Imaging members and method of treating an imaging member

A method for treating a metal substrate or a metallized substrate of an imaging member comprising:

• providing a metal or metallized substrate of an imaging member;
• treating the metal or metallized substrate with a sol-gel composition comprising a rare earth metal to form a passivation layer on the metal or metallized substrate using a sol-gel process wherein treating comprises applying a sol-gel solution consisting of a chelating agent and a rare earth metal alkoxide in a solvent to the substrate, drying so that hydrolysis, condensation and drying are accomplished on the substrate, to provide a rare earth metal oxide passivation layer;
• and
• disposing an undercoat layer on the passivation layer.