Colored, corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy substrates and methods for producing same

Abstract

A silicon polymer treatment with included pigments for anodized aluminum objects such as wheels. Titanium dioxide may be dispersed in polysiloxane or polysilazane to form a white polymer treatment on the object. Other beneficial components, such as corrosion inhibitors may be included in the polymer matrix.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A treatment for anodized aluminum alloy object having a porous oxide layer formed on a base layer of the aluminum alloy, comprising:
 a liquid including a silicon monomer, the liquid having a viscosity permitting infiltration into the porous oxide layer when applied thereto and capable of reacting with the oxide layer to chemically bond with molecules of the oxide layer, the monomer capable of polymerizing within the porous oxide layer yielding a polymer interlocked with the oxide layer;   a pigment dispersed within the liquid, the pigment capable of being bound within the polymer and imparting a color to the object.   
     
     
         2 . The treatment of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer is a polysiloxane. 
     
     
         3 . The treatment of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer is a polysilazane. 
     
     
         4 . The treatment of  claim 1 , wherein the pigment is titanium dioxide. 
     
     
         5 . The treatment of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the pigment particles enter the porous oxide layer prior to polymerization. 
     
     
         6 . The treatment of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the pigment particles bound within the polymer are too large to enter the pores of the oxide layer. 
     
     
         7 . The treatment of  claim 1 , wherein the pigment includes particles that are small enough to enter the porous oxide layer and particles that are too large to enter the pores of the oxide layer. 
     
     
         8 . The treatment of  claim 1  wherein the silicon monomer is dispersed in butanol. 
     
     
         9 . The treatment of  claim 1  further comprising a corrosion inhibitor that is dispersed in the liquid and which is fixed in the polymer after polymerization. 
     
     
         10 . A method for treating an anodized aluminum object having a porous oxide layer thereof, comprising the steps of:
 (A) obtaining a liquid containing a silicon monomer;   (B) obtaining a finely divided solid pigment   (C) mixing the pigment in the liquid to form a mixture with the monomer;   (D) applying the mixture to a surface of the object;   (E) allowing the liquid to infiltrate the porous oxide layer;   (F) polymerizing the monomer to yield a polymer interlocked with the oxide layer and with pigment particles fixed therein.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of anodizing prior to the step (D) of applying, the anodizing step being conducted on the aluminum alloy electrochemically, using a solution having phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the step of anodizing results in an oxide zone having sulphates and phosphates. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the polymer formed by the step of polymerizing is a polysiloxane. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the polymer formed by the step of polymerizing is a polysiloxane. 
     
     
         15 . An object formed from aluminum alloy, comprising:
 a porous oxide layer formed upon a surface of the aluminum alloy;   a layer of silicon-containing polymer interlocked with the oxide layer,   the polymer containing pigment particles therein that impart a color to the object.   
     
     
         16 . The object of  claim 15 , wherein the pigment particles are titanium dioxide and the color imparted is white. 
     
     
         17 . The object of  claim 15 , wherein the aluminum alloy is selected from the group consisting of series 2XXX, 3XXX, 5XXX, 6XXX and 7XXX aluminum alloys. 
     
     
         18 . The object of  claim 15 , wherein the object is a wheel. 
     
     
         19 . The object of  claim 18 , wherein the wheel is for an aircraft. 
     
     
         20 . The treatment of  claim 1 , wherein the silicon monomer is dispersed in at least one of normal and tertiary butyl acetate.