Wheel hub and method for surface processing thereof, vehicle

Abstract

This application relates to wheel hubs and their surface processing methods, as well as vehicles. The aforementioned wheel hub includes: a wheel hub substrate, a pattern layer, and a transparent glaze layer. The pattern layer is disposed on the surface of the wheel hub substrate, and the raw materials for preparing the pattern layer include underglaze pigments. The transparent glaze layer is disposed on the surface of the wheel hub substrate and covers the pattern layer. Underglaze pigments can impart certain colors and patterns to the wheel hub substrate, meeting personalized customization needs. Furthermore, underglaze pigments have good high-temperature resistance and remain stable during subsequent glaze sintering. The transparent glaze layer covers the pattern layer, providing protection for it. During high-temperature sintering, the glaze undergoes micro-melting and diffusion with the surface of the wheel hub substrate, enhancing bonding and adhesion. In addition, the underglaze glaze layer formed through glaze sintering has a dense, non-porous structure, high hardness, and can resist long-term friction and scratching without easily wearing down.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of wheel hub processing, and in particular to wheel hubs and their surface processing methods, and vehicles. Background Technology

[0002] With the popularization of car culture and the increasing awareness of personalization among consumers, wheels, as an exterior component of automobiles, are receiving more and more attention. Car owners hope to express their unique personality through wheel coloring, making their vehicles more recognizable. This has spurred the continuous development of wheel coloring technology to meet diverse color and pattern demands. Wheel coloring not only needs to meet aesthetic requirements but also needs to possess good adhesion, wear resistance, and other properties to adapt to the usage requirements of automobiles in different environments. This has driven continuous innovation in wheel coloring processes and materials. However, traditional wheel coloring methods, including spray painting, have poor wear resistance and adhesion, and may suffer from scratches and paint peeling after long-term use. Summary of the Invention

[0003] Based on this, some embodiments of this application provide a wheel hub and a surface processing method thereof, which improves adhesion and wear resistance while satisfying the diversity of appearance.

[0004] In addition, some other embodiments of this application also provide a vehicle.

[0005] A wheel hub includes: a wheel hub base, a pattern layer, and a transparent glaze layer. The pattern layer is disposed on the surface of the wheel hub base, and the raw material for preparing the pattern layer includes underglaze pigments. The transparent glaze layer is disposed on the surface of the wheel hub base and covers the pattern layer.

[0006] In some embodiments, the material of the wheel hub substrate is an alloy material, and the raw materials for preparing the transparent glaze layer include transparent glaze, the melting temperature of which is 580℃~900℃.

[0007] In some embodiments, the hub base is made of cast iron, and the melting temperature of the transparent glaze is 780°C to 850°C; or,

[0008] The hub base is made of steel, and the melting temperature of the transparent glaze is 820℃~900℃; or,

[0009] The material of the wheel hub base is aluminum alloy, and the melting temperature of the transparent glaze is 580℃~650℃.

[0010] In some embodiments, the raw materials for preparing the transparent glaze layer, by weight percentage, include: 40%~60% silicon dioxide, 5%~10% aluminum oxide, 10%~15% boron oxide, 5%~10% sodium oxide, 1%~5% potassium oxide, 1%~3% titanium oxide, and 1%~5% additives, wherein the additives include one or more of suspending agents and clarifying agents.

[0011] In some embodiments, the raw materials for preparing the underglaze pigment, by mass percentage, include: 5% to 15% coloring metal oxide, 2% to 5% flux, and 80% to 93% carrier, wherein the carrier includes one or more of kaolin, quartz, feldspar, and talc.

[0012] In some embodiments, the raw materials for preparing the underglaze pigments, by mass percentage, include: 5% to 15% coloring metal oxides, 2% to 5% flux, 30% to 45% quartz, 25% to 35% feldspar, and 10% to 15% kaolin.

[0013] In some embodiments, one or more of the following conditions are met:

[0014] (1) The thickness of the transparent glaze layer is 0.25 mm to 0.4 mm;

[0015] (2) The Mohs hardness of the transparent glaze layer is 5~6;

[0016] (3) The adhesion between the transparent glaze layer and the hub substrate is greater than or equal to 30 MPa.

[0017] A method for machining the surface of a wheel hub includes the following steps:

[0018] Apply underglaze pigments to the surface of the wheel hub substrate to form a pattern layer;

[0019] A glaze is applied to the surface of the wheel hub substrate and sintered to form a transparent glaze layer, which covers the pattern layer.

[0020] In some embodiments, the sintering step includes:

[0021] Heat to 300℃~400℃ at the first heating rate;

[0022] The glaze is heated to its melting temperature at a second heating rate and held at the melting temperature for 1 to 5 minutes, wherein the second heating rate is greater than the first heating rate.

[0023] Cooling is performed at a cooling rate of less than or equal to 20℃ / min;

[0024] Optionally, the first heating rate is 5℃ / min to 10℃ / min, and the second heating rate is 10℃ / min to 15℃ / min.

[0025] In some embodiments, the step of applying underglaze pigments to the surface of the wheel hub substrate includes:

[0026] The underglaze pigments are mixed with water and / or a first binder to obtain a slurry;

[0027] The slurry is applied to the surface of the wheel hub substrate by hand drawing or mechanical decoration, and then dried to obtain the pattern layer.

[0028] In some embodiments, the slurry has a flow rate of 50 s to 100 s under the conditions of a Fore-4 cup viscometer test; and / or, the first adhesive comprises polyvinyl alcohol.

