How Corona Treatment and Plasma Treatment works!

Surface energy of solid materials and the need for surface treatment
of polymers. It is often necessary to bond plastic materials to metals
or other plastic materials, or simply print on a plastic surface. In
order to successfully accomplish this the liquid adhesive, or ink
should be able to wet the surface of the material. And this is where
Corona Treatment and Plasma Treatment technologies are
necessary.
Wettability depends on one specific property of the surface: Surface energy, often referred to as surface
tension. Surface energy, like surface tension is measured in mN/m. The surface energy of the solid substrate
directly affects how well a liquid wets the surface. The wettability, in turn, is easily demonstrated by contact
angle measurements. The contact angle is the angle between the tangent line at the contact point and the
horizontal line of the solid surface. When a liquid droplet is set on a smooth solid horizontal surface, it may
spread out over substrate and the contact angle will approach zero if complete wetting takes place.
Conversely, if wetting is partial, the resulting contact angle reaches equilibrium in the range 0 to 180
degrees.

Surface Wettability

Fig 1 to your left helps illustrate the difference

between good and poor wettability. The higher the surface energy of the solid substrate in relation to the
surface tension of the liquid, the better its wettability, and the smaller the contact angle. In order for a proper
bond to exist between a liquid and a substrate surface, the substrates surface energy should exceed the
liquids tension by about 2-10 mN/m.

Fig. 2: Surface Energy Solid Materials

Fig 2 to your right shows absolute values of surface energy for solid materials and the surface tension of
many plastics including polyethylene and polypropylene is often insufficient for bonding or printing.
These materials have very useful properties such as chemical inertness, a low coefficient of friction, high
wear, puncture and tear resistance, etc.

However, the poor wettability of these polymers presents the designer with the problem of bonding or
decorating these materials. Surface treatment can improve wettability of the material by raising the
materials surface energy and positively affect adhesive characteristics by creating bonding sites. The most
advanced and successful methods of surface treatment are based on a principle of high voltage discharge in
air.

Basics of high voltage discharge in air and its application to surface

treatment.
In the presence of a high voltage discharge in an air gap, free electrons, which are always present in the air,
accelerate and ionise the gas. When the electric discharge is very strong, collisions of high velocity electrons
with molecules of gas result in no loss in momentum, and electron avalanching occurs. When a plastic part is
placed in the discharge path, the electrons generated in the discharge impact the surface with energies 2 to 3
times that necessary to break the molecular bonds on the surface of most substrates. This creates very
reactive free radicals. These free radicals in the presence of oxygen can react rapidly to form various
chemical functiona groups on the substrate surface. Functional groups resulting from this oxidation reaction
are the most effective at increasing surface energy and enhancing chemical bonding to the resin matrix.
These include carbonyl (-C=O-). carboxyl (HOOC-), hydroperoxide (HOO-) and hydroxyl (HO-) groups.

Surface treatment with high voltage discharge modifies only the

surface characteristics without affecting material bulk properties.

Tantec three-dimensional electrical surface

treatment (EST) technology is based on the high voltage high frequency discharge in air. Three-dimensional
objects are passed through a discharge region between two electrodes (Figure 3 to your left).
The discharge is sustained in a large gap between the electrodes by establishing a high potential difference
between the electrodes. High applied voltage is only one condition for effective treatment. An uniform
treatment of parts moving at high speed requires high efficiency energy transfer from the power source to the
discharge region. Corona discharge at frequencies of 15-25 kHz accomplishes high efficiency energy
transfer as electrons oscillate in the gap between the electrodes. It has been shown that the higher the
frequency the lower the power to achieve a given treatment level.
The EST technology achieves a uniform treatment of surfaces of three-dimensional objects on high-speed
lines through maintaining a potential difference between electrodes up to 80 kV at frequencies between 1525 kHz. Under these conditions objects with cross-sections as large as 4 inches (100 mm) can be treated online as they continually move through a treating chamber.
An Electrical Surface Treatment system consists of high frequency generator, high voltage transformer and
treating electrodes. The generator produces an output signal whose frequency is automatically adjusted in the
15-25 kHz range depending on the load impedance, thus optimising the power available for treatment. The
high voltage transformer steps up the output signal from the generator to the level needed to generate the
discharge of desired intensity. The treating station is designed around two electrodes: a treating electrode
and counter electrode (usually at a ground potential). The electrodes are engineered for each application.

