Method and apparatus for the moving interface processing of materials

Abstract

A method of moving interface processing of materials, the method comprising: providing a working material; providing an energy source adjacent to the working material; providing for relative controlled movement between the working material and the energy source; activating the energy source such that the energy processes the working material; moving the energy source and/or the working material relative to the other to control the amount of processing of the working material achieved by the energy. An apparatus for the moving interface processing of materials, the apparatus comprising: working material; an energy source adjacent to the working material; a means for providing for relative controlled movement between the working material and the energy source such that the amount of processing of the working material achieved by the energy from the energy source is controlled. An apparatus for the moving interface processing of materials, the apparatus comprising: an anodizing bath; a cathode located in the anodizing bath; a power supply in communication with the cathode, and the power supply configured to be in communication with a working material at an anode connection such that a portion of the working material acts as an anode; a motor configured to accurately and methodically move the a working material into the anodizing bath such that anodization of the working material begins at the edge of the working material furthest from the anode connection and just below the anodization bath, and the motor is further configured to immerse the working material into the bath such that the anodization is moved up the working material towards the edge nearest the anode connection, resulting in generally complete conversion to oxide, except for a vanishingly small or insignificant metal or conductive edge adjacent or at the anode connection.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of moving interface processing of materials, the method comprising:
 providing a working material;   providing an energy source adjacent to the working material;   providing for relative controlled movement between the working material and the energy source;   activating the energy source such that the energy processes the working material;   moving the energy source and/or the working material relative to the other to control the amount of processing of the working material achieved by the energy.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the working material is a piece of aluminum;   the energy source is electrical current between a cathode and the working material as an anode;   the relative controlled movement is a motor attached to the working material via a linkage; and   the processing of the working material is anodization.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the energy source is selected from the group consisting of ultra violet light, infrared light, visible light, microwaves, chemical energy, and thermal energy.   
     
     
         4 . An apparatus for the moving interface processing of materials, the apparatus comprising:
 working material;   an energy source adjacent to the working material;   a means for providing for relative controlled movement between the working material and the energy source such that the amount of processing of the working material achieved by the energy from the energy source is controlled.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 methodically and smoothly immersing the working material at a controlled speed into anodizing bath equipped with a cathode;   starting anodization of the working material at the edge of the working material furthest from the anode connection and just below the anodization bath,   immersing the working material into the bath such that the anodization is moved up the working material towards the edge nearest the anode connection, resulting in generally complete conversion to oxide, except for a vanishingly small or insignificant metal or conductive edge where the anode voltage is connected to the workpiece.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 removing the generally non-anodized portion from the working material.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the working material is an aluminum foil deposited on a non-conducting substrate. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 anodizing the aluminum foil into a transparent aluminum-oxide layer.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the working material is an Al film at about 99.99% purity;   the power supply is a bi-polar power supply capable of at least about ±150V;   the process is an edge anodization process;   the relative controlled movement between the working material and the energy source is a motor capable of providing sub-micron linear motion, over a distance a least as long as the working material with a programmable controller capable of about under millisecond steps, installed appropriately on the anodizing bath vessel;   wherein the method further comprises:   providing an anodizing bath vessel of an inert plastic, with a Pb cathode;   providing an anodizing bath;   providing thermal measurement controls of the anodizing bath;   providing agitation and mixing of the anodizing bath;   providing a chemical cleaning/rinsing baths, etching/rinsing baths, and de-Ox/rinse baths of working material to present bare metal to the Edge Anodization process.   mounting the working material to a connector in operable communication with the motor;   connecting the power supply the working material and the Edge Anode, and cathode.   providing a post-rinse bath; and   providing post processing such as pore sealing, and pore filling to the processed working material.   
     
     
         10 . A transparent coating manufactured by the process of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . A scratch resistant coating manufactured by the process of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . Films of porous anodized materials manufactured by the process of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . Low index of refraction coatings manufactured by the process of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . Porous free standing edge anodic films used for filters manufactured by the process of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the working material is a soft solid, gel or liquid;   the providing for relative controlled movement between the working material and the energy source act, further comprises:
 supplying energy to the interior of the working material with an array of fine delivery probes or energy focal points, arranged to be: i) consistent with the shape of the finished workpiece; 
 controllably withdrawing the energy so that a processing volume moves methodically to the surface of the working material; and 
 arranging the delivery probes or focal points as planes or tiles of a closed surface inside the workpiece, which deliver probes or focal points are then moved outward to the surface. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the energy is UV light. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the working material is a soft solid, gel or liquid;   the providing for relative controlled movement between the working material and the energy source act, further comprises:
 rastering a very small volume of processing energy through a volume of the working material in a slice by slice manner. 
   
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for the moving interface processing of materials, the apparatus comprising:
 an anodizing bath;   a cathode located in the anodizing bath;   a power supply in communication with the cathode, and the power supply configured to be in communication with a working material at an anode connection such that a portion of the working material acts as an anode;   a motor configured to accurately and methodically move the a working material into the anodizing bath such that anodization of the working material begins at the edge of the working material furthest from the anode connection and just below the anodization bath, and the motor is further configured to immerse the working material into the bath such that the anodization is moved up the working material towards the edge nearest the anode connection, resulting in generally complete conversion to oxide, except for a vanishingly small or insignificant metal or conductive edge adjacent or at the anode connection.