Silver film incorporating protective insoluble metallic salt precipitate
First Claim
1. A mirror comprising:
- a glass substrate;
a layer of silver on the glass substrate; and
a water insoluble reaction product precipitate on the silver surface, the water insoluble reaction product precipitate formed by contacting the silver coated glass substrate with an acidic solution containing a specified cation and an alkaline solution containing a specified anion, or alkaline material which forms hydroxyl ions, by spraying or otherwise directing streams of the solutions so that the solutions meet at the silver surface, the specified cation and specified anion or hydroxyl ion being reacted to form a water insoluble reaction product precipitate on the silver surface, in which the precipitate enhances the corrosion resistance of the silver layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method is provided for making mirrors having enhanced reflective layer resistance to corrosion. The reflective layer of the mirror, typically silver, is contacted, preferably simultaneously, with a first solution containing a specific cation and a second solution containing a specific anion, or alkaline material which forms hydroxyl ions, the specific cation and specific anion or hydroxyl ion reacting to form a water insoluble precipitate on the silver surface. The mirror may then be painted to provide additional corrosion resistance to the mirror. The method eliminates the need for a copper layer on the silver surface and the method may be incorporated into existing mirror production lines as a replacement for the copper layering step. Also provided are an apparatus for making the mirrors and the mirrors made using the method and apparatus of the invention. A preferred cation containing solution contains tin (e.g., SnCl2) and a preferred anion containing solution contains hydroxyl ions (e.g., NaOH).
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A mirror comprising:
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a glass substrate;
a layer of silver on the glass substrate; and
a water insoluble reaction product precipitate on the silver surface, the water insoluble reaction product precipitate formed by contacting the silver coated glass substrate with an acidic solution containing a specified cation and an alkaline solution containing a specified anion, or alkaline material which forms hydroxyl ions, by spraying or otherwise directing streams of the solutions so that the solutions meet at the silver surface, the specified cation and specified anion or hydroxyl ion being reacted to form a water insoluble reaction product precipitate on the silver surface, in which the precipitate enhances the corrosion resistance of the silver layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A mirror comprising;
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a glass substrate;
a layer of silver on the glass substrate; and
a water insoluble reaction product precipitate on the silver surface, the water insoluble reaction product precipitate formed by contacting the silver coated glass substrate with an acidic solution containing a specified cation and an alkaline solution containing a specified anion, or alkaline material which forms hydroxyl ions, the specified cation of the acidic solution selected from the group consisting of Sn2+, Sn4+, Bi3+, Ag+, Zn2+, Pb2+, Ce3+, Al3+, Fe2+, In3+, Ti3+, and La3+ and the specified anion of the alkaline solution is selected from the group consisting of OH−
, CO32−
, HPO32−
, SiO32−
, B4O72−
and BO2−
alkaline materials which form hydroxyl ions by spraying or otherwise directing streams of the solutions that the solutions meet at the silver surface, the specified cation and specified anion or hydroxyl ion being reacted to form a water insoluble reaction product precipitate on the silver surface, in which the precipitate enhances the corrosion resistance of the silver layer.- View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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Specification