Tantec offers a selection of Plasma treaters for plasma surface treatment of different materials. See our list of
products at our plasma products page: Plasma treatment equipment

Applications of Tantec Electrical Surface Treatment Technology (

EST)
The following materials have been successfully treated using EST technology:

Polyethylene (PE) * Plexiglas (PMMA)

Polypropylene (PP) * Teflon (PTFE)
Polystyrene (PS) * Polycarbonat (PC)
EPDM-rubber * Polyurethane (PUR)
ABS etc.

Here are some specific applications:

Treatment of surfaces of bio-medical testing devices to improve wettability of surfaces for confluent
liquid flow.
Treatment of syringe barrels prior to printing.
Treatment of the inner surface of needle hubs prior to bonding a stainless steel needle.
Treatment of electronic cable insulation to improve adhesion of inks and coatings.
Treatment of lids and covers of chemical containers prior to gasket material application or printing.
Treatment of plastic bottles prior to application of adhesive labels.
Treatment of automotive profiles made of EPDM rubber prior to application of an adhesive for
retaining flocking bristles or decorating fabric.

Shelf life of treated surfaces

The shelf life of pre-treated materials ranges from hours to years, depending on the plastic, its formulation,
how it was treated and its exposure to elevated temperature after treatment. Material purity is the most
important factor. Shelf life is limited by the presence of low molecular weight components such as antiblock
agents, mould release, antistatics, etc. Eventually, these components migrate to the surface of clean
polymers. It is therefore recommended to print or bond to the material soon after treatment. However, once
the treated surface has been interfaced with a coating, ink, adhesive, or another material, the bond becomes
permanent.

Surface Treatment using Plasma Treatment and Corona Treatment

Surface treatment of materials with low surface energy is necessary
prior to gluing, printing, painting and coating. Plasma and Corona
Treatment Technologies improve adhesion and wettability with a
modification of the surface structure using high voltage discharge.
High voltage is also applied in Leak Detection for improved quality
control.
Surface treatment is necessary due to low surface energy
Increased use of plastic materials such as polyolefines, PE, PP, PS, PC, PTFE and EPDM in the
manufacturing industry promotes the need for surface treatment. Plastic materials are easily extruded, blowand injection moulded, which makes it profitable for manufacturers to use these synthetic materials. The
disadvantage using plastic is poor adhesion and wettability caused by low surface energy, which makes it
difficult to bond and decorate.

Plasma and Corona Surface Treatment modifies surface structure

Plasma and Corona Surface Treatment changes the surface characteristics by breaking the molecular bonds
on the substrate surface, thereby increasing the surface energy. Increased surface energy provides improved
adhesion and wettability properties and bonding and decorating is possible with lasting results.
Plasma Treatment and Corona Treatment is not only useful for surface treatment of plastic but also effective
on metal, glass, composites and ceramics. Plasma treatment is also used as a cleaning process to remove
organic contamination from plastic, rubber and metal surfaces.

Plasma and Corona Systems are integrated in manufacturing

industries
Plasma and Corona treatment systems are used in production in a wide range of industries such as the
automotive industry, medical device, electronics, cable and pipe, foam and board, and packaging industries.
The use of Plasma treatment in the automotive industry is growing due to increased use of plastic materials
in the production of interiors and exteriors for cars. The vacuum plasma technology is effective because of
its fast treatment time and uniform treatment. Atmospheric plasma treatment provides treatment to specific
areas - even those difficult to reach.
Corona Treatment of medical devices ensures a safe and high-level quality treatment of the devices. A high
level of quality is demanded in treatment of medical devices and Plasma and Corona Treatment Systems
fulfill the criteria mostly because of the possibility of high control and accurateness.
Leak detection is a proven and highly effective tool for improved quality control on processing lines for
three dimensional plastic parts and is recommended for the production of medical devices.

Plasma and Corona surface treatment is cost effective

Plasma and Corona treatment technologies are cost effective and easily integrated in existing production
lines, providing fast treatment time. The technologies do not damage the material and offer Manufacturers an
eco-friendly solution.