[0029] In some embodiments, the step of applying a glaze to the surface of the wheel hub substrate includes:

[0030] The glaze is mixed with water and / or a second binder to obtain a glaze slurry;

[0031] The glaze is sprayed onto the surface of the wheel hub substrate and then dried.

[0032] In some embodiments, the glaze slurry has a solid content of 60% to 70% and a viscosity of 70 cP to 150 cP under the conditions tested by a Forecast-4 cup viscometer; and / or,

[0033] The drying process includes: drying at 40℃~60℃ for 30min~60min, and then heating to 80℃~120℃ and drying for 60min~90min.

[0034] A vehicle comprising the aforementioned wheel hub or a wheel hub obtained by the aforementioned wheel hub surface processing method.

[0035] The wheel hub in some embodiments of this application includes: a wheel hub base, a pattern layer, and a transparent glaze layer. The raw materials for preparing the pattern layer include underglaze pigments. Underglaze pigments can impart certain colors and patterns to the wheel hub base, meeting personalized customization needs. Furthermore, underglaze pigments have good high-temperature resistance, remaining stable during the subsequent sintering of the transparent glaze layer. The transparent glaze layer covers the pattern layer, protecting it without affecting its visual effect. During high-temperature sintering, the glaze undergoes micro-melting and diffusion with the surface of the wheel hub base, enhancing bonding and adhesion. In addition, traditional spray painting mostly uses organic resins and other coatings, relying on the physical film formation of organic resins. With long-term use, these coatings are prone to aging and friction, resulting in paint peeling and exposure of the substrate. However, in some embodiments of this application, a transparent glaze layer is formed through glaze sintering. This transparent glaze layer has a dense, non-porous structure, high hardness, and can resist long-term friction and scratching without easily wearing down.

[0036] Therefore, the aforementioned wheel hubs can improve adhesion and wear resistance while satisfying diverse appearance requirements. Attached Figure Description

[0037] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a process flow for a wheel hub surface processing method according to some embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0039] To facilitate understanding of this application, a more comprehensive description of the application will be provided below in conjunction with specific embodiments. Preferred embodiments of the application are given in the specific embodiments. However, this application can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to provide a more thorough and complete understanding of the disclosure of this application.

[0040] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein in the specification of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0041] Unless otherwise stated or in case of conflict, the terms or phrases used in this application shall have the following meanings:

[0042] In this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of those features.

[0043] In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise expressly and specifically limited.

[0044] In this application, "one or more" refers to any one, two, or more of the listed items. "Multiple" refers to any two or more of the listed items.

[0045] Unless otherwise specified, all percentage concentrations mentioned in this application refer to the final concentration. The final concentration refers to the proportion of the added component in the system after the addition of that component.

[0046] In this application, terms such as "further," "even more," "particularly," "for example," "like," "example," and "exemplary" are used for descriptive purposes to indicate a connection in the coverage of different technical solutions presented earlier and later, but should not be construed as limiting the preceding technical solution or restricting the scope of protection herein. Unless otherwise specified herein, A (e.g., B) indicates that B is a non-limiting example of A, and it can be understood that A is not limited to B.

[0047] In this application, "optionally," "optionally," and "optional" mean that something is optional, that is, it is selected from either "present" or "absent." If multiple "options" appear in a technical solution, unless otherwise specified and there are no contradictions or mutual constraints, each "option" is independent. In this application, descriptions such as "optionally contains" and "optionally includes" indicate "contains or does not contain." "Optional component X" indicates whether component X exists or does not exist, or whether component X is contained or not.

[0048] When a numerical range is disclosed in this application, the range is considered continuous and includes the minimum and maximum values ​​of the range, as well as every value between the minimum and maximum values. Furthermore, when the range refers to an integer, it includes every integer between the minimum and maximum values ​​of the range. Additionally, when multiple ranges are provided to describe a feature or characteristic, the ranges may be merged. In other words, unless otherwise specified, all ranges disclosed in this application should be understood to include any and all subranges to which they are included.

[0049] In this application, the technical features described in an open-ended manner include both closed technical solutions consisting of the listed features and open technical solutions that include the listed features.

[0050] The terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, used in the embodiments of this application, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the steps or units listed, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or components inherent to such processes, methods, products, or devices.

[0051] In this application, the reference to "embodiment" means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a mutually exclusive, independent, or alternative embodiment. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described in this application can be combined with other embodiments.

[0052] In the flowchart of this application, although the steps are shown sequentially according to the arrows, these steps are not necessarily performed in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless otherwise specified herein, there is no strict order restriction on the execution of these steps. They can be executed in other orders. Moreover, at least some of the steps in the diagram may include multiple sub-steps or multiple stages. These sub-steps or stages are not necessarily completed at the same time, but can be executed at different times. Their execution order is not necessarily sequential, but can be performed alternately or in turn with at least some of other steps or other sub-steps or stages.

[0053] The first aspect of this application provides a wheel hub, comprising: a wheel hub substrate, a pattern layer, and a transparent glaze layer. The pattern layer is disposed on the surface of the wheel hub substrate, and the raw materials for preparing the pattern layer include underglaze pigments. The transparent glaze layer is disposed on the surface of the wheel hub substrate and covers the pattern layer.

