CPI conducts at industrial scale, the surface functionalization of films and fabrics by continuous (roll-to-roll) plasma treatment at atmospheric pressure. CPI has developed specific functionalization and deposition methods based on innovative chemistry. Applications include bonding, digital printing, flexible packaging, lamination, etc.

Over a wide range of flexible substrates:

• Polymer films, fabrics, woven and nonwoven (PP, BOPP, PE, PET, PA, PVC, FEP, PTFE, ETFE, ECTFE, PVDF, PVF, PEEK etc.).
• Cellulose, paper, ceramics, glass, metal, metallized films.

Plasma Etching is the removal of plastic, silicon, or other non-metallic material using plasma created by exciting ions in a gas, usually oxygen and CF4. The excited ions collide with the material at the atomic level and remove it without the need for chemical etchants.

PlasmaEtch work hard to provide superior plasma etching solutions for virtually all applications, and PlasmaEtch are proud to say that they have some of the most effective systems in the industry. Controlling ion density, electron temperature, and the plasma potential are of the utmost importance for ensuring a uniform etching process.

Plasma etching is used to ‘roughen’ a surface, on the microscopic scale. The surface of the component is usually etched with a reactive process gas which gives both a chemical and physical effect on the surface.

The chemical etching effect is provided by the reactive gas species in the plasma, which readily react and combine with the surface molecules, removing them into the gas phase where they are pumped away via the vacuum system. The physical effect is caused by high energy ions from the plasma which bombard the surface and physically sputter, or knock, surface atoms off, again removing them to the gas phase.

The surface area is greatly increased, increasing the surface energy and making the material easily wettable. Etching is used before printing, gluing and painting and is particularly useful for processing of e.g. POM and PTFE, which cannot otherwise be printed on or bonded.

Plasma etching, as the name implies, is a technique of etching in which plasma is used as an etchant instead of strong acids. Plasma is the fourth state of matter, formed by ionizing gas particles, through radio frequency or heating. In order to understand the process of plasma etching, it is important to understand the working of a plasma etching system. The system consists of two symmetrical electrodes for the generation of radio frequency and a ground electrode on which the sample to be etched is placed. There is a gas inlet through which etchant enters the system and there is an outlet for plasma. As the gas enters the system, voltage is applied to partially ionize gas particles.

Technetics perform Sodium dissolved in Anhydrous Ammonia etching in Hatfield, PA.

Because PTFE has one of the lowest friction coefficients of any solid material on earth, bonding this material needs an equally hi-tech method. G & S Associates uses the most advanced process available, an Ammonia Sodium etch.

Using our patented and award-winning technology, Hexigone produces safer and smarter, corrosion inhibiting pigment which answers the industry’s search for a functional, highly effective and versatile additive to replace and exceed the performance of hexavalent chromate.

Given REACH legislation banning the use of hexavalent chromate within the UK, Hexigone aims to replace toxic chemicals used in the anti-corrosion market with our disruptive micro/nano reservoir technologies, creating ‘smart’ coatings.

Our additives will enable coatings to protect for longer in an intelligent manner, increasing the lifetime cycle of the end product, reducing the drain on primary resources.