Plasma
Plasma is a state of matter that is characterized by high electrical conductivity and ionized particles. It is created when energy is added to gases in order to remove electrons from the atoms. This leads to a state in which the atoms become a mixture of positively charged ions and negatively charged electrons.
Plasma is often found in hot, high-energy environments such as the sun and other stars. But it also occurs on earth in various technical applications. For example, plasmas are used in material processing to cut or weld materials such as metals.
In bonding technology, plasma is used to activate a bonding surface (component surface).
In the case of plastics with a non-polar surface, plasma pre-treatment helps to activate the surface. The same applies to glass and ceramics.
Traditionally, this surface treatment is carried out using chemical primers or liquid adhesion promoters. They are highly corrosive and harmful to the environment. They need to flash off sufficiently before further processing and are often not active for long. Plasma, on the other hand, is harmless to health.Plasma activation also makes “non-adhesive” plastics such as POM, PE and PP very easy to bond or paint.
The main advantages of plasma activation are
ultra-fine cleaning, no residues
Gentle, non-destructive surface treatment
no wet chemistry
compressed air or inexpensive, non-toxic working gas
environmentally friendly
no expensive vacuum systems
high processing speeds
easy integration into existing production lines.
