US3125471A - Commercially available sheet finishes - Google Patents
Commercially available sheet finishes Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US3125471A US3125471A US3125471DA US3125471A US 3125471 A US3125471 A US 3125471A US 3125471D A US3125471D A US 3125471DA US 3125471 A US3125471 A US 3125471A
- Authority
- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- stainless steel
- coating
- silicate
- coatings
- oxide
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
- 238000000576 coating method Methods 0.000 claims description 91
- 229910001220 stainless steel Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 58
- 239000010935 stainless steel Substances 0.000 claims description 52
- 239000011248 coating agent Substances 0.000 claims description 50
- 229910044991 metal oxide Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 17
- 150000004706 metal oxides Chemical class 0.000 claims description 16
- 229910052910 alkali metal silicate Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 6
- VYPSYNLAJGMNEJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Silicium dioxide Chemical compound O=[Si]=O VYPSYNLAJGMNEJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 2
- BPQQTUXANYXVAA-UHFFFAOYSA-N Orthosilicate Chemical compound [O-][Si]([O-])([O-])[O-] BPQQTUXANYXVAA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 25
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 21
- 239000000243 solution Substances 0.000 description 20
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 15
- 239000003086 colorant Substances 0.000 description 13
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 10
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 description 10
- 239000004115 Sodium Silicate Substances 0.000 description 8
- HEMHJVSKTPXQMS-UHFFFAOYSA-M Sodium hydroxide Chemical compound [OH-].[Na+] HEMHJVSKTPXQMS-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 8
- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 description 8
- PCHJSUWPFVWCPO-UHFFFAOYSA-N gold Chemical compound [Au] PCHJSUWPFVWCPO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 8
- 229910052737 gold Inorganic materials 0.000 description 8
- 239000010931 gold Substances 0.000 description 8
- NTHWMYGWWRZVTN-UHFFFAOYSA-N sodium silicate Chemical compound [Na+].[Na+].[O-][Si]([O-])=O NTHWMYGWWRZVTN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 8
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 7
- 229910052911 sodium silicate Inorganic materials 0.000 description 7
- ZWEHNKRNPOVVGH-UHFFFAOYSA-N 2-Butanone Chemical compound CCC(C)=O ZWEHNKRNPOVVGH-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 6
- UHOVQNZJYSORNB-UHFFFAOYSA-N Benzene Chemical compound C1=CC=CC=C1 UHOVQNZJYSORNB-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 6
- PXHVJJICTQNCMI-UHFFFAOYSA-N Nickel Chemical compound [Ni] PXHVJJICTQNCMI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 6
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 6
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 6
- 229910000906 Bronze Inorganic materials 0.000 description 5
- 238000005299 abrasion Methods 0.000 description 5
- 239000010974 bronze Substances 0.000 description 5
- 239000011651 chromium Substances 0.000 description 5
- 238000004040 coloring Methods 0.000 description 5
- 229910052802 copper Inorganic materials 0.000 description 5
- 239000010949 copper Substances 0.000 description 5
- KUNSUQLRTQLHQQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N copper tin Chemical compound [Cu].[Sn] KUNSUQLRTQLHQQ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 5
- 239000011734 sodium Substances 0.000 description 5
- 238000012360 testing method Methods 0.000 description 5
- CSCPPACGZOOCGX-UHFFFAOYSA-N Acetone Chemical compound CC(C)=O CSCPPACGZOOCGX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N Copper Chemical compound [Cu] RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- RTZKZFJDLAIYFH-UHFFFAOYSA-N Diethyl ether Chemical compound CCOCC RTZKZFJDLAIYFH-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 229910052799 carbon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 4
- 239000003153 chemical reaction reagent Substances 0.000 description 4
- 238000005097 cold rolling Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000007797 corrosion Effects 0.000 description 4
- 238000005260 corrosion Methods 0.000 description 4
- 230000003628 erosive effect Effects 0.000 description 4
- 239000003973 paint Substances 0.000 description 4
- 150000004760 silicates Chemical class 0.000 description 4
- 235000011121 sodium hydroxide Nutrition 0.000 description 4
- VZGDMQKNWNREIO-UHFFFAOYSA-N tetrachloromethane Chemical compound ClC(Cl)(Cl)Cl VZGDMQKNWNREIO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 4
- 239000000080 wetting agent Substances 0.000 description 4
- OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon Chemical compound [C] OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- DGAQECJNVWCQMB-PUAWFVPOSA-M Ilexoside XXIX Chemical compound C[C@@H]1CC[C@@]2(CC[C@@]3(C(=CC[C@H]4[C@]3(CC[C@@H]5[C@@]4(CC[C@@H](C5(C)C)OS(=O)(=O)[O-])C)C)[C@@H]2[C@]1(C)O)C)C(=O)O[C@H]6[C@@H]([C@H]([C@@H]([C@H](O6)CO)O)O)O.[Na+] DGAQECJNVWCQMB-PUAWFVPOSA-M 0.000 description 3
- 239000012298 atmosphere Substances 0.000 description 3
- -1 brown Chemical compound 0.000 description 3
- 229910052804 chromium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 239000011521 glass Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000010438 heat treatment Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000002932 luster Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 3
- 229910052759 nickel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 239000003921 oil Substances 0.000 description 3
- 235000019198 oils Nutrition 0.000 description 3
- 230000003647 oxidation Effects 0.000 description 3
- 238000007254 oxidation reaction Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000005201 scrubbing Methods 0.000 description 3
- 229910052708 sodium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- UMEWSJNRBXKWKZ-UHFFFAOYSA-M sodium;1,4-dioxo-1,4-dipentoxybutane-2-sulfonate Chemical compound [Na+].CCCCCOC(=O)CC(S([O-])(=O)=O)C(=O)OCCCCC UMEWSJNRBXKWKZ-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 3
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000011282 treatment Methods 0.000 description 3
- QGZKDVFQNNGYKY-UHFFFAOYSA-O Ammonium Chemical compound [NH4+] QGZKDVFQNNGYKY-UHFFFAOYSA-O 0.000 description 2
- VYZAMTAEIAYCRO-UHFFFAOYSA-N Chromium Chemical compound [Cr] VYZAMTAEIAYCRO-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- LFQSCWFLJHTTHZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Ethanol Chemical compound CCO LFQSCWFLJHTTHZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- XEEYBQQBJWHFJM-UHFFFAOYSA-N Iron Chemical compound [Fe] XEEYBQQBJWHFJM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- CTQNGGLPUBDAKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N O-Xylene Chemical compound CC1=CC=CC=C1C CTQNGGLPUBDAKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- ZLMJMSJWJFRBEC-UHFFFAOYSA-N Potassium Chemical compound [K] ZLMJMSJWJFRBEC-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- BQCADISMDOOEFD-UHFFFAOYSA-N Silver Chemical compound [Ag] BQCADISMDOOEFD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- XSTXAVWGXDQKEL-UHFFFAOYSA-N Trichloroethylene Chemical group ClC=C(Cl)Cl XSTXAVWGXDQKEL-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 235000011054 acetic acid Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 150000001243 acetic acids Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 150000001339 alkali metal compounds Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 238000005275 alloying Methods 0.000 description 2
- 235000011114 ammonium hydroxide Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 239000007864 aqueous solution Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000005422 blasting Methods 0.000 description 2
- 150000001875 compounds Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 238000004049 embossing Methods 0.000 description 2
- 235000011167 hydrochloric acid Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 239000004615 ingredient Substances 0.000 description 2
- 150000002500 ions Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 2
- 150000002739 metals Chemical class 0.000 description 2
- 229940032007 methylethyl ketone Drugs 0.000 description 2
- 229910052750 molybdenum Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000003208 petroleum Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910052700 potassium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000011591 potassium Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000006748 scratching Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000002393 scratching effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 229910052709 silver Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000004332 silver Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000002904 solvent Substances 0.000 description 2
- UBOXGVDOUJQMTN-UHFFFAOYSA-N trichloroethylene Natural products ClCC(Cl)Cl UBOXGVDOUJQMTN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 239000008096 xylene Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000010965 430 stainless steel Substances 0.000 description 1
- XZMCDFZZKTWFGF-UHFFFAOYSA-N Cyanamide Chemical compound NC#N XZMCDFZZKTWFGF-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- WHXSMMKQMYFTQS-UHFFFAOYSA-N Lithium Chemical compound [Li] WHXSMMKQMYFTQS-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 241001124569 Lycaenidae Species 0.000 description 1
- ZOKXTWBITQBERF-UHFFFAOYSA-N Molybdenum Chemical compound [Mo] ZOKXTWBITQBERF-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 206010067482 No adverse event Diseases 0.000 description 1
- XUIMIQQOPSSXEZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N Silicon Chemical group [Si] XUIMIQQOPSSXEZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- DBMJMQXJHONAFJ-UHFFFAOYSA-M Sodium laurylsulphate Chemical class [Na+].CCCCCCCCCCCCOS([O-])(=O)=O DBMJMQXJHONAFJ-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 1
