Methods to impart color and durable properties to substrates
AssigneeGeorgia Tech Research Corporation
InventorsWilliam Judson Ready, Jason Hayes Nadler, Stephan Turano, Brent Karl Wagner
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Abstract
Metal substrates comprising a colored coating and/or a protective coating disposed on at least a surface of the substrate. The colored coating can include a metal oxide coating integrally bonded to the terminal and produced by heat tinting or a titanium nitride containing material. The protective coating is derived from a material comprising one or more of aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, a superhydrophobic material, wherein the protective coating has a Scratch Resistance of at least about F, as determined by ASTM D336. Methods of making and using the coated metal substrates are also disclosed.
Claims32
A method of imparting color to a metal substrate or glass, the method comprising:
- depositing an electrically conductive colored coating onto a surface of the metal substrate or glass to a thickness from about 10 nm to about 100 nm, wherein the electrically conductive colored coating reflects light within a wavelength range from 400 nm to 700 nm,
- wherein depositing the electrically conductive colored coating is by radio frequency sputtering at a vacuum pressure of from about 1 mTorr to about 25 mTorr, with a power from about 150 W to about 500 W, and using an inert gas having a flow rate of from about 5 standard cubic centimeters per minute (sccm) to about 50 sccm as a sputtering gas at a sputtering temperature of from about 25° C. to about 60° C.,
- wherein the metal substrate comprises nickel, stainless steel, aluminum, or combinations thereof.
A method of imparting color to a metal substrate, the method comprising:
- heat treating the metal substrate in an oxidizing atmosphere selected from a temperature from 250° C. to less than 500° C. in the presence of a gas comprising dry air, oxygen, argon, nitrogen, water vapor, or a combination thereof and having a flow rate of 250 sccm or greater, or a temperature of from 65° C. to less than 100° C. in the presence of an oxidizing acid comprising chromic acid solution,
- wherein the metal substrate is heated for a period of time from 1 minute to 2 hours to form an electrically conductive colored oxide coating that reflects light within a wavelength range from 10 nm to 100 nm and is integrally bonded to the surface of the metal substrate, and
- wherein the metal substrate includes nickel, stainless steel, aluminum, or a combination thereof.
A battery comprising an electrically conductive colored coating on a terminal thereof, wherein the electrically conductive colored coating reflects light within a wavelength range from 250 nm to 700 nm and is selected from a metal oxide coating integrally bonded to the terminal and produced by heat tinting or a titanium nitride containing coating having a thickness from about 10 to 100 nm deposited to the terminal.
An aerospace structural component comprising a protective coating disposed on at least a surface of the aerospace structural component, wherein the protective coating is derived from a material comprising one or more of aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, a superhydrophobic material, or a combination thereof and has a thickness of about 10 nm or greater,
- wherein the protective coating has a Scratch Resistance of at least about 4H as determined by ASTM D3363.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.