Low-Temperature Coating Process Works on Plastics--Even Paper

Almost any material can be metalized and coated without solvents in an interesting new technology from Germany that will be on display at K 2010. Materials treated by patented “plasmadust” technology from Reinhausen Plasma GmbH include plastics, metals, silicon disks, glass, foil or even paper.

Using atmospheric pressure, plasma technology is combined with micro- or nanopowders to allow direct-coating, VOC-free  processes. A low-temperature (120 - 250 C) plasma gas is generated with a pulsed arcing gas discharge. The coating of a substrate of one square meter requires 1/10 to 1/100 of the power required by thermal plasma injection processes.

Among the applications are plasma and laser sintering, solar cell wafer metallization, and the manufacturing of thin-film batteries and fuel cells.