Article including particles oriented generally along an article surface and method for making

• US 6,649,256 B1
• Filed: 01/24/2000
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Backman, Daniel G., Jacobs, Israel S., Skoog, Andrew J., Ackerman, John F., Buczek, Matthew B., Murphy, Jane A.
• Primary Examiner(s): KILIMAN, LESZEK B
• Application Number:
  US09/489,717
• Time in Patent Office: 1,394 Days
• Field of Search: 428/31, 428/323, 428/328, 428/329, 428/330, 428/338, 428/413, 428/492, 427/547
• US Class Current: 428/323
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/40 Distributing applied liquids or other fluent materials by members moving relatively to surface
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 1/42 by non-rotary members
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/207 post-treatment by magnetic fields
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/061 Special surface effect
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/067 Metallic effect
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 7/52 Two layers
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 7/56 Three layers or more
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 55/00 Shaping by stretching, e.g. drawing through a die; Apparatus therefor B29C61/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/18 oriented
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/20 extending in two dimensions, e.g. plate-like
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/54 Particles characterised by their aspect ratio, i.e. the ratio of sizes in the longest to the shortest dimension
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/61 Micrometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 micrometer
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/80 Particles consisting of a mixture of two or more inorganic phases
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/42 Magnetic properties
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/08 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: C09C 1/0015 Pigments exhibiting interference colours, e.g. transparent platelets of appropriate thinness or flaky substrates, e.g. mica, bearing appropriate thin transparent coatings
• CPC Class Codes: C09C 1/62 Metallic pigments or fillers C09C1/0015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C09C 2200/1054 the core consisting of a metal
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 5/36 Pearl essence, e.g. coatings containing platelet-like pigments for pearl lustre
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/61 inorganic
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 7/70 : characterised by shape, e.g. fibres, flakes or microspheres
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 : Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/256 : Heavy metal or aluminum or compound thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/257 : Iron oxide or aluminum oxide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/258 : Alkali metal or alkaline earth metal or compound thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/268 : Monolayer with structurally defined element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31511 : Of epoxy ether
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31826 : Of natural rubber

Abstract

Non-spherical particles including a major dimension, for example flakes of material, are positioned with the major dimension oriented generally along an article surface in respect to which the particle is disposed. The particles, disposed in a fluid medium, the viscosity of which can be increased to secure the particles in position, are positioned using a force on the particles. The force includes torque force from a magnetic field, force from flow of the fluid medium, the force of gravity, and the force of surface tension alone or in combination with the force of gravity.

Claims

1. A coated article including a non-planar article surface and a coating on the article surface comprising a plurality of non-spherical particles disposed in the coating on the article surface in a non-metallic matrix about the particles, each particle having a major dimension, the combination in which:

the coating is integral with the article surface;

an average of at least about 50% of the major dimensions of the particles are oriented generally along the non-planar article surface in respect to which the particle is disposed;

the article surface is of a complex, three dimensional non-planar shape; and

,

the non-spherical particles are metallic flakes having an aspect ratio in the range of about 10-100 in the non-metallic matrix to enable positioning of the average of at least 50% of the major dimensions of the metallic flakes along the complex, three dimensional, non-planar shape of the article surface.

2. The article of claim 1 in the form of a component of a power generating engine.

3. The article of claim 1 in the form of a component of a vehicle.

4. The article of claim 1 in which the metallic flakes have an aspect ratio in the range of about 15-30.

5. The article of claim 1 in which the metallic flakes are magnetic.