# US 2014/0151234 A1 · Method for manufacturing of an object having phosphorescent properties

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- Number: US 2014/0151234 A1
- Document ID: US20140151234A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 14/111,529
- Filed: 2011-04-12
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2011-04-12
- Assignees: Alusera AB
- Inventors: Knut Irgum; Erika Wikberg
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140151234A1

## CPC

- C25D 11/18: After-treatment, e.g. pore-sealing
- C09K 11/7734: {Aluminates}
- C25D 11/24: Chemical after-treatment
- C25D: PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
- C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE

## Abstract

The invention concerns a method for manufacturing of an object having phosphorescent properties, comprising the steps of providing an object having a surface made from aluminium or from an aluminium-based alloy and forming a layer of porous aluminium (hydr)oxide at said surface. The invention is characterized in that the method comprises the step of contacting the layer of porous aluminium (hydr)oxide with one or several solutions containing metal dopant ions such as to allow the metal dopant ions to bind to the layer of porous aluminium (hydr)oxide, wherein at least one of said solutions contains ions of at least one element selected from a first group consisting of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), strontium (Sr) and barium (Ba), and wherein at least one of said solutions contains ions of europium (Eu). The invention also concerns an object obtainable by the above method.

## Claims

### Claim 1

Method for manufacturing of an object having phosphorescent properties, comprising the steps of:
providing an object having a surface made from aluminium or from an aluminium-based alloy,
forming a layer of porous aluminium (hydr)oxide at said surface,
characterized in
that the method comprises the step of contacting the layer of porous aluminium (hydr)oxide with one or several solutions containing metal dopant ions such as to allow the metal dopant ions to bind to the layer of porous aluminium (hydr)oxide,
wherein at least one of said solutions contains ions of at least one element selected from a first group consisting of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), strontium (Sr) and barium (Ba), and wherein at least one of said solutions contains ions of europium (Eu).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1,
characterized in
that at least one of said solutions has an initial concentration of at least 0.001 M, of the ions of the first group.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1,
characterized in
that at least one of said solutions has an initial concentration of at least 10−9 M of the europium ions.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1,
characterized in
that at least one of said solutions contains ions of at least one element selected from a second group consisting of lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), samarium (Sm), gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), lutetium (Lu), tin (Sn) and bismuth (Bi).

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

Method according to claim 4,
characterized in
that at least one of said solutions has an initial concentration of at least 10−9 M, of the ions of the second group.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1,
characterized in
that it comprises the step of:
sealing the layer of porous aluminium (hydr)oxide, which sealing step is carried out after the step of contacting the layer of porous aluminium oxide with the one or several metal ion solutions.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1,
characterized in
that it comprises the step of:
reducing at least a part of the europium ions from a trivalent state to a divalent state.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1,
characterized in
that the one or several metal ion solutions used in the contacting step has a pH of at least 7.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

Method according to claim 8,
characterized in
that the pH is in the range 8-10.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1,
characterized in
that the one or several metal ion solutions used in the contacting step contains a chelating agent.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1,
characterized in
that the layer of porous aluminium oxide is contacted with a mixed solution containing ions of europium as well as ions of the first and/or the second group.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

Method according to claim 11,
characterized in
that the mixed solution contains ions of europium (Eu) at an initial concentration of at least 0.0001% of that of the ions of the first group.

### Claim 13 (depends on 2)

Method according to claim 2,
characterized in
that the mixed solution contains ions of the second group at an initial concentration of at least 0.0001% of that of the ions of the first group.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1,
characterized in
that the object as a whole is substantially made of aluminium or an aluminium based alloy.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1,
characterized in
that the step of forming the layer of porous aluminium (hydr)oxide is carried out using an anodic oxidation process.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

Method according to claim 11,
characterized in
that the anodic oxidation process is carried out using an electrolyte that also forms the mixed solution.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1,
characterized in
that it comprises the step of washing the layer of porous aluminium (hydr)oxide before contacting it with the one or several metal ion solutions.

### Claim 18 (depends on 7)

Method according to claim 7,
characterized in
that the step of reducing europium ions is carried out after the step of contacting the layer of porous aluminium (hydr)oxide with the one or several metal ion solutions such as to reduce europium ions that has been bound to the layer of porous aluminium oxide during the contacting step.

### Claim 19 (depends on 6)

Method according to claim 6,
characterized in
that the step of reducing europium ions is carried out after the step of sealing the layer of porous aluminium oxide.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

Object having phosphorescent properties,
characterized in
that it is obtainable by a method according to claim 1.

### Claim 21

Object having phosphorescent properties,
said object comprising phosphorescent material of the type MAl2O4 where M is calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), strontium (Sr) or barium (Ba),
characterized in that the phosphorescent material is incorporated in a surface layer that forms an integral part of the object.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

Object according to claim 21,
characterized in
that the phosphorescent material is located in pores in the surface layer, which pores are sealed from contact with the surrounding environment.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

Object according to claim 21,
characterized in
that the object is made of aluminium or an aluminium based alloy.