- 239000003082 abrasive agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000010521 absorption reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000002253 acid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 150000007513 acids Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 239000004480 active ingredient Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000007792 addition Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910000288 alkali metal carbonate Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 150000008041 alkali metal carbonates Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 229910000272 alkali metal oxide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910045601 alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000000956 alloy Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000004075 alteration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910052782 aluminium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000004458 analytical method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000010953 base metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000005452 bending Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052790 beryllium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 230000000740 bleeding effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003518 caustics Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011538 cleaning material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000009500 colour coating Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000004035 construction material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 235000014987 copper Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003599 detergent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000001035 drying Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000006253 efflorescence Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000004744 fabric Substances 0.000 description 1
- 235000013305 food Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000003517 fume Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000004927 fusion Effects 0.000 description 1
- PMYUVOOOQDGQNW-UHFFFAOYSA-N hexasodium;trioxido(trioxidosilyloxy)silane Chemical compound [Na+].[Na+].[Na+].[Na+].[Na+].[Na+].[O-][Si]([O-])([O-])O[Si]([O-])([O-])[O-] PMYUVOOOQDGQNW-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 238000007654 immersion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009863 impact test Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000012535 impurity Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000007689 inspection Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052742 iron Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 235000021388 linseed oil Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000000944 linseed oil Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052744 lithium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- PAZHGORSDKKUPI-UHFFFAOYSA-N lithium metasilicate Chemical compound [Li+].[Li+].[O-][Si]([O-])=O PAZHGORSDKKUPI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052912 lithium silicate Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910052748 manganese Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011733 molybdenum Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004570 mortar (masonry) Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052757 nitrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 238000001579 optical reflectometry Methods 0.000 description 1
- 150000002894 organic compounds Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 239000003960 organic solvent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052760 oxygen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000001301 oxygen Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000035515 penetration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910052698 phosphorus Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 235000019353 potassium silicate Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000002360 preparation method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001681 protective effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 206010037844 rash Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 150000003839 salts Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 239000004576 sand Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920006395 saturated elastomer Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000010008 shearing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052710 silicon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000000779 smoke Substances 0.000 description 1
- 235000019795 sodium metasilicate Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 235000019351 sodium silicates Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 239000006104 solid solution Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052717 sulfur Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910052715 tantalum Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 230000001052 transient effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- SWGJCIMEBVHMTA-UHFFFAOYSA-K trisodium;6-oxido-4-sulfo-5-[(4-sulfonatonaphthalen-1-yl)diazenyl]naphthalene-2-sulfonate Chemical compound [Na+].[Na+].[Na+].C1=CC=C2C(N=NC3=C4C(=CC(=CC4=CC=C3O)S([O-])(=O)=O)S([O-])(=O)=O)=CC=C(S([O-])(=O)=O)C2=C1 SWGJCIMEBVHMTA-UHFFFAOYSA-K 0.000 description 1
- 229910052721 tungsten Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910052720 vanadium Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000003981 vehicle Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052725 zinc Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
- C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
- C23C28/00—Coating for obtaining at least two superposed coatings either by methods not provided for in a single one of groups C23C2/00 - C23C26/00 or by combinations of methods provided for in subclasses C23C and C25C or C25D
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
- C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
- C23C8/00—Solid state diffusion of only non-metal elements into metallic material surfaces; Chemical surface treatment of metallic material by reaction of the surface with a reactive gas, leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, e.g. conversion coatings, passivation of metals
- C23C8/80—After-treatment
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F24—HEATING; RANGES; VENTILATING
- F24S—SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS; SOLAR HEAT SYSTEMS
- F24S70/00—Details of absorbing elements
- F24S70/10—Details of absorbing elements characterised by the absorbing material
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
- Y02E10/40—Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
- Y10T428/26—Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component, the element or component having a specified physical dimension
- Y10T428/263—Coating layer not in excess of 5 mils thick or equivalent
- Y10T428/264—Up to 3 mils
- Y10T428/265—1 mil or less
Definitions
- Stainless steels are conventionally provided with highly attractive metallic finishes that are ideal for architectural and decorative applications.
- Such applications include outdoor and indoor building panels, as well as automobile trim and appliance applications and, consequently, the surface requirements vary broadly and range from the substantially non-reflective finishes commonly employed for outdoor building panel applications, such as No. 1, No. 2D and No. 2B sheet finishes and dull No. 1 strip finishes to the bright finishes usually employed as indoor building panel trim or for automotive and appliance trim such as No. 4, No. 6 and No. 8 sheet finishes or No. 2 automobile strip finish.
- Other common finishes for architectural applications include special non-reflective building panel finishes provided by grit or shot blasting cold rolling rolls and embossing such finishes on sheet or strip during cold rolling.
- Thin oxide coatings obtained by various means through heat tinting of stainless steel provide interference pattern colors that do not hide or interefere with the natural metallic luster of stainless steel, but add color to the appearance of the stainless steel surface.
- Such coatings must be extremely thin to avoid taking on the dull, non-metallic, surface-concealing appearance of an oxide scale and, consequently, are insufficiently resistant to slight abrasions and erosive effects to which such coatings must be subjected for either indoor or outdoor architectural applications. Atmospheric conditions readily erode such coatings out of existence within a relatively short period of time, and even for indoor applications, ordinary cleaning with mild abrasives or detergents removes the coating. Consequently, interference pattern oxide coatings are not commercially practical.
- the present invention is a colored stainless steel article which consists of stainless steel which has been provided with a thin metal oxide film which is capable of providing color by means of light wave interference plus a thin substantially transparent silicate coating covering the oxide coating which does not materially alter the color provided by the oxide coating, but which serves to seal and protect the oxide coating from the erosive and corrosive effects of ordinary atmosphere or cleaning.
- the invention is particularly directed to architectural stainless steel having on the surface thereof, an intimately bonded metal oxide film having a predetermined thickness within the range of from to 1000 angstroms, and said metal oxide coated stainless steel panel being additionally coated with a substantially transparent, substantially uniform silicate coating no greater in thickness than about .001".
- Metal oxide coatings on stainless steel surfaces such as provide the interference pattern colors as employed on the article of the present invention, are commonly obtained by heating cleaned stainless steel in air for a sufficient time for the surface of the stainless steel to acquire the extremely thin oxide coating generally referred to as a heat tint.
- Such coatings must be extremely thin so that they do not reflect light in the manner of an oxide scale, but instead permit light to penetrate their surfaces and reflect from the surface of the steel itself.
