Advanced Composite Surface Preparation with Plasma
Plasmatreat, a global leader in atmospheric and low-pressure plasma technology, will feature its advanced surface treatment solutions for carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP), high-performance thermoplastics, and structural bonding at CAMX 2026 (Booth X56)
Solving the Advanced Composite “Bonding Bottleneck”
As the aerospace industry shifts toward next-generation lightweight materials, including PEEK, PEKK, SMC, and CFRP, manufacturers face persistent challenges with chemical inertness and low surface energy. Traditional preparation methods like manual sanding, solvent wiping, and peel plies introduce variables such as fiber damage, health hazards, and residual contaminants. Plasmatreat addresses this “bonding bottleneck” with inline plasma surface preparation, delivering zero-defect reliability without destructive mechanical abrasion or chemical primers.
“The aerospace industry is one of our most important growth markets, and we are seeing increasing adoption of both our Openair-Plasma® and Aurora low-pressure plasma technologies as manufacturers implement next-generation bonding and assembly processes,” said Hardev Grewal, President and CEO of Plasmatreat North America.
“Surface preparation has become a critical step in achieving reliable, high-performance bonds, and our plasma solutions help aerospace companies improve quality, consistency, and production efficiency.”
Through a dual mechanism of micro-cleaning and chemical activation, Openair-Plasma® technology removes organic contaminants and residual release agents while creating polar functional groups on the substrate. In a recent university study, this process increased composite surface energy from below 28 mN/m to over 68 mN/m, transforming a hydrophobic surface into a hydrophilic one for optimal adhesive wetting. In interfacial fracture toughness testing, plasma-treated PEKK composites consistently shift from adhesive failure to cohesive failure.
Visit Plasmatreat at Booth X56 – Live Demos & Surface Consulting
At Booth X56, the Plasmatreat team will offer live plasma demonstrations and real-time surface consulting. Visitors are invited to witness hands-on plasma treatment and insights using water contact angle testing to provide live data.
Plasmatreat will also offer on-the-spot surface consulting throughout the event. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own material samples for real-time analysis and personalized feedback from our technical team. This hands-on approach is designed to help manufacturers evaluate surface readiness, improve adhesion, reduce rework, and streamline bonding processes—right from the show floor.
We look forward to welcoming you to Booth X56 and showing how plasma technology can help protect your product—and the planet.