# US 10,480,093 B2 · Sealing process for an anodized aluminum-alloy surface > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,480,093 B2 - Document ID: US10480093B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/593,873 - Filed: 2017-05-12 - Published: 2018-11-15 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2017-05-12 - Assignees: United Technologies Corporation - Applicants: United Technologies Corporation - Inventors: Bart Antonie van Hassel; Georgios S. Zafiris; Zhongfen Ding; Michael A. Kryzman; Mark R. Jaworowski; Weina Li; Blair A. Smith; Weilong Zhang; Promila Bhaatia - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480093B2 ## CPC - C25D 11/246: {for sealing layers} - B32B 15/04: comprising metal as the main or only constituent of a layer, {which is} next to another layer of {the same or of} a {different material (next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/08; next to a water-setting substance layer B32B13/06; next to a glass layer B32B17/061; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/042)} - B32B 15/20: comprising aluminium or copper {(B32B15/016 and B32B15/017 take precedence)} - C23C 22/73: characterised by the process - C23C 22/83: Chemical after-treatment - C23C 28/048: {with layers graded in composition or physical properties} - B32B 2311/24: Aluminium - C23C 2222/10: Use of solutions containing trivalent chromium but free of hexavalent chromium - C25D: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR - B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM - C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) ## Abstract A sealing process includes applying a first reactant to a substrate having a porous structure, the first reactant comprising a chromium (III) precursor and a transition metal precursor and applying a second reactant to the first reactant, the second reactant comprising a rare earth element precursor and an alkaline earth element precursor to form reservoirs of trivalent chromium in pore space of the porous structure, and a physical barrier over the substrate and the reservoirs. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sealing process, comprising: applying a first reactant to a substrate having a porous structure, the first reactant comprising at least one of a trivalent chromium precursor and a transition metal precursor; wherein the substrate is an anodized aluminum-alloy surface with a barrier oxide film; and applying a second reactant to the first reactant in the porous structure, where the second reactant comprises a rare earth element precursor and an alkaline earth element precursor; and reacting the first reactant with the second reactant to produce a physical barrier over the substrate; where the physical barrier seals the porous structure to form reservoirs that contain the trivalent chromium precursor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process as recited in claim 1, wherein the trivalent chromium precursor includes at least one of a chromium (III) nitrate, and a chromium (III) sulfate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process as recited in claim 1, wherein the transition metal precursor includes a precursor of at least one of zirconium and titanium. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The process as recited in claim 1, wherein the rare earth element precursor includes at least one of cerium (Ce), dysprosium (Dy), erbium (Er), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), holmium (Ho), lanthanum (La), lutetium (Lu), neodymium (Nd), praseodymium (Pr), promethium (Pm), samarium (Sm), scandium (Sc), terbium (Tb), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb) and yttrium (Y) and the alkaline earth element precursor includes at least one of magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), and barium (Ba). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The process as recited in claim 1, wherein the physical barrier is formed at a surface of the substrate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The process as recited in claim 1, wherein the physical barrier is formed within a pore space of the porous structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The process as recited in claim 1, wherein the physical barrier includes a compound with the composition RECrO3, where RE is a trivalent rare earth cation that is selected from the group consisting of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, and lutetium, or its Ca2+, Sr2+ and Al3+ doped forms. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The process as recited in claim 7, wherein the physical barrier comprises a doped perovskite or pyrochlore crystalline structure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The process as recited in claim 1, wherein the physical barrier comprises a crystalline structure that comprises chromium, a transition metal element, a rare earth element, and an alkaline earth element. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The process as recited in claim 9, further comprising crystallizing the compound into a pyrochlore structure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The process as recited in claim 1, wherein the first reactant and the second reactant forms a compound with the composition La2Zr2O7 that crystallizes into a pyrochlore crystal structure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The process as recited in claim 11, wherein the compound contains Al3+ by interacting with a hydrated form of aluminum oxide on pore walls of the porous structure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The process as recited in claim 1, further comprising a dopant in the first reactant. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The process as recited in claim 13, wherein the dopant includes Ca2+ and Sr2+ precursors. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The process as recited in claim 11, wherein the second reactant includes rare earth element precursor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The process as recited in claim 15, wherein a trivalent rare earth cation of the rare earth element precursor includes at least one of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, or lutetium, or its Ca2+, Sr2+ and Al3+ doped forms.