Method for producing a corrosion-inhibiting or adhesion-promoting coating

Abstract

A method of treating a substrate, the method comprising: delivering substantially simultaneously a first set of particles comprising a dopant and a second set of particles comprising an abrasive from at least one fluid jet to a surface of the substrate, to impregnate the surface of the substrate with the dopant; wherein the dopant comprises a corrosion-inhibiting or adhesion-promoting species, such as to form a corrosion-inhibiting or adhesion-promoting coating at or on the surface of the substrate. Also provided is an article comprising a substrate having a corrosion-inhibiting or adhesion-promoting coating, the said coating comprising particles of a corrosion-inhibiting or adhesion-promoting species that impregnate the surface of the substrate (e.g. as produced by the above method).

1 . A method of treating a metal substrate, the method comprising:
 delivering substantially simultaneously a first set of particles comprising a dopant and a second set of particles comprising an abrasive from at least one fluid jet to a surface of the metal substrate, to impregnate the surface of the metal substrate with the dopant;   wherein the dopant comprises a corrosion-inhibiting species such as to form a corrosion-inhibiting conversion coating at the surface of the metal substrate.   
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the corrosion-inhibiting species is chemically bonded to the substrate. 
     
     
         3 . A method of treating a metal substrate, the method comprising:
 delivering substantially simultaneously a first set of particles comprising a dopant and a second set of particles comprising an abrasive from at least one fluid jet to a surface of the metal substrate, to impregnate the surface of the metal substrate with the dopant;   wherein the dopant comprises a corrosion-inhibiting species that forms a mechanically-bonded corrosion-inhibiting coating on the surface of the metal substrate.   
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the nature of the corrosion-inhibiting coating is such that no laminate layer of the dopant results. 
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises removing a metal oxide from the surface of the metal substrate to expose a metal surface, by abrasively blasting the metal oxide with the second set of particles substantially simultaneously with the delivery of the first set of particles. 
     
     
         6 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein no pre-treatment process is performed before delivering the first and second sets of particles. 
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the corrosion-inhibiting coating forms a first layer, and the method further comprises applying a second layer to the first layer. 
     
     
         8 . A method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the first layer acts as a primer to enhance adhesion of the second layer. 
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the second layer is a scratch-inhibiting layer. 
     
     
         10 . A method as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the second layer is a further corrosion-inhibiting layer. 
     
     
         11 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the corrosion-inhibiting species comprises a chromate, phosphate, polymer, oxide or a nitride. 
     
     
         12 . A method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the corrosion-inhibiting species comprises a transition metal phosphate. 
     
     
         13 . A method as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the corrosion-inhibiting species comprises iron phosphate, manganese phosphate or zinc phosphate, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . A method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the corrosion-inhibiting species comprises cerium oxide. 
     
     
         15 . A method of treating a substrate, the method comprising:
 delivering substantially simultaneously a first set of particles comprising a dopant and a second set of particles comprising an abrasive from at least one fluid jet to a surface of the substrate, to impregnate the surface of the substrate with the dopant;   wherein the dopant comprises an adhesion-promoting species such as to form an adhesion-promoting coating at or on the surface of the substrate.   
     
     
         16 . A method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the adhesion-promoting species forms a conversion coating at the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         17 . A method as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein the adhesion-promoting species is chemically bonded to the substrate. 
     
     
         18 . A method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the adhesion-promoting species forms a mechanically-bonded adhesion-promoting coating on the surface of the substrate. 
     
     
         19 . A method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein no pre-treatment process is performed before delivering the first and second sets of particles. 
     
     
         20 . A method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the adhesion-promoting species forms a primer layer on the substrate. 
     
     
         21 - 73 . (canceled)