Customised and standard systems from Tantec A/S

At Tantec we develop both standard and customised Plasma and Corona Surface Treatment Systems. Our
core competence is treatment of 3D parts and our systems are developed to meet high quality requirements
of even and uniform treatment. We help our customers choose the most suitable surface treatment system for
their product and production line. Tantec A/S is an ISO 9001 certified supplier.

The basics of corona treatment

Corona treatment was introduced in the industrial sector in the

year 1951. An engineer in Denmark was requested to find a secure
way for apposite printing on plastic surfaces.
Thus, with continuous efforts and experimentation, the engineer decided to come up with a theory that
would revolutionize the world of surface treatment. The theory suggested that a high frequency beam or
corona discharge would be able to treat the particular surface in a proper manner keeping the heating level in
control. The success of corona treatment application led to the establishment of a surface treatment company
giving way to further development of the technology.

Treats metal and plastic surfaces

Basically, corona treatment was introduced into the industrial market because of its ability to treat metal and
plastic surfaces giving it adhesive properties so that any type of printing or bonding could easily take place
on a variety of surfaces. To be more precise, corona treatment is used to increase a materials surface tension
in an effective way. By treating the material with a high frequency corona discharge, its surface becomes
much more impressible to adhesives, inks and coatings.
The material that needs treatment is revealed in front of the electronic corona discharge. This results in the
breakage of oxygen molecules into an atomic form. The atoms are thus allowed to bond with the molecule
ends present in the material thats being treated. Hence, the surface of that material becomes chemically
active. Though, one should keep in mind the fact that a surface gone through corona treatment is likely to be
debased with the passage of time unless it is coated, bounded in-line or printed on.
Debasement depends on storage conditions and the type of material that has been treated. The cost of
equipment and power used in treating the surface of a material play an important part in the process. These
depend on the speed, responsiveness, width, and number of sides of the material that require treatment.
Corona treatment usually involves the handling of surfaces made from polypropylene, vinyl, foils,
polyethylene, metalized surfaces, paper, PVC, paperboard stock, PET and other such materials. If you are
interested in knowing more about how to treat plastic surfaces, we recommend you read our knowledgebase
article regarding that matter: Adhesion and Surface Treatment of Plastic, or simply contact our experts and
get an answer directly from them: ask our experts a question.

Examples of treatable components

The equipment is installed in a place thats aligned with the laminating, printing, or coating process. A
corona treater can also be directly installed over the cast film or blown film expeller. One of the major
benefits of installing a corona treater on an extruder is that new material is more impressible to the treatment.
Electrical cables, automotive components, 3D parts, medical devices, pipes & tubes, board & foam,
domestic appliances, narrow webs (both conductive and non-conductive) and extruded profiles are just a few
of the many components that are processed with corona.
These components are processed for modification before they can be used on an industrial level. The
modification process involves coating, painting, sealing, laminating, sealing and labeling etc. Areas of
education, automotives, research establishments, injection molding, extrusion, manufacturing of medical
devices, general manufacturing, and test labs etc are more likely the ones to be using this kind of treatment.

The basics of plasma treatment

Until the 1950s, matter was thought to exist in only three forms i.e.
solid, liquid, and gas. But all that changed when a Danish engineer
discovered plasma.
As it is known, plasma is matter that exists in the form of ions and electrons. Basically, it is a gas thats been
electrified charged with freely moving electrons in both the negative and positive state.
The situation is actually a resultant of further energy being given to a gas which causes the breaking free of
negatively charged electrons from the nucleus. On a deeper level, plasma can be described as a gas thats
been partially ionized. It is a mixture of neutral atoms, atomic ions, electrons, molecular ions, and molecules
present in excited and ground states. The charges (positive and negative) balance each other therefore; a
good number of these charges are electrically neutral.

The charged particles present in plasma are responsible for its high electrical conductivity. Since plasma
consists of electrons, molecules or neutral gas atoms, positive ions, UV light along with excited gas
molecules and atoms, it carries a good amount of internal energy. And when all these molecules, ions and
atoms come together and interact with a particular surface, plasma treatment is initiated. Hence, by selecting
a gas mixture, pressure, power etc. the effects of plasma treatment upon any surface can also be specified or
precisely tuned.