- a lightly heat tinted stainless steel surface he sees the true metallic finish that the steel exhibited prior to the heat tinting, but also observes an interference color in place of the natural silver appearance of stainless steel. If the thickness of the oxide coating exceeds about 1000 angstroms, the reflected coloring is not attractive and will be inconsistent in its appearance.
- Thicker coatings do not permit light penetration at all and provide a dull gray or brown appearance commonly associated with an oxide scale.
- Oxide coatings of less thickness than about 100 angstroms do not provide sufficient observable reflected interference color to be employed in conjunction with the article of the present invention.
- the metal oxide coatings as presently applied are crystalline oxide films consisting essentially of solid solutions of Fe O and/ or Fe O plus Cr O In specific instances where the stainless steel contains other alloying ingredients such as molybdenum, copper, nickel, etc., some of the oxides of these metals may also be present; however, it has been found they are never present in such amounts as to alter or interfere with the interference colors as provided by a thickness of oxide coating of 300 to 500 angstroms.
- the difference between the oxide colors and those produced by most paints or solid coatings is that solid colored coatings effect coloring by the selective absorption of certain wave lengths (intrinsically colored materials), while thin, transparent coatings, such as the oxide coatings, effect coloring by selective interference of light reflected from two different surfaces.
- the oxide coated stainless steels vary in color from the lighter oxide coatings providing a light yellow or gold to slightly heavier coatings reflecting a bronze appearance, and the heaviest coating reflecting copper, brown, red and blue colors, depending on the exact thickness of the oxide film, which, in turn, depends on the time, temperature and surface conditions wherein the oxide film was created.
- the metallic oxide coatings may be provided most economically and simply to a cleaned stainless steel surface by means of merely heating in air at any temperature of from about 450 F. and up; very slow and faint heat tinting is encountered under about 700 F. and temperatures above about 1800 F. are usually uncontrollable. The best control over uniformity and repeatability of color is obtained when times of greater than two minutes and less than 20 minutes are used. For golds and bronze on most surfaces, temperatures between about 800 F. to 1200 F. are best. Coppers and reds are obtained between about 1000 F. and 1500 F. and the blues and blacks, above about 1500 F.
- the trend of color with increasing time and temperature is in the following order: pale gold, deep gold, bronze, copper, brown, purple-red, purple, blue and black.
- some of the colors are missing or are so transient as to be unobtainable in practice.
- colors are mottled or exhibit a grain at higher temperatures.
- the colors are all metallic in appearance.
- it is, of course, important that the stainlesss steel surface be clean. If the surface is not clean, the resultant colors are not uniform or repeatable. Any of the known cleaning methods which provide a uniformly clean surface are satisfactory.
- Useable surfaces may be prepared in some cases by wiping with a drying oil such as linseed oil and rubbing with a clean cloth to remove all excess oil. This gives a surface which while not clean, will usually give uniform color and has little eflect on the color obtained. Alkaline cleaning with, for example, sodium hydroxide is preferred.
- a drying oil such as linseed oil
- rubbing with a clean cloth to remove all excess oil.
- Alkaline cleaning with, for example, sodium hydroxide is preferred.
- oxide films may be acquired by various other means that are known to industry.
- oxide coatings providing interference colors may be produced by heating stainless steel in molten salts or solutions, oil baths, etc., and by various electrolytic treatments.
- Oxide coatings which fall within the scope of the present invention may be produced by electrolytic treatment in caustic solutions such as is taught in United States Patent No. 2,957,812 to Bongartz et al.
- the oxide coatings provided by the various methods other than by simple heat tinting are all metal oxide coatings of a similar or identical nature to the heat tinting oxide coatings and all provide interference pattern colors when present as a continuous film, particularly within the range of to 1000 angstroms in thickness and, consequently, all such metal oxide coatings may be employed in the manufacture of the present article.
- the metal oxide coatings are basically caused by an oxidation of the stainless steel surface itself, it is obvious that such coatings are intricately bonded to the surface of the stainless steel rather than having a mechanical bond as provided by most color coats.
- the silicate coating provided to protect and seal, but not interfere with the oxide coating is however, a typical mechanically bonded coating.
- the silicate coating does not materially alter the appearance of the stainless steel surface which appears to be substantially identical with the non-silicate coated surfaces bearing the same oxide film. In other words, the extremely thin coating presently applied is substantially transparent and can not be ascertained as even being present under ordinary inspection.
- the silicate coated steel will withstand many hours of corrosive testing, whereas the non-silicate coated steels will lose their col ored appearance within a relatively short period of time.
- any silicate compound that is soluble in water may be employed to effect the silicate coating.
- Soluble silicates are, for my purpose, synonymous with alkali metal silicate since only these silicates are soluble in water to any practical extent.
- alkali metal compounds includes such materials as lithium, potassium and sodium; however, as is well known, sodium and potassium are the only such metals that are available in such commercial quantitles as to be considered in any commercially attractive coating process. However, since the invention is operative by employing lithium silicate, such material is included within the scope of the present invention.
- These soluble-glasses are water soluble solids usually formed by fusion of sand and alkali metal carbonates.
- the resulting amorphous material may vary widely in its metalsilicon-oxygen ratio; for this reason, the compositions of silicates are usually expressed as SiO :M O ratios (where M 0 is an alkali metal oxide).
- M 0 is an alkali metal oxide.
- Examples of some sodium silicates are as follows:
- the ratio of about 4:1 is critical. Above this, the silicate is no longer adequately water soluble, and, in fact, the difiiculty of dissolving the glasses in water increases with the ratio below the critical point so that steam may be used to dissolve those above the disilicate.
- these compounds exist in ionic form with the presence of polysilicate ions in the case of the higher ratio silicates such as water glass.
- Such ions with molecular weights of 200-300 are probably unordered arrangements consisting of both 4 and 6 coordinated silicon atoms in a roughly spherical structure. In a sense, they are semicolloidal in nature with high viscosity.
- a substantially transparent film or coating is formed.
- the thickness of the coating is critical in that if the coating is permitted to exceed about .001" in thickness, it
- the thickness of the silicate coating be no greater than about .001". Also, a thicker coating may not be adequately cured in the subsequent baking step and will be more susceptible to efflorescence or bleeding of a white deposit frequently experienced with silicate coatings. Efilorescence is thought to be caused by a rejection of the alkali metal compounds from the coating network.
- the baking temperature is not critical because time at temperature is equally important in curing or setting the coating so as to render it substantially insoluble. Coatings which have been dried at room temperature have good mechanical properties but are water soluble. As the baking temperature is increased, the solubility decreases until the coatings are substantially insoluble after baking at 480 F. A fair degree of insolubility is attained at about 300 F., but immersion in water will gradually dissolve such coatings. Times of thirty minutes or less are generally sufiicient. The coating is, of course, baked to render it insoluble. This may be done at temperatures exceeding 300 F. for times of about one minute or more. Satisfactory baking schedules are as follows: 30 minutes at 400 F., 15 minutes at 500 F., minutes at 600 F., 2 minutes at 800 F. The higher temperatures are to be preferred so that the greatest degree of insolubility may be attained.
- the ultimate article claimed by applicant, as shown above, has a finish that is glossy and is smooth to the touch depending, of course, on the original surface, and the color has considerable depth.
- the present invention has been found to be particularly adaptable in providing gold and bronze finishesthe gold finish has considerable depth as compared with gold paints and is much more attractive than these finishes.
- the coated article is quite resistant to rubbing or scratching type of abrasion, much more so than the base metal or uncoated article.
