Innovative fire protection with Openair-Plasma®
CREPIM in Bruay-la-Buissière, France is one of the leading European laboratories for the qualification and approval of materials covered by fire regulations. The internationally accredited laboratory tests and develops fire-resistant formulas for companies working in the mass transportation sector as well as in the building, electrical and textile sectors. The Development Department of CREPIM started using Plasmatreat’s Openair-Plasma® technology in 2009.
Application
In order to find new fire retardant and resistant solutions several types of thermoplastics, metallic wires, non-woven textiles, building products and other materials are subjected to the atmospheric plasma treatment. CREPIM uses both, the activation and coating, to promote adhesion and bring new surface properties to the substrates.
The principal interest in using the PlasmaPlus® polymerisation process is to achieve fire performance enhancement through the thin coatings at the top surface of the substrates. Considering the variety of substrates available, the Openair-Plasma® activation pre-treatment is required to promote the adhesion of these coatings. Contrary to standard coatings such as paint or reactive coatings, the thickness achieved through PlasmaPlus® is controlled and reliable in the laboratory as well as in industrial usage. At CREPIM the use of the Openair-Plasma® technology is continuously assessed to the end that plasma treated products can be used later in every kind of industry submitted to fire regulations.
The testing is carried out by the Plasmatreat laboratory unit “AS 400”. The unit is equipped with a plasma jet of type PFW10 combined with a small rotation nozzle. The jet is guided by an integrated 3-axis robot system. The treatment is up to 200mm width, the speed allows a 10 to 100 m/min treatment.
Benefits of Openair-Plasma® technology
- surface properties’ transfer > hydrophobic/hydrophilic
- distinct fire property enhancement with glow wire ignition test (GWFI)
- easy working surface energy promoter
- complete substitution of chemical pre-cleaning process or adhesion primer
- high speed treatment and continuous processing