How plasma treatment is performed

A plasma treatment is usually performed in a chamber or enclosure thats evacuated (Vacuum plasma). The
air within the chamber or enclosure is pumped out prior to letting gas in. The gas then flows in the enclosure
at a low pressure. This is done before any energy (electrical power) is applied. It is imperative to know that
plasma treatment performed at low temperature can easily process materials that are heat sensitive. These
types of plasma are sometimes referred to as cold plasma. Plasma treatment is mainly used for cleaning,
surface activation, deposition, and etching - if you are interested in knowing more about plasma etching
(plasma etch) we recommend you read our article about plasma etching.

Useful for pretreatment of surfaces

On an industrial level, plasma treatments are used for treating surfaces of various materials prior to any
coating, printing or adhesion. Therefore, it can also be referred to as a kind of pretreatment of surfaces.
Treatment with plasma removes any foreign contaminants present on the surface of a material making it
more suitable for further processing. Materials like plastics are prone to lose any type of printing or coating
done on their surfaces because of their glossy texture unless treated. Plastics are made up of polypropylene
and are homopolar which means that they do not bond that easily.
Applying plasma treatment on such surfaces can result in an effective pretreatment of surface activation
before any gluing, printing or lacquering could take place. Similarly, materials like ceramics and glass can
also be treated with plasma. Usually, industrial oxygen is used in plasma treatment as a process gas, hence
receiving the title of oxygen plasma. However, atmospheric air is also used in many plasma surface
treatments referred to as atmospheric plasma. Depending on the type of material that is being treated with
plasma, effects can remain prominent for just a few minutes or even months.

Surface Treatment of metals

Treatment of metals can be of essential importance in many

industries. It is not a new proces, but a proces that dates back as
early as mankind started using gold decoratively before 4000 BC.
Today there can be several reasons why it is necessary to change the surface properties of metals. For
example is surface treatment of metals used for:

Decoration and/or reflectivity

Improved hardness (eg. for resistance to damage and wear)
Prevention of corrosion

Treatment of metal surfaces plays an enormous role in extending the life of metals, such as in automotive
bodies and construction materials, an often seen application is cleaning of stainless steel bodies for windows,
etc.

What industries use metal surface treatment?

Almost every industry will have a need for metal surface treatment equipment. Among the industries who
today use metal surface treatment include the following; the automotive industry, the construction industry,

the Container industry, the electrical industry, the medical industry, industrial equipment, industries using
laboratory equipment, aerospace, and several other industries. The range of components treated varies from:
spectacle frames, components for automotive, screws, nuts, bolts, different tools and many other.

How does Tantec treat metal surfaces?

Metal surfaces can be treated by using special insulated electrodes or the PlasmaTEC treatment nozzles.
Treatment of Metal surfaces is often a matter of both cleaning and surface activation. Often Stainless steel
surfaces are treated with either Ceramic Corona Electrodes or PlasmaTEC nozzles to ensure max. wettability
and cleaning before bonding.
Tantec produces several solutions for metal surface treatment. You may view our list of surface treatment
products, which include plasma treaters and corona treaters: Our surface treatment products. Should you
have further questions, do not hesitate, our specialists are here to help:
or

The coating process using plasma

Treating metal surfaces is primarily, as mentioned above, a surface cleaning issue. Here Plasma treatment
often proves to be the best solution when a metal surface needs treatment. Plasma treatment is a process
designed to change the surface properties of a substrate to increase surface energy and/or make it chemically
compatibility with a bonding material. Plasma treatment creates an electron bombardment that breaks the
surfaces chemical bonds while the ions hitting the surface are designed to alter the chemical composition of
the surface. Plasma systems may also be used to treat a variety of material types including polymers, glass
and ceramics.