- a standard No. 4 pencil and pencil-eraser test demonstration does not scratch the surface of the silicate coated colored article and the coating is resistant to fingerprinting where the finish is such that abrasion resistance is of importance.
- the coated article is particularly resistant to construction materials such as acids, mortars and calking compounds, as well as food stains, lipstick, etc. Concentrated nitric, sulfuric, hydrochloric and acetic acids, concentrated ammonium and sodium hydroxides and dilute solutions of these reagents have been observed to have little or no apparent effect on the surface of the coated article where the article has been contacted with such materials continuously over a period of up to two hours. Dilute reagents have no effect over a period of at least 24 hours.
- the resistance of these articles to such chemical attack is particularly significant in view of the fact that prior art unprotected oxidation colors on stainless steel are known to effect a serious loss in corrosion resistance.
- the article of the present invention has been shown to be resistant to all common organic solvents.
- Solvents actually tested in conjunction with applicants article include benzene, petroleum ether, acetone, xylene, alcohol, carbon tetrachloride, methyl-ethyl ketone and trichloroethylene. These tests are significant in that these are the materials commonly employed as commercial cleaners.
- the solution employed to effect the silicate coating may be sprayed upon the surface of the oxide colored stainless steel or the interference colored stainless steel may be dipped into such a solution so as to effect the desired films. Additionally, the silicate coatings may be applied to strip or sheet by being rolled on. Such process is a commercially known coating means wherein the coating material is constantly applied to the surface of a roll which is, in turn, rolled over the surface of the metal strip or sheet.
- the concentration of alkali metal silicate present in the aqueous solution is not critical in that any concentration may be employed that will effect such a film, and nearly any amount from a trace to saturation will effect a film which varies in thickness in accordance with the strength of the solution employed. For practical purposes, it would be necessary to employ a solution containing at least about .1%, by weight, of the alkali metal silicate to effect a .001 thick coating. It is entirely feasible, however, to employ aqueous solutions that are saturated with the silicate compound. The temperature of application is also unimportant so long as at least about .l% of the silicate is present in the water solution.
- a wetting agent may be any of the commercially available water soluble wetting agents that are compatible with the silicate solutions.
- the effect of such additions is to aid in securing a smooth and even coating on the surface being silicate coated.
- Excellent results have been obtained by employing 10' ml. of a 10%, by weight, Aerosol AY solution with a 75 ml. sodium silicate solution (technical, 4042 B.). Aerosol AY is the trade name of the American Cyanamid Company, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York 20, New York, and is designated to identify solutions containing as the active ingredient diamyl sodium sulfosuccinate.
- Another commercially available wetting agent that has been satisfactorily employed is a modified sodium lauryl sulfate sold under the trade name of Wetanol by the Glyco Products Company, Empire State Building, New York, New York.
- stainless steel is intended to include all the steels classified by the American Iron and Steel Institute as being standard grades of stainless steel. These include the type 400 series stainless steels that contain chromium in amounts of from about 10%, by weight, to about 30%, by weight, and generally less than 1% carbon, such as AISI types 410 and 430 and additionally the A181 type 300 series which contain, in addition to Cr and C, a nickel content of from 6 to 30% which renders the steel structure austenitic, such as AISI type 301, 302 and 304, and the 200 series steels which contain not only nickel in amounts of 1 to 10%, but also up to about 30% Mn and .60% N as additional austenitizers.
- type 400 series stainless steels that contain chromium in amounts of from about 10%, by weight, to about 30%, by weight, and generally less than 1% carbon, such as AISI types 410 and 430 and additionally the A181 type 300 series which contain, in addition to Cr and C, a nickel content of from 6 to 30% which renders the steel
- Such various stainless steel analyses may contain additionally, as impurities or alloying ingredients, small amounts of P, S, Cu, Mo, Se, B, Be, Co, W, Ti, Cb, Ta, V, Zn, Al, Si, rare earths, etc. All stainless steels, however, contain chromium within the range of from about 10% to 30% and carbon up to about 1%.
- the Cr content in every instance is the element that primarily effects the essential property of oxidation and corrosion resistance, and consequently the article of the present invention may be broadly said to be composed partly of a steel that consists essentially of carbon COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE SHEET FINISHES No. 1 Hot rolled, annealed and pickled. No. 2D Full finish, dull cold rolled. No. 2B Full finish, bright cold rolled.
- any of the above standard finishes may be varied.
- a No. 2 DVB finish is used to identify an architectural finish which is provided by grit or shot blasting cold rolling rolls and embossing such finishes on sheet or strip during cold rolling.
- the latter finish and the means for obtaining it are fully disclosed in co-pending United States patent application Serial No. 67,889.
- Applicants article is readily employed as outdoor or indoor architectural building panels or members, but can also be employed for other decorative uses such as automobile trim or decorative members for appliances. It is therefore understood that for purposes of the present specification and claims, the term architectural member shall include such similar articles as decorative trim and other decorative members such as door and window trim and hardware and in domestic appliances and the like.
- Example 1 AISI type 302 stainless steel panels with a No. 4 sheet finish were cleaned by scrubbing with an alkaline cleaner and rinsing in clear water. They were then heated in air in electric mufile furnace for 10 minutes at 1000" F. to produce a uniform gold color. It was then cooled, sprayed with 30% sodium silicate solution (30% 40-42 B. sodium silicate solution+.1% Wetanol in water) and baked at 600 F. for 5 minutes.
- Example 2 AISI type 302 stainless steel panels with a 2 DVB finish were cleaned by scrubbing with an alkaline cleaner and rinsing in clear water. They were then heated in air for minutes at 1000 F. to produce a uniform bronze color. They were then roller-coated with a sodium silicate solution and baked at 800 F. for 2 minutes.
- Example 3 AISI type 201 stainless steel panels wtih a bright annealed finish were cleaned by scrubbing with an alkaline cleaner and rinsing in clear water. They were then heated in air for 12 minutes at 1000 F. to produce a uniform copper color. They were then dip-coated in 50% sodium silicate solution and baked at 400 F. for 30 minutes.
- Example 4 AISI type 430 stainless steel panels with a No. 2 strip finish were scrubbed with an alkaline cleaner and rinsed in clear water. They were then heated in air for 2 minutes at 1200 F. and some panels were heated for 15 minutes at 1450 F., both treatments of which resulted in uniform metallic purple or metallic blue finishes respectively. All panels were flow-coated with a sodium silicate solution and baked at 500 F. for 10 minutes.
- a stainless steel architectural member comprising eat tinted stainless steel having a visible metal oxide coating thereof produced by said heat tinting of from about to 1000 A. in thickness integrally bonded to the surface thereof and a substantially transparent and water-insoluble baked alkali metal silicate coating on said metal oxide coating, said silicate coating not exceeding about .001 in thickness.
- a stainless steel architectural member comprising heat tinted fiat rolled stainless steel having a visible metal oxide coating thereof produced by said heat tinting of from about 100 to 1000 A. in thickness integrally bonded to the surface thereof and a substantially transparent and water-insoluble baked alkali metal silicate coating on said metal oxide coating, said silicate coating not exceeding about .001" in thickness.
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Description
United States Patent ()ffice 3,125,471 COLORED STAINLESS STEELS Jesse R. Conner, Jr., Sarver, Pa., assignor to Allegheny Ludlum Steel Corporation, Brackenridge, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania No Drawing. Filed July 3, 1961, Ser. No. 121,353 2 Claims. (Cl. 148-315) This invention relates to improvements in the surface of stainless steels, and is particularly directed to a new article of manufacture that consists of colored stainless steel.
