Atmospheric plasma (AP) treatment

With the introduction of atmospheric plasma (AP) treatments, the iRAP institute has acquired new expertise.

Atmospheric Plasma allows to :

Clean a substrate and remove organic traces.
Surface activation of polymers to make them more reactive.
Deposit molecules to create functional surfaces (adhesion promotion, long-lasting hydrophobic treatments, anti-corrosion treatments, etc.).

The deposition of functional molecules makes it possible to create a bonding interface between a metal, glass, ceramic or plastic substrate and a plastic part.

The advantage of Plasma treatment over the application of a chemical primer is the control of the treatment parameters. This is because it allows the deposition of individual molecular layers and guarantees a high degree of homogeneity of the coating. Furthermore, for a company, Plasma treatment is more interesting in economic and ecological terms thanks to its speed of execution and the very low quantity of chemical waste produced.

Because of its applications and advantages, companies active in the plastics industry are increasingly interested in integrating a Plasma installation into their production line.

At iRAP, several projects are currently underway to study the effect of AP treatment of a substrate that will subsequently be subjected to overmoulding. The aspects observed during these projects are the mechanical properties and the sealing of this bonding interface.

Compared to low pressure plasma treatments, the advantage of AP is that it allows the deposition of larger molecules, for example functionalized silanes. AP thus allows an inline process whereas vacuum plasma is in most cases a batch process.