What is anodized aluminum?
Identification labels are often used in unfriendly environments such as warehouses, factories, or outdoors. Conditions such as these demand that labels be durable and resistant to solvents, abrasion, steam cleaning, and extreme weather. Anodized Aluminum is made specifically for these conditions by Lustre-Cal. Anodizing is the controlled oxidation of aluminum using an electro-chemical process to create a corrosion-resistant and porous surface that is nearly diamond hard. Colors can be dyed and then sealed into the porous surface. The result is an abrasion-resistant surface that will never peel, chip or flake– regardless of age or weather. Lustre-Cal has developed a proprietary process for dying anodized aluminum, so the material used is guaranteed to be consistent in quality and color. No other manufacturer can provide our wide variety of base colors. Lustre-Cal’s proprietary etching process permanently embeds text and graphics into the anodized and sealed aluminum surface. Not convin
Many metals are structurally weakened by the oxidation process, but not aluminum. Aluminum can actually be made stronger and more durable through a process called ‘anodizing’. Anodizing involves placing a sheet of aluminum into a chemical acid bath, quite often acetone in laboratory experiments. The sheet of aluminum becomes the positive anode of a chemical battery and the acid bath becomes the negative. An electric current passes through the acid, causing the surface of the aluminum to oxidize (essentially rust). The oxidized aluminum forms a strong coating as it replaces the original aluminum on the surface. The result is an extremely hard substance called anodized aluminum. Anodized aluminum can be nearly as hard as diamond under the right anodizing process. Many modern buildings use anodized aluminum in places where the metal framework is exposed to the elements. Anodized aluminum is also a popular material for making high-end cookware such as frying pans and pots. Heat is distribu
Many metals are structurally weakened by the oxidation process, but not aluminum. Aluminum can actually be made stronger and more durable through a process called ‘anodizing’. Anodizing involves placing a sheet of aluminum into a chemical acid bath. The oxidized aluminum forms a strong coating as it replaces the original aluminum on the surface. The result is an extremely hard substance called anodized aluminum. Anodized aluminum can be nearly as hard as diamond under the right anodizing process. Many modern buildings use anodized aluminum in places where the metal framework is exposed to the elements. Anodized aluminum is also a popular material for making high-end cookware. Special dyes can also be used to color the anodized aluminum for decorative uses.
• Anodized Aluminum Many of our pieces incorporate anodized aluminum as well. Anodizing aluminum is an electrochemical process that creates a clear oxide layer on the surface of the aluminum. The oxide layer is very hard and porous which allows the metal to absorb color. When this porous formation is viewed under a microscope it looks like a honeycomb or sponge. Paint, ink and dye can be absorbed into this pore structure and then sealed to lock in the color. The colors are embedded in the aluminum itself, not just applied to the surface. It becomes part of the metal and so cannot chip off. The anodizing process actually improves the metal by making it resistant to corrosion, abrasion and temperature. We love using aluminum for the rich, brilliant colors possible with this process and have many colors custom dyed to our specifications. With thanks to EastWest Dye Com for the technical explanation.