Stainless steels are conventionally provided with highly attractive metallic finishes that are ideal for architectural and decorative applications. Such applications include outdoor and indoor building panels, as well as automobile trim and appliance applications and, consequently, the surface requirements vary broadly and range from the substantially non-reflective finishes commonly employed for outdoor building panel applications, such as No. 1, No. 2D and No. 2B sheet finishes and dull No. 1 strip finishes to the bright finishes usually employed as indoor building panel trim or for automotive and appliance trim such as No. 4, No. 6 and No. 8 sheet finishes or No. 2 automobile strip finish. Other common finishes for architectural applications include special non-reflective building panel finishes provided by grit or shot blasting cold rolling rolls and embossing such finishes on sheet or strip during cold rolling. Fabricators and users of stainless steel have long desired and sought attractive colored stainless steel architectural members that would exhibit the attractive metal finishes such as those enumerated above, but would simultaneously exhibit some color other than the natural silver luster of the metal. A colored stainless steel, particularly one that retains an attractive metallic finish is in great demand. Presently available color coats or paints that may be employed on stainless steel surfaces, with the exception of thin oxide films, are relatively thick pigmented coatings that may be organic or inorganic in nature, but which uniformly hide the desired metallic luster. Also, such paints readily chip and peel in a relatively short period of time when employed for architectural uses. Architectural applications, and particularly outdoor building panel applications, require guarantees that the coloring or coating will not chip or peel for periods exceeding ten years.
Thin oxide coatings obtained by various means through heat tinting of stainless steel, provide interference pattern colors that do not hide or interefere with the natural metallic luster of stainless steel, but add color to the appearance of the stainless steel surface. Such coatings must be extremely thin to avoid taking on the dull, non-metallic, surface-concealing appearance of an oxide scale and, consequently, are insufficiently resistant to slight abrasions and erosive effects to which such coatings must be subjected for either indoor or outdoor architectural applications. Atmospheric conditions readily erode such coatings out of existence within a relatively short period of time, and even for indoor applications, ordinary cleaning with mild abrasives or detergents removes the coating. Consequently, interference pattern oxide coatings are not commercially practical. Attempts to provide resistant-clear coatings over such interference pattern oxide coatings, have been unsuccessful since clear coatings such Patented Mar. 17, 1964 as organic coatings which consist of polymerized organic compounds, themselves do not adequately resist the erosive and corrosive environments of atmospheric conditions or cleaning practices and, additionally, darken in color in a relatively short period of time. Other attempts to provide protective surface coatings for the thin oxide interference color coatings on stainless steel, have resulted in interference with the light reflectivity properties of the oxide coat and have either resulted in altering the color in a non-uniform manner or have caused the stainless steel to take on a multi-colored rainbow-like appearance which changes in accordance with the angle at which one views the so-colored and coated stainless steel article.
It has now been found that a relatively thin, substantially transparent silicate coating on a thin metal oxide intereference colored stainless steel, will so protect the oxide coated article as to render such color coated stainless steel resistant to the effect of atmospheric erosion caused by rain, hail, industrial smoke and fumes, etc., as Well as to provide adequate resistance to the effects of cleaning materials ordinarily employed on any architectural or decorative finish. It has also been found that such silicate coating does not alter the color or the attractive appearance of the surface finish of stainless steel.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a colored stainless steel architectural and decorative member that is resistant to the effects of atmosphere and cleaning.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a stainless steel surface that is coated with an extremely thin oxide film which provides light interference color patterns to the surface of the stainless steel and a thin silicate coating on the surface of the oxide film which does not alter the coloring effects of the film, but which protects the film from the effect of atmosphere and cleaning.
In general, the present invention is a colored stainless steel article which consists of stainless steel which has been provided with a thin metal oxide film which is capable of providing color by means of light wave interference plus a thin substantially transparent silicate coating covering the oxide coating which does not materially alter the color provided by the oxide coating, but which serves to seal and protect the oxide coating from the erosive and corrosive effects of ordinary atmosphere or cleaning. The invention is particularly directed to architectural stainless steel having on the surface thereof, an intimately bonded metal oxide film having a predetermined thickness within the range of from to 1000 angstroms, and said metal oxide coated stainless steel panel being additionally coated with a substantially transparent, substantially uniform silicate coating no greater in thickness than about .001".
Metal oxide coatings on stainless steel surfaces such as provide the interference pattern colors as employed on the article of the present invention, are commonly obtained by heating cleaned stainless steel in air for a sufficient time for the surface of the stainless steel to acquire the extremely thin oxide coating generally referred to as a heat tint. Such coatings must be extremely thin so that they do not reflect light in the manner of an oxide scale, but instead permit light to penetrate their surfaces and reflect from the surface of the steel itself. Hence, when one observes a lightly heat tinted stainless steel surface, he sees the true metallic finish that the steel exhibited prior to the heat tinting, but also observes an interference color in place of the natural silver appearance of stainless steel. If the thickness of the oxide coating exceeds about 1000 angstroms, the reflected coloring is not attractive and will be inconsistent in its appearance. Thicker coatings do not permit light penetration at all and provide a dull gray or brown appearance commonly associated with an oxide scale. Oxide coatings of less thickness than about 100 angstroms do not provide sufficient observable reflected interference color to be employed in conjunction with the article of the present invention. The metal oxide coatings as presently applied, are crystalline oxide films consisting essentially of solid solutions of Fe O and/ or Fe O plus Cr O In specific instances where the stainless steel contains other alloying ingredients such as molybdenum, copper, nickel, etc., some of the oxides of these metals may also be present; however, it has been found they are never present in such amounts as to alter or interfere with the interference colors as provided by a thickness of oxide coating of 300 to 500 angstroms. The difference between the oxide colors and those produced by most paints or solid coatings is that solid colored coatings effect coloring by the selective absorption of certain wave lengths (intrinsically colored materials), while thin, transparent coatings, such as the oxide coatings, effect coloring by selective interference of light reflected from two different surfaces. The oxide coated stainless steels vary in color from the lighter oxide coatings providing a light yellow or gold to slightly heavier coatings reflecting a bronze appearance, and the heaviest coating reflecting copper, brown, red and blue colors, depending on the exact thickness of the oxide film, which, in turn, depends on the time, temperature and surface conditions wherein the oxide film was created.
