surface of said treated metal to produce a protected metal surface, wherein said self-protective oxide coating is a thermal oxide formed by oxidation of said treated surface.