[0054] The wheel hub in some embodiments of this application includes: a wheel hub base, a pattern layer, and a transparent glaze layer. The raw materials for preparing the pattern layer include underglaze pigments. Underglaze pigments can impart certain colors and patterns to the wheel hub base, meeting personalized customization needs. Furthermore, underglaze pigments have good high-temperature resistance, remaining stable during the subsequent sintering of the transparent glaze layer. The transparent glaze layer covers the pattern layer, protecting it without affecting its visual effect. During high-temperature sintering, the glaze undergoes micro-melting and diffusion with the surface of the wheel hub base, enhancing bonding and adhesion. In addition, traditional spray painting mostly uses organic resins and other coatings, relying on the physical film formation of organic resins. With long-term use, these coatings are prone to aging and friction, resulting in paint peeling and exposure of the substrate. However, in some embodiments of this application, a transparent glaze layer is formed through glaze sintering. This transparent glaze layer has a dense, non-porous structure, high hardness, and can resist long-term friction and scratching without easily wearing down.

[0055] Therefore, the aforementioned wheel hubs can improve adhesion and wear resistance while satisfying diverse appearance requirements.

[0056] Furthermore, traditional wheel hubs use processes such as spraying, electrophoresis, and electroplating to form paint, electrophoresis, and electroplating layers on the surface, which makes it difficult to achieve both diverse appearances and good adhesion and wear resistance. In contrast, this application utilizes underglaze pigments and glazes to form pattern layers and transparent glaze layers, providing a new wheel hub decoration method that can improve adhesion and wear resistance while satisfying diverse appearances.

[0057] In some embodiments, the hub substrate is an alloy substrate. Compared to metals, alloys have better heat resistance and are better suited for glaze sintering.

[0058] Specifically, wheel hub bases include cast iron wheel hubs, steel wheel hubs, or aluminum alloy wheel hubs. Cast iron refers to an iron-carbon alloy with a carbon content (by mass) greater than 2.11%, typically ranging from 2.5% to 4%. Steel refers to an iron-carbon alloy with a carbon content (by mass) of 0.02% to 2.11%. Aluminum alloy refers to an alloy based on aluminum with the addition of certain amounts of other alloying elements.

[0059] In some embodiments, the raw materials for preparing underglaze pigments include: coloring metal oxides, fluxes, and carriers.

[0060] Coloring metal oxides impart a specific color to underglaze pigments. Specifically, coloring metal oxides include one or more of CoO, CuO, and Cr2O3. It should be understood that the above only lists some common coloring metal oxides, but is not limited to these; the composition of the coloring metal oxides can be adjusted according to color and customization requirements.

[0061] Fluxes are used to lower the melting temperature of underglaze pigments, allowing them to bond better with the matrix and transparent glaze. Specifically, fluxes include one or more of boron oxide, sodium oxide, and potassium oxide.

[0062] Colored metal oxides may be unstable or too fluid at high temperatures. To fix them, a heat-resistant, colorless or light-colored material is needed as a carrier to form a stable crystal structure. Specifically, the carrier includes one or more of kaolin, quartz, feldspar, and talc.

[0063] In some embodiments, the raw materials for preparing underglaze pigments, by weight percentage, include: 5%~15% coloring metal oxide, 2%~5% flux, and 80%~93% carrier. Further, the raw materials for preparing underglaze pigments, by weight percentage, include: 5%~15% coloring metal oxide, 2%~5% flux, 30%~45% quartz, 25%~35% feldspar, and 10%~15% kaolin. Using the above-mentioned underglaze pigments results in good high-temperature resistance and good adhesion to the wheel hub substrate and the glaze layer.

[0064] In some embodiments, the preparation steps of underglaze pigments include: mixing the raw materials, calcining, and grinding. The calcination temperature is 600℃~900℃. Calcination stabilizes the composition of the underglaze pigments, reducing the risk of defects in the pattern layer caused by the generation of volatiles during subsequent sintering.

[0065] Specifically, in the grinding step, ball milling is performed to a fineness of 500-800 mesh. Ball milling reduces the particle size, improving the stability and uniformity of the subsequent slurry.

[0066] Specifically, the pattern layer refers to a layer with a specific pattern. This pattern layer is applied to a portion of the surface of the wheel hub base and can be customized to achieve a variety of aesthetic effects. For example, the pattern in the pattern layer can be a logo, etc.

[0067] In some embodiments, the pattern layer includes multiple sub-layers, which are stacked sequentially, with adjacent sub-layers having different colors and / or patterns. This arrangement facilitates the creation of richer visual effects, such as gradient colors or polychrome effects.

[0068] In some embodiments, the material of the wheel hub substrate is an alloy material, and the raw materials for preparing the transparent glaze layer include transparent glaze, the melting temperature of which is 580°C to 900°C.

[0069] Specifically, the wheel hub base material is cast iron, and the melting temperature of the transparent glaze is 780℃~850℃; alternatively, the wheel hub base material is steel, and the melting temperature of the transparent glaze is 820℃~900℃; or alternatively, the wheel hub base material is aluminum alloy, and the melting temperature of the transparent glaze is 580℃~650℃. This configuration facilitates a better fit between the transparent glaze and the wheel hub base, reduces the risk of deformation of the wheel hub base during sintering, and simultaneously improves the adhesion between the wheel hub base and the transparent glaze layer.

[0070] In some embodiments, the raw materials for preparing the transparent glaze include a glassy phase, flux, suspending agent, etc. For example, the raw materials for preparing the transparent glaze include quartz sand, feldspar, borax (B2O3), soda ash (Na2CO3), potassium nitrate (KNO3), clay, etc. Borax can improve the gloss of the glaze, and clay can prevent the transparent glaze from settling during application.

