Optically black pliable foils
AssigneeMartin Marietta Corporation
InventorsRobert J. Fenolia, Donald F. Shepard, Sharon L. Van Loon
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a composite ductile metal foil having an optically black surface comprising a metal foil substrate having a thickness effective for shaping and reshaping; a black chromium surface applied to at least one side of said substrate by electrodeposition; said surface having a solar absorptivity of at least about 0.95; an emissivity in the range of about 0.4 to about 0.8; and an adhesion strength effective to resist spalling when a two inch by two inch sample of said composite foil is subjected to repeated deformation around a one mil diameter mandrel. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the substrate is molybdenum.
Claims13
A composite ductile metal foil having an optically black surface comprising:
- a. a metal foil substrate having a thickness effective for shaping and reshaping;
- b. a black chromium surface applied to at least one side of said substrate by electrodeposition, said black chromium surface having:
- 1. a solar absorptivity of at least about 0.95;
- 2. an emissivity in the range of about 0.4 to about 0.8;
- and
- 3. an adhesion strength effective to resist spalling when a two inch by two inch sample of said composite foil is subjected to repeated deformation around a one mil diameter mandrel.
A process for the preparation of ductile composite means foils having an optically black surface comprising the steps of:
- a. etching a surface of a metal foil substrate to a dull or matte surface;
- b. immersing said metal foil substrate as the cathode in a black chromium electroplating bath;
- and
- c. electrochemically applying to said metal foil substrate a black chromium surface having a thickness effective to give a surface emissivity in the range of about 0.4 to about 0.8 and a solar absorptivity of at least about 0.95;
- d. said black chromium surface having an adhesion strength effective to resist spalling when a two inch by two inch sample of said composite foil is subjected to repeated deformation around a one mil diameter mandrel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.