The metallic oxide coatings, as provided by the article of the present invention, may be provided most economically and simply to a cleaned stainless steel surface by means of merely heating in air at any temperature of from about 450 F. and up; very slow and faint heat tinting is encountered under about 700 F. and temperatures above about 1800 F. are usually uncontrollable. The best control over uniformity and repeatability of color is obtained when times of greater than two minutes and less than 20 minutes are used. For golds and bronze on most surfaces, temperatures between about 800 F. to 1200 F. are best. Coppers and reds are obtained between about 1000 F. and 1500 F. and the blues and blacks, above about 1500 F. In general, the trend of color with increasing time and temperature is in the following order: pale gold, deep gold, bronze, copper, brown, purple-red, purple, blue and black. Depending upon alloy and surface, some of the colors are missing or are so transient as to be unobtainable in practice. On some surfaces, colors are mottled or exhibit a grain at higher temperatures. Except on very rough surfaces, the colors are all metallic in appearance. When providing the thin oxide coatings which provide interference pattern colors, it is, of course, important that the stainlesss steel surface be clean. If the surface is not clean, the resultant colors are not uniform or repeatable. Any of the known cleaning methods which provide a uniformly clean surface are satisfactory. Useable surfaces may be prepared in some cases by wiping with a drying oil such as linseed oil and rubbing with a clean cloth to remove all excess oil. This gives a surface which while not clean, will usually give uniform color and has little eflect on the color obtained. Alkaline cleaning with, for example, sodium hydroxide is preferred. Although I have found that the metal oxide coatings as applied to the present article, may be most efiiciently acquired through careful, controlled cleaning and heat tinting of stainless steel, such oxide films may be acquired by various other means that are known to industry. For example, such oxide coatings providing interference colors may be produced by heating stainless steel in molten salts or solutions, oil baths, etc., and by various electrolytic treatments. Oxide coatings which fall within the scope of the present invention may be produced by electrolytic treatment in caustic solutions such as is taught in United States Patent No. 2,957,812 to Bongartz et al. The oxide coatings provided by the various methods other than by simple heat tinting are all metal oxide coatings of a similar or identical nature to the heat tinting oxide coatings and all provide interference pattern colors when present as a continuous film, particularly within the range of to 1000 angstroms in thickness and, consequently, all such metal oxide coatings may be employed in the manufacture of the present article. Since the metal oxide coatings, as applied to the article of the present invention, are basically caused by an oxidation of the stainless steel surface itself, it is obvious that such coatings are intricately bonded to the surface of the stainless steel rather than having a mechanical bond as provided by most color coats. The silicate coating provided to protect and seal, but not interfere with the oxide coating, is however, a typical mechanically bonded coating. The silicate coating does not materially alter the appearance of the stainless steel surface which appears to be substantially identical with the non-silicate coated surfaces bearing the same oxide film. In other words, the extremely thin coating presently applied is substantially transparent and can not be ascertained as even being present under ordinary inspection. The silicate coated steel will withstand many hours of corrosive testing, whereas the non-silicate coated steels will lose their col ored appearance within a relatively short period of time.
For the purpose of the present invention, any silicate compound that is soluble in water may be employed to effect the silicate coating. Soluble silicates are, for my purpose, synonymous with alkali metal silicate since only these silicates are soluble in water to any practical extent. The term alkali metal compounds includes such materials as lithium, potassium and sodium; however, as is well known, sodium and potassium are the only such metals that are available in such commercial quantitles as to be considered in any commercially attractive coating process. However, since the invention is operative by employing lithium silicate, such material is included within the scope of the present invention. These soluble-glasses are water soluble solids usually formed by fusion of sand and alkali metal carbonates. The resulting amorphous material may vary widely in its metalsilicon-oxygen ratio; for this reason, the compositions of silicates are usually expressed as SiO :M O ratios (where M 0 is an alkali metal oxide). Examples of some sodium silicates are as follows:
Name Formula SiOzzNmO Ratio Sodium Orthosilieate 1:2 Sodium Metasilicate Na SiO 1:1 Sodium Disilicate Na ShO 2:1 Commercial Wator-Glass", 3.311 Others Approaching Ratio of 4 :1
The ratio of about 4:1 is critical. Above this, the silicate is no longer adequately water soluble, and, in fact, the difiiculty of dissolving the glasses in water increases with the ratio below the critical point so that steam may be used to dissolve those above the disilicate. In solution, these compounds exist in ionic form with the presence of polysilicate ions in the case of the higher ratio silicates such as water glass. Such ions with molecular weights of 200-300 are probably unordered arrangements consisting of both 4 and 6 coordinated silicon atoms in a roughly spherical structure. In a sense, they are semicolloidal in nature with high viscosity.
When such coatings are allowed to evaporate in a thin layer, a substantially transparent film or coating is formed. The thickness of the coating is critical in that if the coating is permitted to exceed about .001" in thickness, it
interferes with the appearance of the colored stainless steel surface and, inasmuch as the attractive colored metallic appearance of the metal itself is its primary asset for decorative trim, it is essential that the thickness of the silicate coating be no greater than about .001". Also, a thicker coating may not be adequately cured in the subsequent baking step and will be more susceptible to efflorescence or bleeding of a white deposit frequently experienced with silicate coatings. Efilorescence is thought to be caused by a rejection of the alkali metal compounds from the coating network.
The baking temperature is not critical because time at temperature is equally important in curing or setting the coating so as to render it substantially insoluble. Coatings which have been dried at room temperature have good mechanical properties but are water soluble. As the baking temperature is increased, the solubility decreases until the coatings are substantially insoluble after baking at 480 F. A fair degree of insolubility is attained at about 300 F., but immersion in water will gradually dissolve such coatings. Times of thirty minutes or less are generally sufiicient. The coating is, of course, baked to render it insoluble. This may be done at temperatures exceeding 300 F. for times of about one minute or more. Satisfactory baking schedules are as follows: 30 minutes at 400 F., 15 minutes at 500 F., minutes at 600 F., 2 minutes at 800 F. The higher temperatures are to be preferred so that the greatest degree of insolubility may be attained.
The ultimate article claimed by applicant, as shown above, has a finish that is glossy and is smooth to the touch depending, of course, on the original surface, and the color has considerable depth. The present invention has been found to be particularly adaptable in providing gold and bronze finishesthe gold finish has considerable depth as compared with gold paints and is much more attractive than these finishes. The coated article is quite resistant to rubbing or scratching type of abrasion, much more so than the base metal or uncoated article. A standard No. 4 pencil and pencil-eraser test demonstration does not scratch the surface of the silicate coated colored article and the coating is resistant to fingerprinting where the finish is such that abrasion resistance is of importance. The coated article is particularly resistant to construction materials such as acids, mortars and calking compounds, as well as food stains, lipstick, etc. Concentrated nitric, sulfuric, hydrochloric and acetic acids, concentrated ammonium and sodium hydroxides and dilute solutions of these reagents have been observed to have little or no apparent effect on the surface of the coated article where the article has been contacted with such materials continuously over a period of up to two hours. Dilute reagents have no effect over a period of at least 24 hours. The resistance of these articles to such chemical attack is particularly significant in view of the fact that prior art unprotected oxidation colors on stainless steel are known to effect a serious loss in corrosion resistance.
In addition, the article of the present invention has been shown to be resistant to all common organic solvents. Solvents actually tested in conjunction with applicants article include benzene, petroleum ether, acetone, xylene, alcohol, carbon tetrachloride, methyl-ethyl ketone and trichloroethylene. These tests are significant in that these are the materials commonly employed as commercial cleaners.
Applicants article in the form of flat rolled stainless steel, such as cold rolled sheet or strip, has shown considerable ability to withstand bending, forming and other mechanical deformations without serious alteration of the color or coating. In general, the thicker the silicate coating within the range specified and the smoother the surface, the less flexibility. Coatings of up to .001 maximum can usually be bent 90 around a sharp radius without harm. The larger the radius the greater the possible bend. With .037 gauge type 302 stainless steel with a 2 DVB sheet finish and having a gold heat tint and a thin (less than .001) silicate coating, the following tests did not harm the finish: sharp bend, bend around A inch mandrel, 80 inchpound surface or reverse-side impact test, shearing, stretcher-leveling and twisting into a spiral.
The solution employed to effect the silicate coating may be sprayed upon the surface of the oxide colored stainless steel or the interference colored stainless steel may be dipped into such a solution so as to effect the desired films. Additionally, the silicate coatings may be applied to strip or sheet by being rolled on. Such process is a commercially known coating means wherein the coating material is constantly applied to the surface of a roll which is, in turn, rolled over the surface of the metal strip or sheet.
The concentration of alkali metal silicate present in the aqueous solution is not critical in that any concentration may be employed that will effect such a film, and nearly any amount from a trace to saturation will effect a film which varies in thickness in accordance with the strength of the solution employed. For practical purposes, it would be necessary to employ a solution containing at least about .1%, by weight, of the alkali metal silicate to effect a .001 thick coating. It is entirely feasible, however, to employ aqueous solutions that are saturated with the silicate compound. The temperature of application is also unimportant so long as at least about .l% of the silicate is present in the water solution.