[0071] In some embodiments, the raw materials for preparing the transparent glaze layer, by mass percentage, include 40% to 60% silicon dioxide, 5% to 10% aluminum oxide, 10% to 15% boron oxide, 5% to 10% sodium oxide, 1% to 5% potassium oxide, 1% to 3% titanium oxide, and 1% to 5% additives, including one or more of suspending agents and clarifying agents.

[0072] Specifically, suspending agents include, but are not limited to, kaolin and clay, which can prevent particles in transparent glazes from settling and separating. Clarifying agents include, but are not limited to, antimony oxide, sodium nitrate, and ammonium nitrate, which are used to eliminate bubbles generated during glaze melting and improve the transparency and smoothness of the glaze surface.

[0073] In some embodiments, the preparation step of the transparent glaze includes: mixing the above raw materials according to the formula, and ball milling to a fineness of 200-325 mesh. The ball milling media are alumina balls. During the ball milling process, the residue on the sieve is ≤0.5% (mass percentage).

[0074] In some embodiments, the thickness of the transparent glaze layer is 0.25 mm to 0.4 mm. The transparent glaze layer covers the pattern layer and can be applied to the entire surface of the wheel hub substrate to improve the adhesion to the wheel hub substrate.

[0075] In some embodiments, the Mohs hardness of the transparent glaze layer is 5 to 6.

[0076] In some embodiments, the adhesion between the transparent glaze layer and the wheel hub substrate is greater than or equal to 30 MPa.

[0077] The second aspect of this application provides a method for machining the surface of a wheel hub. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 1 It includes the following steps:

[0078] Step S110: Apply underglaze pigments to the surface of the wheel hub substrate to form a pattern layer.

[0079] Step S120: Apply glaze to the surface of the wheel hub substrate, sinter it to form a transparent glaze layer, and cover the pattern layer with the transparent glaze layer.

[0080] The wheel hub surface processing method in some embodiments of this application includes: applying underglaze pigments to the surface of the wheel hub substrate to form a pattern layer, then applying glaze and sintering to form a transparent glaze layer. Underglaze pigments can impart certain colors and patterns to the wheel hub substrate, meeting personalized customization needs. Furthermore, underglaze pigments have good high-temperature resistance, remaining stable during the subsequent glaze sintering process. The transparent glaze layer covers the pattern layer, protecting it. During high-temperature sintering, the glaze undergoes micro-melting and diffusion with the wheel hub substrate surface, enhancing bonding and adhesion. In addition, traditional spray painting mostly uses organic resins and other coatings, relying on the physical film formation of organic resins. With long-term use, these are prone to aging and friction, resulting in paint peeling and exposure of the substrate. However, in some embodiments of this application, a glaze layer is formed by sintering a transparent glaze. This glaze layer has a dense, non-porous structure, high hardness, and can resist long-term friction and scratching without easily wearing down.

[0081] Therefore, the above-mentioned wheel hub substrate surface processing method can improve adhesion and wear resistance while satisfying the diversity of appearance.

[0082] In addition, the wheel hubs processed by the wheel hub substrate surface processing method of this application have good corrosion resistance and a smooth surface that is easy to clean.

[0083] In some embodiments, the hub substrate is an alloy substrate. Compared to metals, alloys have better heat resistance and are better suited for sintering transparent glazes.

[0084] Specifically, the wheel hub base includes cast iron wheel hubs, steel wheel hubs, or aluminum alloy wheel hubs. Among them, cast iron refers to an iron-carbon alloy with a carbon content (mass percentage) greater than 2.11%, typically with a carbon content of 2.5% to 4%. Steel refers to an iron-carbon alloy with a carbon content (mass percentage) of 0.02% to 2.11%.

[0085] In some embodiments, surface pretreatment of the wheel hub substrate is also included. By performing surface pretreatment on the wheel hub substrate, the surface of the wheel hub substrate is free of oil stains, rust, scratches, etc., and the flatness meets product standards.

[0086] Specifically, the steps for surface pretreatment of the wheel hub substrate include one or both of degreasing and pickling.

[0087] In this process, oil stains on the wheel hub surface are removed by degreasing. In some embodiments, the degreasing method includes one or both of chemical degreasing and electrolytic degreasing.

[0088] Specifically, chemical degreasing includes immersing the wheel hub substrate in a mixed solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate at 60℃~80℃ for 10min~20min. After immersion, it is rinsed with water. In the mixed solution of sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate, the mass percentage concentration of sodium hydroxide is 5%~10%, and the mass percentage concentration of sodium carbonate is 3%~5%.

[0089] Specifically, electrolytic degreasing involves using the wheel hub substrate as the cathode and a graphite or stainless steel plate as the anode, followed by electrolysis in an alkaline solution. The gas bubbles generated during electrolysis remove oil stains, resulting in higher efficiency. Specifically, the alkaline solution includes one or more of an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide and an aqueous solution of sodium carbonate. The current density for electrolysis is 5 A / dm³. 2 ~10A / dm 2 .

[0090] In some embodiments, rust and scale are removed by pickling. Specifically, in the pickling step, the wheel hub substrate is immersed in an acid solution for 10 to 15 minutes until the surface shows a uniform metallic luster, and then rinsed with water until neutral (pH 6 to 7). The acid solution includes a hydrochloric acid solution or a sulfuric acid solution with a mass percentage concentration of 10% to 15%.

