Articles Having Improved Corrosion Resistance

Abstract

The present application relates to a method for enhancing metal corrosion resistance of a metal deposited on a substrate, the method comprises contacting the metal coated substrate with a treating composition comprising metal oxide nano-particles. Furthermore, the present application relates to a method for making a mirror comprising a substrate having a metal coated thereon, wherein the method comprises contacting the metal coated substrate with a treating composition comprising metal oxide nano-particles. Preferably, the metal oxide nano-particles are selected from one or more oxides of zinc, iridium, tin, aluminum, cerium, chromium, vanadium, titanium, iron, indium, copper, gold, palladium, platinum, manganese, cobalt, nickel, zirconium, molybdenum, rhodium, silver, indium, wolfram, iridium, lead, bismuth, samarium, erbium, or mixtures of these materials. In addition, the present application relates to the products obtainable by these methods.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for making a mirror comprising:
 providing a substrate;   applying a reflective metal coating to the substrate; and   contacting the metal coated substrate with a treating composition comprising metal oxide nano-particles.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the metal coating comprises silver. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the treating composition comprises one or more oxides of zinc, iridium, tin, aluminum, cerium, chromium, vanadium, titanium, iron, indium, copper, gold, palladium, platinum, manganese, cobalt, nickel, zirconium, molybdenum, rhodium, silver, indium, wolfram, iridium, lead, bismuth, samarium, erbium, or a mixture of these materials. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the treating composition comprises one or more oxides of zinc, iridium, tin, aluminum, cerium, titanium, or a mixture of these materials. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the nano-particles are generally spherical and have an average diameter of between 1 and 200 nm. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the nano-particles have a surface area of between 20 and 500 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the nano-particles have a surface area of between 20 and 500 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the treating composition comprises a solution, suspension or dispersion containing between 0.0001 and 1 weight percent nano-particles. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the treating composition is applied at an amount of between 5 and 5,000 ml/m 2  of metal being treated. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the treating composition is applied to the surface of the metal in an amount about 0.01 to about 2,000 mg/m 2 . 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
 (i) cleaning, sensitizing, and optionally activating the substrate prior to applying the silver metal coating, and   (ii) applying one or more layers of a protective paint.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the protective paint is applied directly to the silver metal. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the protective paint is lead-free. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the substrate is a vitreous substrate. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the vitreous substrate is a ceramic or glass substrate. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the substrate is a plastic substrate. 
     
     
         32 . A mirror made by the method of  claim 16 . 
     
     
         33 . A method for enhancing metal corrosion resistance of a metal, comprising
 providing a substrate;   applying a metal coating to the substrate; and   contacting the metal coated substrate with a treating composition comprising metal oxide nano-particles.   
     
     
         34 . A substrate having a metal deposited thereon made by the method of  claim 33 . 
     
     
         35 . A mirror having a reflective metal layer deposited on a substrate, wherein the metal layer has been contacted with a treating composition comprising metal oxide nano-particles.