Reflective or semi-reflective metal alloy coatings

• US 20070042200A1
• Filed: 09/05/2006
• Published: 02/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Academy Corporation (Materion Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Academy Corporation (Materion Corporation)
• Inventors: Wityak, George
• Application Number:
  US11/470,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20070042200A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/450
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3647 in combination with other metals, silver being more than 50%
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/366 Low-emissivity or solar control coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 5/06 Alloys based on silver
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 5/08 with copper as the next major constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 30/00 Coating with metallic material characterised only by the composition of the metallic material, i.e. not characterised by the coating process C23C26/00, C23C28/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/24 Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material characterised by the arrangement of information on the carrier G11B7/007
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/24038 Multiple laminated recording layers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/2467 azo-dyes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/2472 cyanine
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/248 porphines; azaporphines, e.g. phthalocyanines
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/258 of reflective layers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/259 based on silver
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/2595 based on gold
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/26 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12771 Transition metal-base component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12868 Group IB metal-base component alternative to platinum group metal-base component [e.g., precious metal, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 Of metal

Abstract

A silver-based alloy composition for use as a reflective, semi-reflective or highly reflective coatings or layer(s) for use in optical data storage media, low emissivity glass, transparent conductive displays, and electro-chromic mirrors, or other reflective, semi-reflective or highly reflective applications. The alloy compositions comprise silver with hafnium, and/or indium, and/or copper, and/or zinc, and/or silicon and/or tin.

Claims

1. A reflective, semi-reflective, highly reflective or semi-transparent coating comprising an alloy comprising:

silver; and

hafnium;

wherein said coating does not comprise a component of an optical storage medium.

2. The coating of claim 1, wherein said silver is in an amount of between approximately 85% by weight and approximately 99.9% by weight.

3. The coating of claim 1, wherein said hafnium is between approximately 0.01% by weight and approximately 15.0% by weight.

17. A low emissivity glass comprising the coating of claim 1.

20. A transparent conductive display comprising the coating of claim 1.

23. An electro-chromic mirror comprising the coating of claim 1.

5. A reflective, semi-reflective, highly reflective or semi-transparent coating comprising an alloy comprising:

silver; and

indium;

wherein said coating does not comprise a component of an optical storage medium.

4. The coating of claim 7 comprising approximately 98% silver and approximately 2.0% hafnium.

6. The coating of claim 5 comprising between approximately 85% by weight and approximately 99.9% by weight silver.

7. The coating of claim 5 comprising between approximately 0.01% by weight and approximately 15% by weight indium.

8. The coating of claim 5 wherein said alloy further comprises one or more elements selected from the group consisting of copper, zinc, tin, and silicon.

9. The coating of claim 8 comprising between approximately 0.01% by weight and approximately 10% by weight of copper.

10. The coating of claim 8 comprising between approximately 0.01% by weight and approximately 10% by weight of zinc.

11. The coating of claim 8 comprising between approximately 0.01% by weight and approximately 10% by weight of tin.

12. The coating of claim 8 comprising between approximately 0.01% by weight and approximately 10% by weight of silicon.

13. The coating of claim 8 comprising between approximately 85% by weight and between approximately 99.9% by weight silver;

between approximately 0.01% by weight and between approximately 15% by weight indium;

between approximately 0.05% by weight and between approximately 10.0% by weight tin; and

between approximately 0.01% by weight and between approximately 0.75% silicon.

14. The coating of claim 8 wherein said alloy comprises between approximately 90% and 95% by weight of silver, between approximately 3% and 6% by weight of copper, between approximately 1% and 3% by weight of zinc, between approximately 0.1% and 1% by weight of tin, and between approximately 0.1% and 0.2% by weight of indium.

18. A low emissivity glass comprising the coating of claim 5.

21. A transparent conductive display comprising the coating of claim 5.

24. An electro-chromic mirror comprising the coating of claim 5.

15. A reflective, semi-reflective, highly reflective or semi-transparent coating comprising an alloy comprising:

silver;

copper;

zinc;

tin; and

silicon;

wherein copper is present in said alloy in an amount greater than 5.0 atomic percent; and

wherein said coating does not comprise a component of an optical storage medium.

16. The coating of claim 15 comprising between approximately 97% and 99% by weight silver;

between approximately 0.5% and 2% by weight copper;

between approximately 0.1% and 1% by weight zinc;

between approximately 0.1% and 0.5% by weight tin; and

between approximately 0.1% and 0.5% by weight silicon.

19. A low emissivity glass comprising the coating of claim 15.

22. A transparent conductive display comprising the coating of claim 15.

25. An electro-chromic mirror comprising the coating of claim 15.