Gold-appearing films of copper, nickel and copper oxide layers
AssigneePPG Industries, Inc.
InventorHelmut Franz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Metal/metal oxide coated articles having selective reflectance and transmittance of radiation over an extended spectral range are provided by a combination of at least three coating layers: one being substantially copper, one being substantially copper oxide and one being substantially nickel disposed between the copper coating layer and the copper oxide coating. Chemical or electroless plating techniques are disclosed for the production of such articles.
Claims6
In a method of making a coated article comprising the steps of:
- preparing a surface of a substrate to be coated
- and depositing a copper film onto the prepared surface of the substrate by contacting it with a copper plating solution comprising a copper salt and a reducing agent, the improvement which comprises
- a. adding to said copper plating solution an amount of a triazole sufficient to render the film brown in appearance;
- b. depositing a nickel film onto the brown copper film by contacting it with a nickel plating solution comprising a nickel salt and a reducing agent;
- c. depositing a copper film onto the nickel film by contacting it with a copper plating solution comprising a copper salt and a reducing agent;
- d. contacting the copper film which has been deposited onto the nickel film with a surfactant which is capable of rendering the surface hydrophobic upon drying;
- and
- e. heating the substrate and its three films to a temperature of at least about 300.degree. F. (150.degree. C.) in an oxidizing environment for a sufficient time to oxidize the copper film deposited onto the nickel film.
A transparent article of manufacture for the selective reflection of radiation over an extended spectral range comprising in combination:
- a. a clear glass substrate
- b. at least three coating layers affixed to a surface of said clear glass substrate:
- 1. a brown copper layer consisting essentially of copper deposited onto the glass in the presence of a triazole;
- 2. a copper oxide layer made by depositing copper and then oxidizing it;
- and
- 3. a nickel layer sandwiched between the brown copper layer and the copper oxide layer wherein the layers have respective thicknesses sufficient to provide the article with a luminous transmittance of from 12 to 22 percent a transmittance dominant wavelength of from 575 to 580 nanometers, a transmittance excitation purity of from 44 to 54 percent, and, from the glass side, a luminous reflectance of from 35 to 55 percent, a reflective dominant wavelength of from 570 to 585 nanometers and a reflective excitation purity of from 12 to 35 percent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.