SBIR Phase I: Application of a Novel, Non-Thermal Plasma Technology for Surface Modification of Polymeric Objects

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将开发非热等离子体技术，在空气的大气压下实现塑料材料的均匀表面改性，而不需要大量的载气。这种均匀的表面处理可以在实际尺寸的三维物体上灵活而经济地实现，适用于许多行业。在该计划中，特性良好的聚丙烯平面将使用实验条件矩阵进行等离子体处理，以确定表面改性和损伤效果作为电压/电流特性，等离子体源配置和处理速度的函数。表面分析工具，如扫描探针显微镜，扫描电子显微镜，XPS和FTIR将被用来评估表面形貌和表面化学的变化。表面能的变化将通过标准润湿试验测量。然后，该计划将检查性能与各种尺寸和形状的三维物体和工业意义的TPO混合物。该计划之所以引人注目，是因为该技术在主要市场的表面处理领域实现了重大飞跃。通常，表面处理涉及高腐蚀性或酸性剂或有机物的化学处理，带来了伴随的安全和环境问题。这个提议的等离子体技术可以用来代替许多这些过程。例如，市场包括生物医学领域的灭菌或生物活化以及光学和复合纤维技术中的纤维调理。然而，最大的商业影响将是促进更好的附着力，无论是用于标签的油墨，电子产品中的薄膜，还是油漆或其他涂层，以提供颜色，质地和/或防腐。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop non-thermal, plasma technology to achieve uniform surface modification of plastic materials at atmospheric pressure in air, without need of significant amounts of a carrier gas. This uniform surface treatment can be achieved flexibly and economically on three-dimensional objects of practical size to a multitude of industries. In the program, well-characterized flat surfaces of polypropylene will be subjected to plasma treatment using a matrix of experimental conditions to determine surface modification and damage effects as a function of voltage/current characteristics, plasma source configuration and processing speed. Surface analytical tools such as Scanning Probe Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, XPS and FTIR will be employed to evaluate changes in surface morphology and surface chemistry. Changes in surface energy will be gaged by standard wetting tests. The program will then examine performance with three-dimensional objects of various size and shape and TPO blends of industrial significance. The proposed program is compelling because the technology offers a major leap forward in surface treatment across a spectrum of major markets. Typically the surface preparation for finishing involves chemical treatment with highly caustic or acidic agents or with organics, imposing concomitant safety and environmental problems. The plasma technology of this proposal can be applied in place of many of these processes. Markets include, for example, sterilization or biological activation in the biomedical field and fiber conditioning in optical and composite-fiber technologies. However, the greatest commercial impact will be to promote better adhesion, whether it be for inks used in labeling, for thin films in electronics or for paints or other coatings to provide color, texture and/or corrosion protection.