[0091] In some embodiments, the drying step is performed at a temperature of 80°C to 120°C. The material is dried until the moisture content of the wheel hub substrate is ≤0.1%. This drying process removes moisture, preventing residual moisture from affecting subsequent glaze application.

[0092] Specifically, the composition and preparation of underglaze pigments are as described in the first aspect above, and will not be repeated here.

[0093] In some embodiments, the step of applying underglaze pigments to the surface of the wheel hub substrate includes:

[0094] Underglaze pigments are mixed with water and / or a first binder to obtain a paste;

[0095] The slurry is applied to the surface of the wheel hub substrate by hand drawing or mechanical decoration, and then dried to obtain a pattern layer.

[0096] Specifically, the first adhesive includes, but is not limited to, polyvinyl alcohol.

[0097] Specifically, the flow rate of the slurry under the conditions of a Forte 4 cup viscometer test was 30-50 seconds. This flow rate facilitates drawing or printing.

[0098] In some embodiments, the paste is applied to the surface of the wheel hub substrate by hand drawing or mechanical decoration. Hand drawing includes using a sheep hair brush or wolf hair brush to apply the paste to the surface of the wheel hub substrate and draw a pattern. Mechanical decoration includes screen printing or decal application. Screen printing includes printing the paste onto the surface of the wheel hub substrate using a screen. The printing precision is 0.1mm lines. Decal application involves printing the paste onto a water-soluble film, attaching it to the wheel hub substrate, and then spraying water to dissolve the water-soluble film, allowing the paste to adhere.

[0099] In some embodiments, the drying step involves drying at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, or at 40°C for 30 minutes. Room temperature refers to a temperature of 20°C to 25°C. Drying ensures the slurry hardens and prevents smudging during glazing.

[0100] In some embodiments, the pattern layer includes multiple sub-layers, which are stacked sequentially, with adjacent sub-layers having different colors and / or patterns. This arrangement facilitates the creation of richer visual effects, such as gradient colors or polychrome effects.

[0101] Specifically, the fabrication steps of the pattern layer include: sequentially stacking multiple sub-layers; wherein, the fabrication steps of each sub-layer include:

[0102] The first underglaze pigment is mixed with water and / or the first binder to obtain the first slurry;

[0103] The first slurry is applied to the surface of the wheel hub substrate by hand drawing or mechanical decoration, and then dried to obtain the first sub-layer.

[0104] Specifically, the underglaze pigments of each sub-layer can be different, such as using different colors of underglaze pigments, or the patterns of each sub-layer can be different.

[0105] Specifically, the composition and preparation of the transparent glaze are the same as those in the first aspect mentioned above, and will not be repeated here.

[0106] In some embodiments, the step of applying a glaze to the surface of the wheel hub substrate includes:

[0107] The glaze is mixed with water and / or a second binder to obtain a glaze slurry;

[0108] The glaze is sprayed onto the surface of the wheel hub and then dried.

[0109] Specifically, the glaze is a transparent glaze.

[0110] Specifically, the second binder includes, but is not limited to, polyvinyl alcohol. Specifically, the solid content of the glaze paste is 60%–70%, and its viscosity under Ford cup 4 viscometer testing conditions is 70 cP–150 cP. When the viscosity of the glaze paste is within the above range, the glaze paste flows slightly slowly without significant resistance.

[0111] Glazing is performed by spraying. Specifically, a compressed air spray gun is used to evenly spray the glaze onto the surface of the wheel hub, with multiple coats applied to control the thickness and avoid drips. The nozzle diameter of the compressed air spray gun is 1mm~2mm, and the air pressure is 0.3MPa~0.5MPa.

[0112] Specifically, a staged drying method is adopted. In some embodiments, the drying steps include: drying at 40℃~60℃ for 30min~60min; then raising the temperature to 80℃~120℃ and drying for 60min~90min. Drying at a low temperature of 40℃~60℃ evaporates surface moisture and prevents the glaze from cracking. Drying at a medium temperature of 80℃~120℃ removes internal moisture and the second binder.

[0113] In some embodiments, the sintering step includes:

[0114] Heat to 300℃~400℃ at the first heating rate;

[0115] The glaze is heated to its melting temperature at a second heating rate and held at the melting temperature for 1 to 5 minutes, wherein the second heating rate is greater than the first heating rate.

[0116] Cooling is performed at a rate of 20°C / min or less.

[0117] First, heat the glaze to 300℃~400℃ at a low heating rate to remove residual organic matter and prevent blistering. Then, rapidly heat the glaze to its melting temperature at a slightly higher rate. Hold the glaze at the melting temperature for 1min~5min to allow the glaze to fully melt and flow, reacting chemically with the wheel hub substrate to form a transition layer, enhancing adhesion, and simultaneously expelling air bubbles from the glaze. During the cooling phase, the cooling rate should be ≤20℃ / min to avoid excessive temperature differences that could cause the glaze to crack.

[0118] In some embodiments, the first heating rate is 5°C / min to 10°C / min, and the second heating rate is 10°C / min to 15°C / min.

[0119] In some embodiments, the cooling step employs natural cooling or forced air cooling within the kiln.

[0120] In some embodiments, the sintering step is carried out in a conveyor kiln or a box kiln. The hub bases are placed to avoid contact with each other, ensuring they face the same direction.