In applying the silicate coating it is preferable, though not essential, to add to the vehicle or coating solution a small quantity of a wetting agent. Such wetting agent may be any of the commercially available water soluble wetting agents that are compatible with the silicate solutions. The effect of such additions is to aid in securing a smooth and even coating on the surface being silicate coated. Excellent results have been obtained by employing 10' ml. of a 10%, by weight, Aerosol AY solution with a 75 ml. sodium silicate solution (technical, 4042 B.). Aerosol AY is the trade name of the American Cyanamid Company, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York 20, New York, and is designated to identify solutions containing as the active ingredient diamyl sodium sulfosuccinate. Another commercially available wetting agent that has been satisfactorily employed is a modified sodium lauryl sulfate sold under the trade name of Wetanol by the Glyco Products Company, Empire State Building, New York, New York.
The term stainless steel, as applied in the present specification, is intended to include all the steels classified by the American Iron and Steel Institute as being standard grades of stainless steel. These include the type 400 series stainless steels that contain chromium in amounts of from about 10%, by weight, to about 30%, by weight, and generally less than 1% carbon, such as AISI types 410 and 430 and additionally the A181 type 300 series which contain, in addition to Cr and C, a nickel content of from 6 to 30% which renders the steel structure austenitic, such as AISI type 301, 302 and 304, and the 200 series steels which contain not only nickel in amounts of 1 to 10%, but also up to about 30% Mn and .60% N as additional austenitizers. Such various stainless steel analyses may contain additionally, as impurities or alloying ingredients, small amounts of P, S, Cu, Mo, Se, B, Be, Co, W, Ti, Cb, Ta, V, Zn, Al, Si, rare earths, etc. All stainless steels, however, contain chromium within the range of from about 10% to 30% and carbon up to about 1%. The Cr content in every instance is the element that primarily effects the essential property of oxidation and corrosion resistance, and consequently the article of the present invention may be broadly said to be composed partly of a steel that consists essentially of carbon COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE SHEET FINISHES No. 1 Hot rolled, annealed and pickled. No. 2D Full finish, dull cold rolled. No. 2B Full finish, bright cold rolled.
Any of the above standard finishes may be varied. For example, a No. 2 DVB finish is used to identify an architectural finish which is provided by grit or shot blasting cold rolling rolls and embossing such finishes on sheet or strip during cold rolling. The latter finish and the means for obtaining it are fully disclosed in co-pending United States patent application Serial No. 67,889.
Applicants article is readily employed as outdoor or indoor architectural building panels or members, but can also be employed for other decorative uses such as automobile trim or decorative members for appliances. It is therefore understood that for purposes of the present specification and claims, the term architectural member shall include such similar articles as decorative trim and other decorative members such as door and window trim and hardware and in domestic appliances and the like.
The following specific examples are given to illustrate the best mode of preparation of the articles of the present invention. All have been corrosion tested in the manner described above and have been found to be satisfactory from the standpoint of appearance, wear and abrasion resistance, resistance to soiling, chemical resistance, solvent resistance, resistance to corrosion testing and have shown adequate flexibility:
Example 1 AISI type 302 stainless steel panels with a No. 4 sheet finish were cleaned by scrubbing with an alkaline cleaner and rinsing in clear water. They were then heated in air in electric mufile furnace for 10 minutes at 1000" F. to produce a uniform gold color. It was then cooled, sprayed with 30% sodium silicate solution (30% 40-42 B. sodium silicate solution+.1% Wetanol in water) and baked at 600 F. for 5 minutes.
Example 2 AISI type 302 stainless steel panels with a 2 DVB finish were cleaned by scrubbing with an alkaline cleaner and rinsing in clear water. They were then heated in air for minutes at 1000 F. to produce a uniform bronze color. They were then roller-coated with a sodium silicate solution and baked at 800 F. for 2 minutes.
Example 3 AISI type 201 stainless steel panels wtih a bright annealed finish were cleaned by scrubbing with an alkaline cleaner and rinsing in clear water. They were then heated in air for 12 minutes at 1000 F. to produce a uniform copper color. They were then dip-coated in 50% sodium silicate solution and baked at 400 F. for 30 minutes.
Example 4 AISI type 430 stainless steel panels with a No. 2 strip finish were scrubbed with an alkaline cleaner and rinsed in clear water. They were then heated in air for 2 minutes at 1200 F. and some panels were heated for 15 minutes at 1450 F., both treatments of which resulted in uniform metallic purple or metallic blue finishes respectively. All panels were flow-coated with a sodium silicate solution and baked at 500 F. for 10 minutes.
The surfaces of stainless steel panels, such as were prepared in Examples 1 through 4, were found to be resistant to scratching and abrasion when rubbed with the eraser of a standard No. 4 pencil. Drops of concentrated nitric, sulfuric, hydrochloric and acetic acids, concentrated ammonium and sodium hydroxides and dilute solutions of each of these reagents, were placed on the surface of these panels. There was little or no apparent effect on the panel surfaces after standing for a period of about two hours at room temperature. Dilute reagents (about 10% by volume of the concentrated chemicals in water, except NaOH which was about 10%, by weight) had no effect over a period of 24 hours. No adverse effects were observed by immersing the samples in benzene, petroleum ether, acetone, xylene, alcohol, carbon tetrachloride, methyl-ethyl ketone and trichloroethylene.
I claim:
1. A stainless steel architectural member comprising eat tinted stainless steel having a visible metal oxide coating thereof produced by said heat tinting of from about to 1000 A. in thickness integrally bonded to the surface thereof and a substantially transparent and water-insoluble baked alkali metal silicate coating on said metal oxide coating, said silicate coating not exceeding about .001 in thickness.
2. A stainless steel architectural member comprising heat tinted fiat rolled stainless steel having a visible metal oxide coating thereof produced by said heat tinting of from about 100 to 1000 A. in thickness integrally bonded to the surface thereof and a substantially transparent and water-insoluble baked alkali metal silicate coating on said metal oxide coating, said silicate coating not exceeding about .001" in thickness.
References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,428,170 Laist et al. Sept. 5, 1922 2,069,486 Tilden Feb. 2, 1937 2,440,969 Nightingall May 4, 1948 2,492,682 Carpenter Dec. 27, 1949 2,521,580 Hornak et al. Sept. 5, 1950 2,952,562 Morris et al. Sept. 13, 1960 3,016,339 Riou Jan. 9, 1962
Claims (1)
1. A STAINLESS STEEL ARCHITECTURAL MEMBER COMPRISING HEAT TINTED STAINLESS STEEL HAVING A VISIBLE METAL OXIDE COATING THEREOF PRODUCED BY SAID HEAT TINTING OF FROM ABOUT 100 TO 1000 A. IN THICKNESS INTEGRALLY BONDED TO THE SURFACE THEREOF AND A SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSPARENT AND WATER-INSOLUBLE BAKED ALKALI METAL SILICATE COATIANG ON SAID METAL OXIDE COATING, SAID SILICATE COATING NOT EXCEEDING ABOUT .001" IN THICKNESS.
