An aluminum-containing substrate comprising: an aluminum-containing plate having a grained and etched surface; an inner aluminum oxide layer over the grained and etched surface, the inner aluminum oxide layer having an average dry thickness (T i) of at least 500 nm and up to and including 1,500 nm; and comprising a multiplicity of inner pores having an average inner pore diameter (D i) of more than 0 nm but less than 15 nm; a middle aluminum oxide layer over the inner aluminum oxide layer, the middle aluminum oxide layer having an average dry thickness (T m) of at least 60 nm and up to and including 300 nm; comprising a multiplicity of middle pores having an average middle pore diameter (D m) of at least 15 nm and up to and including 60 nm; and having a middle pore density (C m) of at least 100 middle pores/μm 2 and up to and including 2,000 middle pores/μm 2; and an outer aluminum oxide layer over the middle aluminum oxide layer, the outer aluminum oxide layer having an average dry thickness (T o) of at least 30 nm and up to and including 150 nm; comprising a multiplicity of outer pores having an average outer pore diameter (D o) of at least 5 nm and up to and including 35 nm; and having an outer pore density (C o) of at least 100 outer pores/μm 2 and up to and including 5,000 outer pores/μm 2; wherein the dry thickness of the combination of the middle aluminum oxide layer and the outer aluminum oxide layer is at least 120 nm and up to and including 420 nm, and wherein D m is larger than D o that is larger than D i, and optionally, a hydrophilic layer comprising one or more hydrophilic polymers provided at a dry coverage of at least 0.0002 g/m 2 and up to and including 0.1 g/m 2. an aluminum-containing plate having a grained and etched surface; an inner aluminum oxide layer over the grained and etched surface, the inner aluminum oxide layer having an average dry thickness (T i) of at least 500 nm and up to and including 1,500 nm; and comprising a multiplicity of inner pores having an average inner pore diameter (D i) of more than 0 nm but less than 15 nm; a middle aluminum oxide layer over the inner aluminum oxide layer, the middle aluminum oxide layer having an average dry thickness (T m) of at least 60 nm and up to and including 300 nm; comprising a multiplicity of middle pores having an average middle pore diameter (D m) of at least 15 nm and up to and including 60 nm; and having a middle pore density (C m) of at least 100 middle pores/μm 2 and up to and including 2,000 middle pores/μm 2; and an outer aluminum oxide layer over the middle aluminum oxide layer, the outer aluminum oxide layer having an average dry thickness (T o) of at least 30 nm and up to and including 150 nm; comprising a multiplicity of outer pores having an average outer pore diameter (D o) of at least 5 nm and up to and including 35 nm; and having an outer pore density (C o) of at least 100 outer pores/μm 2 and up to and including 5,000 outer pores/μm 2; wherein the dry thickness of the combination of the middle aluminum oxide layer and the outer aluminum oxide layer is at least 120 nm and up to and including 420 nm, and wherein D m is larger than D o that is larger than D i, and optionally, a hydrophilic layer comprising one or more hydrophilic polymers provided at a dry coverage of at least 0.0002 g/m 2 and up to and including 0.1 g/m 2.