US 12,442,067 B2
Ceramic metallic coatings
Shivi Singh, Seymour, IN (US); Thomas Nolan, Seymour, IN (US); and Rosangela Loiudice, Seymour, IN (US)
Assigned to Valeo North America, Troy, MI (US)
Filed by Valeo North America, Inc., Troy, MI (US)
Filed on Feb. 24, 2017, as Appl. No. 15/441,469.
Prior Publication US 2018/0245197 A1, Aug. 30, 2018
Int. Cl. C23C 14/00 (2006.01); C23C 14/06 (2006.01); C23C 14/20 (2006.01); C23C 14/35 (2006.01); C23C 14/50 (2006.01); C23C 14/54 (2006.01); F21S 43/50 (2018.01); F21S 45/10 (2018.01); H01J 37/32 (2006.01); H01J 37/34 (2006.01); B60R 13/02 (2006.01); F21S 41/37 (2018.01); F21S 41/50 (2018.01); F21S 43/33 (2018.01)
CPC C23C 14/0015 (2013.01) [C23C 14/0057 (2013.01); C23C 14/0063 (2013.01); C23C 14/0641 (2013.01); C23C 14/205 (2013.01); C23C 14/352 (2013.01); C23C 14/505 (2013.01); C23C 14/548 (2013.01); F21S 43/50 (2018.01); F21S 45/10 (2018.01); H01J 37/32449 (2013.01); H01J 37/3405 (2013.01); H01J 37/3429 (2013.01); H01J 37/3476 (2013.01); B60R 13/02 (2013.01); F21S 41/37 (2018.01); F21S 41/50 (2018.01); F21S 43/33 (2018.01); H01J 2237/332 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
 
1. A treated and coated part of an automotive trim piece, comprising:
a plastic substrate having a glow-discharged surface;
a base layer adhered to the plastic substrate, wherein the base layer is a composition material of titanium, aluminum or copper;
a magnetron sputtered coating adhered to the base layer, wherein the magnetron sputtered coating is a chemically-reactive, non-stoichiometric, ceramic metal coating; and
the treated and coated part of the automotive trim piece is produced by a process of:
presenting an uncoated part of the automotive trim piece for treatment and coating;
placing the uncoated part of the automotive trim piece in a vacuum chamber of a magnetron sputtering apparatus;
operating the magnetron sputtering apparatus in a process that is configured to produce the treated and coated part of the automotive trim piece based on a composition of said base layer, a composition of said chemically-reactive, non-stoichiometric, ceramic metal coating of a number of sputtered targets and a composition of a sputtering reactive gas, where the number of sputtered targets includes at least one material of titanium or aluminum or copper; and
controlling a number of process parameters of the magnetron sputtering apparatus selected from a group of said process parameters including:
power levels operating at 20 kW-60 kW,
processing times,
a reactive gas component,
a concentration of Argon process gas;
which are configured to provide a resultant color of the automotive trim piece from a chemical reaction between reactants of said number of sputtered targets and reactants of the sputtering reactive gas;
omitting or applying a protective coating that adheres to the magnetron sputtered coating;
the treated and coated part of the automotive trim piece yields a predetermined color and metallic appearance of the magnetron sputtered coating deposited onto the automotive trim piece.