Alcan International Limited

Novelis, Inc.

Robin C Furneaux

William R Rigby

Alexander P Davidson

Aron M Rosenfeld

Melville D Ball

Mark A Jozefowicz

Michael P Thomas

Barry Roy Ellard

Anthony T Thomas

A method of producing a reflector sheet, which method comprises treating an Al alloy sheet to increase the total reflectance of a surface of the sheet for use as a lighting reflector by bringing the sheet into contact with an acid or alkaline fluid that dissolves aluminium metal, said fluid having a viscosity of less than 0.01 Pa&#xb7;s, under conditions to remove from 10 nm to 2000 nm of metal from the surface, and cutting or forming the treated Al alloy sheet into the shape of a reflector sheet.

Method of producing an aluminium surface with a high total reflectance

Porous membranes suitable for separation devices and other uses

A catalyst device comprises a porous catalytically active inorganic membrane, means for presenting a fluid reactant to a first surface of the membrane and means for recovering a fluid reaction product from the second surface of the membrane. The membrane is preferably an anodic aluminum oxide membrane with a deposit of catalytically active material present within the pores, preferably concentrated in the ends of the pores adjacent the second surface of the membrane.

Porous anodic aluminium oxide membrane catalyst support

A porous anodic aluminum oxide membrane, at least one surface of which is profiled on a scale of 0.01 to 50 mm, may be made by profiling a surface of an aluminium metal substrate anodizing the substrate to form a porous membrane on the surface and separating the membrane from the substrate. The profiling may consist of a system of parallel ribs and troughs. Structure having an interesting properties as filters can be built up by the use of several such membranes bonded to one another along the crests of the ribs.

Anodic aluminium oxide membranes

The invention provides porous anodic aluminium oxide film having a major face with an area of at least 50 cm.sup.2, the film material containing phosphorus derived from the anodizing electrolyte, preferably at least 5 microns thick and preferably having pores spaced 0.1-0.5 microns apart. The film may be made by anodizing one or more aluminium metal anodes of suitable area in an electrolyte based on phosphoric acid at a concentration of 5-150 g/l maintained at a temperature in the range 5.degree.-50.degree. C. using an anodizing voltage of 40-200 V. After separation from the metal substrate, the films have intersecting properties for use in filters.

Porous anodic aluminum oxide films

An anodic aluminum oxide film (12) has a system of larger pores (14) extending in from one face (16) and interconnecting with a system of smaller pores (24) extending in from the other face (26). The film is made by anodizing an aluminum metal substrate, then reducing the applied voltage at a rate to permit partial or complete recovery of the oxide film, either continuously or incrementally in small steps down to a level preferably below 3 V, and separating the oxide film from the substrate.

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Shenington, United Kingdom

Robin C Furneaux