[0121] Compared with traditional processes such as spray painting, electrophoresis, electroplating, and powder coating, the wheel hub surface processing method of some embodiments of this application for coloring wheel hubs has at least the following advantages:

[0122] Compared with the painting process, the glaze layer obtained by the wheel hub surface processing method of this application has the following advantages in terms of wear resistance: the glaze layer has a Mohs hardness of 5 to 6, a dense and non-porous structure, and can resist long-term friction and scratching without easy wear; while the hardness of the paint coating is mostly 2 to 3, which relies on the physical film formation of organic resin, and is prone to defects such as paint peeling and exposure of the substrate due to aging and friction after long-term use; in terms of adhesion: during high-temperature sintering, the transparent glaze will undergo micro-melting and diffusion with the surface of the metal substrate to form a "metallurgical bond", and the adhesion can reach more than 30 MPa, while the adhesion of the painting process is mostly 5 MPa to 15 MPa.

[0123] Compared with electrophoretic coating, which relies on the directional deposition of water-soluble resin in an electric field, the color is limited by the stability of the pigment paste, and is mostly monochrome or dark, with low flexibility in color change. However, the wheel hub surface processing method of this application can achieve dozens of basic colors such as red, yellow, blue, and green by adjusting the coloring metal oxides in the underglaze pigments, and can also create gradient and polychrome effects by layering multiple glazes.

[0124] Compared to electroplating, the core pollution of electroplating comes from heavy metal ions such as chromium, nickel, and cadmium, as well as cyanide. Even with environmentally friendly electroplating technology, wastewater containing metal ions still needs to be treated. In contrast, the wheel hub surface processing method of this application uses inorganic minerals such as quartz sand, feldspar, and soda ash as raw materials, which do not contain heavy metals or toxic organic solvents. The environmental treatment cost is far lower than that of electroplating.

[0125] Compared with powder coating, which relies on electrostatic adsorption to attach powder coating to the workpiece surface, the operation is more difficult and less flexible than liquid coating. Furthermore, the powder tends to flow during high-temperature curing, resulting in blurred patterns and making it difficult to achieve fine lines. In contrast, the wheel hub surface processing method of this application can precisely coat underglaze pigments onto a designated area. During high-temperature sintering, the underglaze pigments melt and flow only within their own area, with controllable boundaries, enabling the preparation of complex patterns.

[0126] A third aspect of this application provides a vehicle that includes the wheel hub described in the first aspect or includes a wheel hub obtained by the wheel hub surface processing method described in the second aspect.

[0127] To make the objectives and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description of the preparation method and effects of the colored wheel hub of this application is provided in conjunction with specific embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only for explaining this application and should not be used to limit this application. Unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments do not include components other than unavoidable impurities. Unless otherwise specified, the drugs and instruments used in the embodiments are conventional choices in the art. Experimental methods in the embodiments that do not specify specific conditions are implemented according to conventional conditions, such as those described in literature, books, or methods recommended by the manufacturer.

[0128] Example 1

[0129] This embodiment provides a method for machining the surface of a wheel hub, including the following steps:

[0130] (1) The steel wheel hub substrate is pretreated by degreasing and pickling in sequence to remove surface oil, rust, scratches and so on.

[0131] (2) The raw materials for preparing underglaze pigments are as follows by mass percentage: 10% coloring metal oxide, 3% flux boron oxide, 44% quartz, 30% feldspar, and 13% kaolin. These raw materials are mixed and calcined at 750℃ for 2 hours. After calcination, the mixture is ball-milled to a fineness of 500-800 mesh, and water is added to obtain a slurry with a flow rate of 30 seconds. A sheep's hair brush is used to apply the slurry to the surface of the wheel hub substrate to create a pattern, which is then dried to obtain the pattern layer.

[0132] (3) The raw materials for preparing the transparent glaze were mixed and ball-milled to a fineness of 200-325 mesh to obtain a transparent glaze with the following chemical composition: 60% silicon dioxide, 7% aluminum oxide, 14% boron oxide, 8% sodium oxide, 4% potassium oxide, 2% titanium oxide, and 5% kaolin. The transparent glaze was mixed with water or a second binder to obtain a glaze slurry with a solid content of 68% and a viscosity of 120 cP under the conditions tested by a Forte 4 cup viscometer. The glaze slurry was applied to the surface of the wheel hub substrate by spraying and covered with a pattern layer. It was dried at 60°C for 30 min; then heated to 100°C and dried for 60 min. Then, high-temperature sintering was carried out. The sintering process was as follows: the temperature was increased to 400°C at a heating rate of 5°C / min; the temperature was increased to the melting temperature of 850°C at a heating rate of 10°C / min and held at the melting temperature for 5 min; then, it was naturally cooled in the kiln to obtain a glaze layer with a thickness of 0.3 mm.

[0133] Example 2

[0134] This embodiment provides a method for machining the surface of a wheel hub, including the following steps:

[0135] (1) Surface pretreatment of cast iron wheel hub base, including degreasing and pickling in sequence, to remove surface oil, rust, scratches, etc.

[0136] (2) The raw materials for preparing underglaze pigments are as follows, by mass percentage: 10% coloring metal oxide, 3% flux boron oxide, 44% quartz, 30% feldspar, and 13% kaolin. These raw materials are mixed and calcined at 750℃ for 2 hours. After calcination, the mixture is ball-milled to a fineness of 500-800 mesh, and water is added to obtain a slurry with a flow rate of 30 seconds. A sheep's hair brush is used to apply the slurry to the surface of the wheel hub substrate to create a pattern, which is then dried to obtain the pattern layer.

