Methods of passivating a metal surface are described, the methods comprising the steps of exposing the metal surface to a silicon-containing passivation material, evacuating the metal surface, exposing the treated surface to a gas composition, having a concentration of reactive gas that is greater than an intended reactive gas concentration of gas to be transported by the metal surface, evacuating the metal surface to remove substantially all of the gas composition to enable maintenance of an increased shelf-life, low concentration reactive gas at an intended concentration, and exposing the metal surface to the reactive gas at the intended reactive gas concentration. Manufactured products, high stability fluids, and methods of making same are also described.