Understanding the Surface Treatment of Metal

Compared to other surfaces that need treatment prior to coating, printing, or adhesion etc. there are a number
of different methods available for the surface treatment of metal. Surface treatment of metal is a process in
which parts or components made out of metal or plastic are treated before any actual coating takes place.
The purpose of this treatment is increasing the surface energy level of a particular metal surface so that it can
easily adhere to the printing or coating that is about take place. This type of treatment is usually known as
the coatings pretreatment. Surface treatment of metal involves the creation of a barrier that acts like a wall
protecting the metal in an environment thats corrosive.
The surface layer forming on a metal that is scheduled for chemical coating is created due to a chemical
reaction thats non-electrolytic in nature. The reaction occurs between a solution and the metals surface.
These layers are amorphous and adherent. For allowing the surface treatment of metal to form a shielding
layer, the metal being used as a base should be converted into a component thats less reactive towards
corrosion in comparison to the metal surface being used in the first place.
In order to conduct a successful surface treatment of metal, the layer formed on the metals surface should be
able to pass on the same amount of potential throughout. The layer should also be able to neutralize any
areas showing signs of cathodic or anodic corrosion. Only then can surface treatment of metal provide a base
thats absorptive for adhesion to paints and other finishes.
The process of metal surface treatment involves more than a few steps. Firstly, the stamping compounds and
mill oils are cleaned away from the surface leading to rinsing post phosphates. This is followed by the
application of an organic-inorganic sealer. And finally, the surface is rinsed with water thats free of
contaminants e.g. water obtained through reverse osmosis or deionization. After being rinsed, the surface is
taken to an oven that dries off the surface. Here, all the moisture is completely removed before a metal can
enter the painting process.

Types of Conversion Coatings

There are several types of conversion coatings used in the surface treatment process. Some of these are given
below.

Coating with Oxides

Coatings done by the help of oxides are actually corrosion products that include an oxide with negligible
thickness leading to good adhesion. These treatments are usually done through electrochemical reactions,
heat, or chemicals.

Chromate Coating
These coatings involve the process of chemical conversion formed by a reaction occurring between
chromium salts or chromic acid water solutions. Chromate coatings can be applied on cadmium, zinc,
magnesium and aluminum because of their resistance towards atmospheric corrosion. These coatings are
extensively used for protecting hardware items used as household products.

Phosphate Coating
These coatings also involve chemical conversion of metal surfaces. Phosphate crystals are formed on
material surfaces containing zinc, manganese or iron phosphates. Generally, phosphate coatings are applied
on cast iron, low-alloy steel and carbon steel. Though, these can be applied on cadmium, tin, aluminum and
zinc too.

Which materials can be successfully treated?

Almost all commonly used base materials are easily treated. The material list below includes materials both
plastic and metals:
PP

PE

PES

Teflon (PTFE)

Cross Linked Polymers

PC

ABS

PS

EPDM

TPF

TPE

Stainless Steel

Aluminium

Cleaning Plasma and where is it used?

Cleaning plasma is used on a number of materials for cleaning the

surfaces and readying them for further processing i.e. painting,
coating, and encapsulation etc.
The cleaning process may include oxygen (air), argon and any other element that meets the surface needs.
Plasma cleaning is generally used for preparing surfaces prior to processing e.g. potting, printing, coating,
and painting etc.
Among the very basic uses of cleaning plasma, there is cleaning of measurement apparatus, substrates in a
background that consists of organic contaminants leading to auto-fluorescence and bond pad cleaning etc.
Cleaning plasma is also for removing foreign contaminants such as mineral based and organic machining

residue. It is also helpful in cleaning parts preceding coating and then encapsulation along with ultra-fine
plasma cleanup of UHV apparatus.

Benefits of plasma cleaning

One of the many benefits of plasma cleaning is the fact, that it is operator friendly along with being a
technique thats dry and environmentally friendly i.e. no Trichloroethylene is involved. Plus, the operation
costs are low and youre getting the highest quality of cleaning. It also enhances bonding by promoting
adhesion.
Plasma cleaning can easily remove any organic contaminants present on a particular surface by physical
ablation, which involves the use of argon plasma or chemical reaction caused by oxygen (air). The process
can greatly help cleaning surfaces that are affected by solvent cleaning i.e. their surface tension has
limitations. These surfaces are cleaned with the help of micro-channels or micro-scale porosity.
Another advantage of applying cleaning plasma on material surfaces is that it will eliminate the need of
using chemical solvents, thereby eliminating the need for storage and disposal of the solvent waste.
The process isnt harsh like the traditional methods used for surface treatment, which means that youll be
able to clean a surface without losing many of the important traits of the material lost in traditional surface
cleaning. This process is also useful in treating a huge variety of complex surfaces that may include optical
fibers, glass slides, metal surfaces like gold, semiconductors and oxides etc.