[0137] (3) The raw materials for preparing the transparent glaze were mixed and ball-milled to a fineness of 200-325 mesh to obtain a transparent glaze with the following chemical composition: 60% silicon dioxide, 7% aluminum oxide, 14% boron oxide, 8% sodium oxide, 4% potassium oxide, 2% titanium oxide, and 5% kaolin. The transparent glaze was mixed with water or a second binder to obtain a glaze slurry with a solid content of 68% and a viscosity of 120 cP under the conditions tested by a Forte 4 cup viscometer. The glaze slurry was applied to the surface of the wheel hub substrate by spraying and covered with a pattern layer. It was dried at 60°C for 30 min; then heated to 100°C and dried for 60 min. Then, high-temperature sintering was carried out. The sintering process was as follows: the temperature was increased to 400°C at a heating rate of 5°C / min; the temperature was increased to the melting temperature of 800°C at a heating rate of 10°C / min and held at the melting temperature for 5 min; then, it was naturally cooled in the kiln to obtain a glaze layer with a thickness of 0.31 mm.

[0138] Example 3

[0139] This embodiment provides a method for machining the surface of a wheel hub, including the following steps:

[0140] (1) The aluminum alloy wheel hub substrate is subjected to surface pretreatment, including degreasing and pickling in sequence to remove surface oil, rust, scratches, etc.

[0141] (2) The raw materials for preparing underglaze pigments are as follows, by mass percentage: 10% coloring metal oxide, 3% flux boron oxide, 44% quartz, 30% feldspar, and 13% kaolin. These raw materials are mixed and calcined at 750℃ for 2 hours. After calcination, the mixture is ball-milled to a fineness of 500-800 mesh, and water is added to obtain a slurry with a flow rate of 30 seconds. A sheep's hair brush is used to apply the slurry to the surface of the wheel hub substrate to create a pattern, which is then dried to obtain the pattern layer.

[0142] (3) The raw materials for preparing the transparent glaze were mixed and ball-milled to a fineness of 200-325 mesh to obtain a transparent glaze with the following chemical composition: 60% silicon dioxide, 7% aluminum oxide, 14% boron oxide, 8% sodium oxide, 4% potassium oxide, 2% titanium oxide, and 5% kaolin. The transparent glaze was mixed with water or a second binder to obtain a glaze slurry with a solid content of 68% and a viscosity of 120 cP under the conditions tested by a Forte 4 cup viscometer. The glaze slurry was applied to the surface of the wheel hub substrate by spraying and covered with a pattern layer. It was dried at 60°C for 30 min; then heated to 100°C and dried for 60 min. Then, high-temperature sintering was carried out. The sintering process was as follows: the temperature was increased to 400°C at a heating rate of 5°C / min; the temperature was increased to the melting temperature of 600°C at a heating rate of 10°C / min and held at the melting temperature for 10 min; then, it was naturally cooled in the kiln to obtain a glaze layer with a thickness of 0.29 mm.

[0143] Example 4

[0144] This embodiment provides a wheel hub surface processing method, similar to the wheel hub surface processing method in Embodiment 1, except that the sintering process is different. In this embodiment, the sintering process is as follows: the temperature is raised to the melting temperature of 850°C at a heating rate of 10°C / min, and held at the melting temperature for 5 minutes; then it is naturally cooled in the kiln. Samples from this embodiment showed poor glaze appearance quality, lack of a slow heating phase, and the glaze reacted quickly, resulting in an uneven surface with bubbles.

[0145] Example 5

[0146] This embodiment provides a wheel hub surface processing method, similar to the wheel hub surface processing method in Embodiment 1, except that the sintering process is different. In this embodiment, the sintering process is as follows: the temperature is raised to 200°C at a heating rate of 5°C / min; the temperature is raised to the melting temperature of 850°C at a heating rate of 10°C / min, and held at the melting temperature for 5 minutes; then it is naturally cooled in the kiln. The glaze layer of the sample in this embodiment has a few defects, but it is an improvement compared to Embodiment 5. The reaction temperature at 200°C is relatively low, and the glaze reacts but not completely. When the heating rate is increased subsequently, the surface is slightly uneven and a few bubbles appear.

[0147] Example 6

[0148] This embodiment provides a wheel hub surface processing method, similar to the wheel hub surface processing method in Embodiment 1, except for the sintering process. In this embodiment, the sintering process is as follows: the temperature is increased to 400℃ at a heating rate of 5℃ / min; the temperature is increased to the melting temperature of 850℃ at a heating rate of 10℃ / min, and held at the melting temperature for 20 minutes; then it is allowed to cool naturally in the kiln. It was observed that the glaze quality deteriorated; excessive holding time caused the glaze to over-melt, resulting in a continuous decrease in viscosity and the appearance of glaze flow defects.

[0149] Comparative Example 1

[0150] Comparative Example 1 provides a method for machining the surface of a wheel hub using a traditional painting process. The specific steps are as follows:

[0151] Preliminary treatment: First, clean the wheel rims to remove oil stains, then polish the surface to enhance the adhesion between the paint and the wheel rims;

[0152] Spray painting: First, spray a layer of primer, let it dry, then spray two layers of color paint, let them dry in between, and finally spray a layer of clear varnish and let it stand for 1 day to cure.

