The most common anodizing processes, for example, sulphuric acid on aluminium, produce a porous surface which can accept dyes easily. The number of dye colours is almost endless; however, the colours produced tend to vary according to the base alloy. The most common colours in the industry, due to them being relatively cheap, are yellow, green, blue, black, orange, purple and red. Though some may prefer lighter colours, in practice they may be difficult to produce on certain alloys such as high-silicon casting grades and 2000-series aluminium-copper alloys. Another concern is the "lightfastness" of organic dyestuffs—some colours (reds and blues) are particularly prone to fading. Black dyes and gold produced by inorganic means (ferric ammonium oxalate) are more lightfast. Dyed anodizing is usually sealed to reduce or eliminate dye bleed out. White color cannot be applied due to the larger molecule size than the pore size of the oxide layer.
