Increasing demands on component functionality and the need for efficient manufacturing processes are keeping multi-component injection molding squarely in the focus of plastics processing. Not all materials can be processed reliably in the desired combination. The new InMould Plasma process, which is fully integrated into the injection molding process, facilitates more-efficient production and paves the way for completely new material combinations. Kunststoffe (01/2020) reports in detail.
“Inactivation of bacterial endospores on surfaces by plasma processed air”
Results of a research project together with researchers from Fraunhofer IVV (Freising) was recently published in the Journal of Applied Microbiology.
The scientific publication demonstrates that a portable plasma system, developed by Plasmatreat, generates plasma processed air, which is able to efficiently disinfect surfaces. The Plasmatreat portable plasma system could be a promising alternative to manual decontamination with harmful disinfectants in case of biological hazards and pandemics, for personal protective equipment of rescue forces. In Addition, the current drawbacks regarding supply, handling and disposal of chemicals, could be overcome.
When adhesion is not just functionally relevant, but also a matter of product safety, pretreating the material with plasma is often the only option to satisfy the high standards required. The DICHTUNGSTECHNIK JAHRBUCH 2020 (Yearbook of Sealing and Gasket Technologies 2020) describes in detail the use of Plasmatreat technologies for safety-relevant industrial adhesive and sealing processes.
Just a few years ago, a global lighting manufacturer decided to radically change his pretreatment method before bonding. Instead of wet chemicals, atmospheric pressure plasma achieved the high level of adhesion required for the thousands of aluminum lighting housings produced each year. ALUMINIUM-PRAXIS (Kick-Off Edition 11/2019) reports.
Research for civil protection: Decontamination with DBD plasma
For the 'MoPlasDekon' (mobile plasma decontamination) joint project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Plasmatreat and its project partners have developed a plasma disinfector which can decontaminate surfaces contaminated as a result of biological hazards without using chemicals. MEDICINE & TECHNOLOGY (No.1 [11].2019) reports.
Large quantities of chemicals and contaminated wastewater are normally incurred during the precleaning of aluminum strips before coating. For the past 12 years, Openair-Plasma® has enabled a leading solar shading manufacturer to avoid using any wet chemicals for fine cleaning their aluminum strips and so set an example of environment responsibility. The specialist journal WOMAG (10/2019) reports in detail.
When three giant LNG tankers are still safely sailing the oceans after thirteen years, Openair-Plasma® and the cooperation of German-French engineers in the implementation of the safety-relevant bonding process for tank insulation have made a decisive contribution. The German specialist journal DICHT! ("TIGHT!" / 3 (9)/2019) reports on the largest application of this plasma technology ever.
Environmentally friendly pretreatment for aluminum
The use of wet chemicals is still the standard method of pretreating aluminum surfaces, but there is a growing desire to avoid toxic substances and reduce energy consumption. The journal POLYSURFACES (No.3[9].2019) has published a series of case studies to show how the two plasma technologies Openair-Plasma® and PlasmaPlus® save energy and entirely dispense with environmentally harmful pretreatment processes.
A newly developed, mobile plasma technology should make it possible for the first time to perform the necessary disinfection of contaminated surfaces in hazardous areas anywhere in the world without using harmful and polluting chemicals. WERKSTOFFE IN DER FERTIGUNG ("Materials in production"), Issue No. 5 [9-10] /2019, contains a detailed report on the background to and results of the MoPlasDekon research project.
If airborne communications between the pilot and the control tower fail, the safety of passengers can no longer be guaranteed. For world-leading systems manufacturer Rohde & Schwarz, Openair-Plasma® ensures the long-time stable adhesion of the polymer protective coating to the plastic-encapsulated circuit board assemblies. The specialist plastics processing journal KUNSTSTOFF + VERARBEITUNG has published the case study in its 2019 edition.
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