[0153] The wheel hubs prepared in the above embodiments and comparative examples were tested. The test methods are as follows:

[0154] (1) Visual inspection: Check whether there are pinholes, bubbles, cracks, and whether the color is uniform on the glaze surface;

[0155] (2) Adhesion test: The adhesion strength is calculated by using the pull-off method;

[0156] (3) Corrosion resistance test: Immerse the sample in 5% citric acid solution, boil for 30 minutes, and observe whether the glaze peels off or changes color.

[0157] The test results are shown in Table 1 below.

[0158] Table 1

[0159]

[0160] As can be seen from Table 1 above, the adhesion, corrosion resistance and Mohs hardness of the ceramic surface layer are significantly improved compared with traditional paint, which not only optimizes the aesthetics of the wheel hub surface, but also enhances its durability.

[0161] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0162] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementation methods of this application, intended to facilitate a detailed understanding of the technical solutions of this application, but should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this application, and these all fall within the scope of protection of this application. It should be understood that technical solutions obtained by those skilled in the art based on the technical solutions provided in this application through logical analysis, reasoning, or limited experimentation are all within the scope of protection of the appended claims. Therefore, the scope of protection of this patent application should be determined by the content of the appended claims, and the specification and drawings can be used to interpret the content of the claims.

Claims

1. A wheel hub, characterized in that, include: The wheel hub consists of a base material, a pattern layer, and a transparent glaze layer. The pattern layer is disposed on the surface of the wheel hub base material, and the raw materials for preparing the pattern layer include underglaze pigments. The transparent glaze layer is disposed on the surface of the wheel hub base material and covers the pattern layer.

2. The wheel hub according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material of the wheel hub base is an alloy material, and the raw materials for preparing the transparent glaze layer include transparent glaze, the melting temperature of which is 580℃~900℃.

3. The wheel hub according to claim 2, characterized in that, The hub base is made of cast iron, and the melting temperature of the transparent glaze is 780℃~850℃; or, The hub base is made of steel, and the melting temperature of the transparent glaze is 820℃~900℃; or, The material of the wheel hub base is aluminum alloy, and the melting temperature of the transparent glaze is 580℃~650℃.

4. The wheel hub according to claim 1, characterized in that, The raw materials for preparing the transparent glaze layer, by weight percentage, include: 40%~60% silicon dioxide, 5%~10% aluminum oxide, 10%~15% boron oxide, 5%~10% sodium oxide, 1%~5% potassium oxide, 1%~3% titanium oxide, and 1%~5% additives, wherein the additives include one or more of suspending agents and clarifying agents.

5. The wheel hub according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The raw materials for preparing the underglaze pigments, by mass percentage, include: 5% to 15% coloring metal oxides, 2% to 5% fluxing agent, and 80% to 93% carrier, wherein the carrier includes one or more of kaolin, quartz, feldspar, and talc.

6. The wheel hub according to claim 5, characterized in that, The raw materials for preparing the underglaze pigments, by mass percentage, include: 5%~15% coloring metal oxides, 2%~5% flux, 30%~45% quartz, 25%~35% feldspar, and 10%~15% kaolin.

7. The wheel hub according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, One or more of the following conditions must be met: (1) The thickness of the transparent glaze layer is 0.25 mm to 0.4 mm; (2) The Mohs hardness of the transparent glaze layer is 5~6; (3) The adhesion between the transparent glaze layer and the hub substrate is greater than or equal to 30 MPa.

8. A method for machining the surface of a wheel hub, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Apply underglaze pigments to the surface of the wheel hub substrate to form a pattern layer; A glaze is applied to the surface of the wheel hub substrate and sintered to form a transparent glaze layer, which covers the pattern layer.

9. The wheel hub surface processing method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The sintering process includes: Heat to 300℃~400℃ at the first heating rate; The glaze is heated to its melting temperature at a second heating rate and held at the melting temperature for 1 to 10 minutes, wherein the second heating rate is greater than the first heating rate. Cooling is performed at a rate of 20°C / min or less.

10. The wheel hub surface processing method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The first heating rate is 5℃ / min to 10℃ / min, and the second heating rate is 10℃ / min to 15℃ / min.

11. The wheel hub surface processing method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that, The steps for applying underglaze pigments to the surface of the wheel hub substrate include: The underglaze pigments are mixed with water and / or a first binder to obtain a slurry; The slurry is applied to the surface of the wheel hub substrate by hand drawing or mechanical decoration, and then dried to obtain the pattern layer.

12. The wheel hub surface processing method according to claim 11, characterized in that, The flow rate of the slurry under the conditions tested by a Forecast-4 cup viscometer is 30 s to 50 s; and / or, The first adhesive comprises polyvinyl alcohol.

13. The wheel hub surface processing method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that, The step of applying glaze to the surface of the wheel hub substrate includes: The glaze is mixed with water and / or a second binder to obtain a glaze slurry; The glaze is sprayed onto the surface of the wheel hub substrate and then dried.

14. The wheel hub surface processing method according to claim 13, characterized in that, The solid content of the glaze slurry is 60%~70%, and the viscosity under the test conditions of a Fore-4 cup viscometer is 70cP~150cP. And / or, The drying process includes: drying at 40℃~60℃ for 30min~60min, and then heating to 80℃~120℃ for 60min~90min.

15. A vehicle, characterized in that, The wheel hub includes the wheel hub as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, or the wheel hub obtained by the wheel hub surface processing method described in any one of claims 8 to 14.

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