ABSTRACT
Current approaches to coat aluminum surfaces that use paints and organic coatings to protect them from corrosion and provide an aesthetic finish, are also energy intensive and involve high emissions of VOCs. The use of these coatings is becoming increasingly restricted by global efforts towards more environmentally sustainable surface finishing technologies. A recent development based on porous anodized aluminum (PAA) and metal nanowire deposits is presented here, which may become a competitive alternative to paint and organic coatings. Anodizing and electrodeposition do not emit VOCs and are less energy intensive. By controlling the conditions for anodizing and metal electrodeposition, coatings in a wide spectrum of colors can be produced, including greys, black, blues, purples and greens. Characterization of the coating morphologies and corresponding colors agrees with simulated results based on the Fresnel equations and Bruggeman Mixed Media Approximations.