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| Publication Number | Publication Date |
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| US3125471A true US3125471A (en) | 1964-03-17 |
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| US3125471D Expired - Lifetime US3125471A (en) | Commercially available sheet finishes |
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Cited By (20)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3377213A (en) * | 1962-11-20 | 1968-04-09 | Ind Co Kleinewefers Konst | Method for oxidizing the surface of recuperator tubes |
| US3437532A (en) * | 1965-07-14 | 1969-04-08 | Allegheny Ludlum Steel | Dark colored stainless steel surfaces |
| US3499780A (en) * | 1966-12-06 | 1970-03-10 | Gen Electric | Method of making a coated aluminum reflector |
| US3530013A (en) * | 1966-07-11 | 1970-09-22 | Cominco Ltd | Process for the production of coloured coatings |
| US3658603A (en) * | 1970-01-02 | 1972-04-25 | Allegheny Ludlum Steel | Surface finishing |
| US3906125A (en) * | 1970-08-05 | 1975-09-16 | Scm Corp | Process of treating sheet steel |
| US3963530A (en) * | 1974-01-08 | 1976-06-15 | Coral Chemical Company | Stainless steels coated with black oxides |
| US4017336A (en) * | 1972-04-05 | 1977-04-12 | Exxon Reseaarch And Engineeering Company | Surface treatment of metals |
| US4097311A (en) * | 1975-09-22 | 1978-06-27 | Yazaki Sogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Absorption surface of solar collector |
| US4401479A (en) * | 1981-03-12 | 1983-08-30 | Quick Nathaniel R | Apparatus and method for processing wire stand cable for use in prestressed concrete structures |
| US4529566A (en) * | 1981-03-12 | 1985-07-16 | Quick Nathaniel R | Apparatus and method for processing wire strand cable for use in prestressed concrete structures |
| US4534310A (en) * | 1981-03-12 | 1985-08-13 | Quick Nathaniel R | Apparatus and method for processing wire strand cable for use in prestressed concrete structures |
| US4661171A (en) * | 1984-08-29 | 1987-04-28 | Shinko-Pfaudler Company, Ltd. | Method for treating the surface of stainless steel by high temperature oxidation |
| US20050175848A1 (en) * | 2002-04-05 | 2005-08-11 | Toyo Kohan Co., Ltd | Surface-treated steel plate for bearing seal and bearing seal and bearing using the same |
| US20050211052A1 (en) * | 2004-03-29 | 2005-09-29 | Gigliotti Patrick J | Guitar having a metal plate insert |
| US20060093774A1 (en) * | 2004-11-02 | 2006-05-04 | Leatherwood Kevin R | Appliance panel with stainless steel look |
| WO2006088526A1 (en) * | 2005-02-15 | 2006-08-24 | Swagelok Company | Color-coded stainless steel fittings and ferrules |
| WO2012168577A3 (en) * | 2011-06-09 | 2013-03-28 | Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives | Process for producing an element for absorbing solar radiation for a thermal concentrating solar power plant |
| US10202676B2 (en) * | 2012-11-27 | 2019-02-12 | Nisshin Steel Co., Ltd. | Method for producing hot-dip Zn alloy-plated steel sheet |
| US11867891B2 (en) * | 2016-12-22 | 2024-01-09 | Advanced Optical Technologies, Inc. | Polarimeter with multiple independent tunable channels and method for material orientation imaging |
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| US2521580A (en) * | 1948-05-05 | 1950-09-05 | Armco Steel Corp | Coloring stainless steel |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| US1428170A (en) * | 1921-11-29 | 1922-09-05 | Anaconda Copper Mining Co | Process for coloring metallic copper |
| US2069486A (en) * | 1934-06-16 | 1937-02-02 | Paul S Tilden | Prevention of efflorescence on silicate films |
| US2492682A (en) * | 1945-07-23 | 1949-12-27 | Armco Steel Corp | Processes of producing glass coated silicon steel |
| US2440969A (en) * | 1948-01-07 | 1948-05-04 | Ruth Valencia Nightingall | Protectively coated ferrous metal surfaces and method of producing same |
| US2521580A (en) * | 1948-05-05 | 1950-09-05 | Armco Steel Corp | Coloring stainless steel |
| US3016339A (en) * | 1957-04-12 | 1962-01-09 | Pechiney Prod Chimiques Sa | Method of protecting metal surfaces |
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Cited By (24)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US3377213A (en) * | 1962-11-20 | 1968-04-09 | Ind Co Kleinewefers Konst | Method for oxidizing the surface of recuperator tubes |
| US3437532A (en) * | 1965-07-14 | 1969-04-08 | Allegheny Ludlum Steel | Dark colored stainless steel surfaces |
| US3530013A (en) * | 1966-07-11 | 1970-09-22 | Cominco Ltd | Process for the production of coloured coatings |
| US3499780A (en) * | 1966-12-06 | 1970-03-10 | Gen Electric | Method of making a coated aluminum reflector |
| US3658603A (en) * | 1970-01-02 | 1972-04-25 | Allegheny Ludlum Steel | Surface finishing |
| US3906125A (en) * | 1970-08-05 | 1975-09-16 | Scm Corp | Process of treating sheet steel |
| US4017336A (en) * | 1972-04-05 | 1977-04-12 | Exxon Reseaarch And Engineeering Company | Surface treatment of metals |
| US3963530A (en) * | 1974-01-08 | 1976-06-15 | Coral Chemical Company | Stainless steels coated with black oxides |
| US4097311A (en) * | 1975-09-22 | 1978-06-27 | Yazaki Sogyo Kabushiki Kaisha | Absorption surface of solar collector |
| US4401479A (en) * | 1981-03-12 | 1983-08-30 | Quick Nathaniel R | Apparatus and method for processing wire stand cable for use in prestressed concrete structures |
| US4529566A (en) * | 1981-03-12 | 1985-07-16 | Quick Nathaniel R | Apparatus and method for processing wire strand cable for use in prestressed concrete structures |
| US4534310A (en) * | 1981-03-12 | 1985-08-13 | Quick Nathaniel R | Apparatus and method for processing wire strand cable for use in prestressed concrete structures |
| US4661171A (en) * | 1984-08-29 | 1987-04-28 | Shinko-Pfaudler Company, Ltd. | Method for treating the surface of stainless steel by high temperature oxidation |
| US20050175848A1 (en) * | 2002-04-05 | 2005-08-11 | Toyo Kohan Co., Ltd | Surface-treated steel plate for bearing seal and bearing seal and bearing using the same |
| US20050211052A1 (en) * | 2004-03-29 | 2005-09-29 | Gigliotti Patrick J | Guitar having a metal plate insert |
| US20060093774A1 (en) * | 2004-11-02 | 2006-05-04 | Leatherwood Kevin R | Appliance panel with stainless steel look |
| US8012595B2 (en) * | 2004-11-02 | 2011-09-06 | Whirlpool Corporation | Appliance panel with stainless steel look |
| WO2006088526A1 (en) * | 2005-02-15 | 2006-08-24 | Swagelok Company | Color-coded stainless steel fittings and ferrules |
| US20060191102A1 (en) * | 2005-02-15 | 2006-08-31 | Hayes Charles W Ii | Color-coded stainless steel fittings and ferrules |
| WO2012168577A3 (en) * | 2011-06-09 | 2013-03-28 | Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives | Process for producing an element for absorbing solar radiation for a thermal concentrating solar power plant |
| AU2012266168B2 (en) * | 2011-06-09 | 2016-10-20 | Commissariat A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives | Process for producing an element for absorbing solar radiation for a thermal concentrating solar power plant |
| US9551507B2 (en) | 2011-06-09 | 2017-01-24 | Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives | Process for producing an element for absorbing solar radiation for a thermal concentrating solar power plant |
| US10202676B2 (en) * | 2012-11-27 | 2019-02-12 | Nisshin Steel Co., Ltd. | Method for producing hot-dip Zn alloy-plated steel sheet |
| US11867891B2 (en) * | 2016-12-22 | 2024-01-09 | Advanced Optical Technologies, Inc. | Polarimeter with multiple independent tunable channels and method for material orientation imaging |
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