Nano-pore Chromatic Diffusion Layer for Uniform Facade Coloration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing chromatic effect light reflective units for building facades require expensive and complex techniques to achieve uniformity in non-flat conformations, leading to non-homogeneous coloration and high waste.
Innovation Solution
A nano-pore or nano-pillar layer in a chromatic diffusion layer, made from materials like aluminum oxide and air or polymers, provides uniform chromatic effects even on non-flat surfaces, using simple and cost-effective methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If expensive and complex coating techniques are used to achieve uniform thickness, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) layer with controlled pore diameter (50-200 nm) and porosity (30-70%) to achieve uniform chromatic effect. The porous structure allows light scattering and interference effects that produce consistent sky-blue coloration without requiring extremely uniform coating thickness, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining visual homogeneity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the chromatic effect by adjusting parameters of the porous AAO layer including pore diameter (50-200 nm), layer thickness (1-20 μm), and porosity (30-70%). By optimizing these parameters, the coating achieves desired regular and diffuse reflectance characteristics without requiring ultra-precise thickness control, thus simplifying the manufacturing process
2Device complexity
If simple and inexpensive coating techniques are used, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The porous AAO layer structure inherently compensates for thickness variations through its light scattering properties. The uniform pore distribution (30-70% porosity) and controlled pore size (50-200 nm) create consistent optical effects even when the overall layer thickness varies, allowing simple coating techniques to achieve acceptable visual uniformity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite structure combining aluminum oxide (AAO) with specific porosity characteristics. This composite material provides both mechanical durability and controlled optical properties, where the porous network maintains chromatic consistency through light scattering and interference effects that are less sensitive to thickness variations than solid coatings
3Adaptability or versatility
If coating layers are applied on non-flat surfaces, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to thickening and thinning at folds
Solution Approach 1:
The porous AAO structure with its network of interconnected pores (30-70% porosity) accommodates surface irregularities better than solid coatings. The porous matrix can conform to non-flat substrates while maintaining relatively uniform pore distribution and optical characteristics, reducing the appearance defects caused by thickness variations at folds and crevices
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies a preliminary porous AAO layer formation through anodization before final chromatic optimization. This preliminary structure creates a uniform porous template that can subsequently be optimized for chromatic effects, ensuring that even on non-flat surfaces, the base porous structure provides consistent light scattering properties
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves consistent regular and diffuse reflectance coefficients across non-flat surfaces, mimicking natural sky colors with high resistance and durability, while reducing material costs and waste.
Implementation Method 1
the interaction of the incident light with the material loaded with nanoparticles leads to a reflective behaviour that varies as a function of the wavelength, presenting a regular spectral reflectance that is greater in red than in blue and, vice versa, a diffuse spectral reflectance that is higher in blue than in red
Implementation Method 2
a nano-pore (31) structure formed in a first material (Al2O3) and immersed in a second material having a second refractive index n2, different from a first refractive index n1 of the first material (Al2O3)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6f
AI summary
The present invention is directed to a chromatic effect light reflective unit (1; 1a - 1g). The unit (1; 1a - 1g) comprises a reflective layer (10) having at least one reflective surface (11), and a chromatic diffusion layer (20) having a first surface (21) proximal to the reflective surface (11) and a second surface (23), opposite and substantially parallel to the first, configured to be illuminated by incident light, wherein the chromatic diffusion layer (20) comprises a nano-pillar (70) or nano-pore (30) structure in a first material having a first refractive index (n1), immersed in a second material having a second refractive index (n2) other than the first (n1), in which the first and second materials are substantially non-absorbing or transparent to electromagnetic radiations with wavelength included in the visible spectrum, wherein the ratio (n M /n m ) between a higher refractive index (n M ) and a lower refractive index (n M ) chosen between the first (n1) and the second (n2) refractive indexes is comprised between 1.05 and 3, wherein the nano- pillars (71) or nano-pores (31) have a development along a main direction not parallel to the first surface (21) and the second surface (23) of the chromatic diffusion layer and the nano- pillars (70) or nano-pores (30) structure is characterized by a plurality of geometric parameters comprising a pillar diameter or pore diameter (dp), a pillar length or pore length (1p) along said main development direction, and a surface density of nano-pillars or nano-pores (Dp) and/or a structure (30,70) porosity (P p ) and wherein the pillar diameter or pore diameter (d p ) is comprised between 40 nm and 300 nm, the length (l p ) along the main development direction is comprised between 300 nm and 40 μm (300 nm < l p < 40 μm) and at least one between the surface density of nano-pillars or nano-pores (D p ) and the structure (30,70) porosity (P p ) is configured to provide a higher regular reflectance for wavelengths of incident light comprised in the range of red with respect to wavelengths of incident light comprised in the range of blue and a higher diffuse reflectance for wavelengths of incident light comprised in the range of blue than wavelengths of incident light comprised in the range of red.