Color change devices incorporating thin anodic films

A color change device which comprises:

• a layer of a metal capable of generating a color by a light interference and absorption phenomenon when directly and intimately contacted with an optically thin film of light-transmitting material;
• and
• an optically thin film of light-transmitting material comprising anodic aluminum oxide directly and intimately contacting said metal capable of generating a color;
• said optically thin film being detachable from said layer of metal capable of generating a color in areas of said device where a color change is desired;
• wherein said optically thin film has a layer of transparent or translucent material attached thereto.

A color change device which comprises:

• a layer of a metal capable of generating a color by a light interference and absorption phenomenon when directly and intimately contacted with an optically thin film of light-transmitting material;
• and
• an optically thin film of light-transmitting material comprising anodic aluminum oxide directly and intimately contacting said metal capable of generating a color;
• said optically thin film being detachable from said layer of metal capable of generating a color in areas of said device where a color change is desired;
• wherein said layer of metal capable of generating a color is supported on a substrate and is translucent and a surface of said substrate covered by said layer bears a visible device selected from the group consisting of a message, a pattern or a color.

A color change device, which comprises:

• a layer of a metal capable of generating a color by a light interference and absorption phenomenon when directly and intimately contacted with an optically thin film of light-transmitting material;
• and
• an optically thin film of light-transmitting material, comprising a layer of porous anodic aluminum oxide, directly and intimately contacting said metal capable of generating a color;
• said optically thin film being detachable from said layer of metal capable of generating a color in areas of said device where a color change is desired;
• and
• wherein pores formed in said thin film contain electrodeposited metal.

A process for producing a color change device, which comprises:

• forming a color-generating laminate by providing a layer of a metal capable of generating a color by a light interference and absorption phenomenon when directly and intimately contacted with an optically thin film of light-transmitting material;
• coating said layer of metal capable of generating a color with a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum and anodizable aluminum alloys to such a thickness that the resulting coating is converted to an optically thin film upon being porous anodized to consumption;
• and
• anodizing said coating to consumption in the presence of an adhesion-reducing agent to form an optically thin detachable film of light-transmitting material in direct and intimate contact with said metal capable of generating a color;
• wherein a layer of transparent or translucent material is attached to said laminate.

A process for producing a color change device, which comprises:

• forming a color-generating laminate by providing a layer of a metal capable of generating a color by a light interference and absorption phenomenon when directly and intimately contacted with an optically thin film of light-transmitting material;
• coating said layer of metal capable of generating a color with a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum and anodizable aluminum alloys to such a thickness that the resulting coating is converted to an optically thin film upon being porous anodized to consumption;
• and
• anodizing said coating to consumption in the presence of a fluoride as an adhesion-reducing agent to form an optically thin detachable film of light-transmitting material in direct and intimate contact with said metal capable of generating a color.

A process for producing a color change device, which comprises:

• forming a color-generating laminate by providing a layer of a metal capable of generating a color by a light interference and absorption phenomenon when directly and intimately contacted with an optically thin film of light-transmitting material;
• coating said layer of metal capable of generating a color with a material selected form the group consisting of aluminum and anodizable aluminum alloys to such a thickness that the resulting coating is converted to an optically thin film upon being porous anodized to consumption;
• and
• anodizing said coating to consumption in the presence of a member selected form the group consisting of simple and complex fluorine-containing salts and fluorine-containing acids as an adhesion-reducing agent to form an optically thin detachable film of light-transmitting material in direct and intimate contact with said metal capable of generating a color.

A process for producing a color change device, which comprises:

• forming a color-generating laminate by providing a layer of a metal capable of generating a color by a light interference and absorption phenomenon when directly and intimately contacted with an optically thin film of light-transmitting material;
• coating said layer of metal capable of generating a color with a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum and anodizable aluminum alloys to such a thickness that the resulting coating is converted to an optically thin film upon being porous anodized to consumption.
• coating an adhesion-reducing agent on said material selected from aluminum and anodizable aluminum alloys;
• and
• anodizing said coating to consumption to form an optically thin film of light-transmitting material in direct and intimate contact with said metal capable of generating a color;
• wherein the adhesion-reducing agent is coated only on limited areas of said material in order to form a latent message or pattern in said structure as a result of said film being detachable only from said limited areas.

A process for producing a color change device, which comprises:

• forming a color-generating laminate by providing a layer of a metal capable of generating a color by a light interference and absorption phenomenon when directly and intimately contacted with an optically thin film of light-transmitting material;
• coating said layer of metal capable of generating a color with a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum and anodizable aluminum alloys to such a thickness that the resulting coating is converted to an optically thin film upon being porous anodized to consumption;
• and
• anodizing said coating to consumption in the presence of an adhesion-reducing agent to form an optically thin detachable film of light-transmitting material in direct and intimate contact with said metal capable of generating a color;
• wherein said coating is subjected to said anodizing step in an electrolyte which results in the formation of a porous anodic film, and wherein a metal is electrodeposited into pores in said porous film.