Resin Product Metallic Coating Discontinuous Structure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional millimeter wave radar apparatus covers with metallic coatings having a sheen and discontinuous structure face challenges in achieving sufficient millimeter wave transparency and corrosion resistance due to the high cost of indium and the tendency of deposited metals to form continuous structures, leading to low electrical resistance and increased corrosion.
Innovation Solution
A resin product with a metallic coating having a sheen and discontinuous structure is achieved by sputtering a high-formation metal followed by a low-formation metal, both with identical crystal structures and a lattice constant difference within 10%, using a DC magnetron method to control deposition speed and time, resulting in a stable sea-island structure that maintains millimeter wave transparency and corrosion resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vacuum vapor deposition is used to deposit metals like In or Sn, then a discontinuous structure with high millimeter wave transparency is achieved, but the product cost becomes high due to the expense of indium
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the deposition method parameter from vacuum vapor deposition to sputtering, and modifies the metal composition parameters by using aluminum instead of indium. This allows achieving the desired discontinuous structure and millimeter wave transparency at lower cost with higher productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive indium with cheaper aluminum metal, which can achieve the same functional effect of forming a discontinuous structure that provides millimeter wave transparency, thereby reducing product cost.
2Productivity
If sputtering is used to deposit metals like In or Sn, then productivity increases and cost decreases, but a continuous structure is formed resulting in low electrical resistance and insufficient millimeter wave transparency
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the metal material parameter from indium or tin to aluminum, which has different physical properties that enable it to form a discontinuous structure through sputtering. This parameter change allows maintaining high productivity while achieving the required millimeter wave transparency.
3Productivity
If a continuous metallic coating structure is formed by sputtering, then productivity is high, but corrosion resistance is reduced due to easy spread of corrosion
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the metal material parameter to aluminum, which forms a discontinuous structure through sputtering deposition. This discontinuous structure inherently provides better corrosion resistance by preventing the spread of corrosion, while maintaining high manufacturing productivity.
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
This approach enables the production of a metallic coating with high productivity and low cost, ensuring adequate millimeter wave transparency and corrosion resistance, while conforming to curved surfaces and providing electrical insulation.
Implementation Method 1
a metallic coating which has a sheen and a discontinuous structure, wherein the metallic coating is deposited on the resin base material so as to include a portion in which a high-formation metal that relatively readily forms a discontinuous structure when using vacuum vapor deposition is sputtered
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a metallic coating having a sheen and having a discontinuous structure at high productivity and low cost by using sputtering. A resin product includes a resin base material, and a metallic coating having a sheen and a discontinuous structure that is deposited on the resin base material so as to include a portion in which a high-formation metal that relatively readily forms a discontinuous structure when using vacuum vapor deposition is sputtered, and thereafter, a low-formation metal that does not relatively readily form a discontinuous structure when using vacuum vapor deposition is sputtered. The high-formation metal and the low-formation metal are selected from at least two species of metals whose crystal structures are identical and whose lattice constant difference is within 10%.