FLAIR Air Flame Treatment Enhanced Oxidation Corona
Plasmawerk Hamburg GmbH builds machinery for atmospheric pressure plasma treatment of fast moving, wide webs
Plasmawerk Established, 2009 Largest order in atmospheric pressure plasma history, 2010 Largest atmospheric pressure plasma treater ever, 2010 1000 m/min Largest controlled atmosphere plasma system in history, 2010 BOPP. 400 m/min, 1350 mm diameter main roller Largest order in corona history, 2011 1.5 MW total power Largest BOPP treater in history, 2011 480 kw, 9 electrodes Largest controlled atmosphere plasma system ever, 2011 First all stainless steal cleanroom BIAX corona treater, 2011 Largest BIAX corona treater ever, 2013 480 kw, 12 electrodes Largest controlled atmosphere plasma system ever, 2014 First FLAIR air flame treatment system for the BOPP industry, 2015
FLAIR Advantages Ultra high surface tension and treatment stability High energy efficiency, low power consumption Reduction of customer rejects and quality cost Maintenance free roller, no silicone coating Lower operational cost and machine downtime Compact size, smaller roller diameters possible
Polymer Surface Energy x PE PP PVC is low because the electronegativity of C and H is very similar (2.5 vs. 2.2) can be increased by implanting atoms with different electronegativity (e.g. O, 3.5, O-H) in plasma treatment, like corona (= atmospheric pressure plasma, using normal air as process gas) x x C H C H C H O H O C O H electron density low surface energy, low adhesion - + - + - + el.dens. high surface energy, high adhesion
surface tension [mn/m] Ultra High Surface Tension due to enhanced oxidation and less polymer chain scission 72 70 68 66 64 62 60 58 56 54 52 50 48 46 44 42 40 38 36 34 32 30 BOPP homopolymer FLAIR Corona 0 20 40 60 80 100 power dosage [Wmin/m 2 ] Saturation plateau of corona, adding more Oxygen groups is balanced out by excess chain scission of polymers (over treatment, film damage)
Peel strength [N/1.5cm] Corona Chain Scission produces low molecular weight components low adhesion to bulk polymer very mobile (low stability, Oxygen groups turn down into the polymer bulk and never come back) blocking, due to Oligomers forming a resin H C H C Polymer H C H C H C chain scission < functionalisation chain scission > functionalisation 8 6 example actual results may differ 4 2 0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 Corona Dosage [Wmin/m²]
surface tension [mn/m] Long Lasting Treatment due to less polymer chain scission and increased crosslinking 72 70 68 66 64 62 60 58 56 54 52 50 48 46 44 42 40 38 36 34 32 30 BOPP homopolymer FLAIR Corona shelve life 0 20 40 60 80 100 power dosage time
Air Plasma Chemistry N O 2 O 2 HO 2 H 2 O NO 2 O NO 3 N OH In an electrical discharge the main air molecules N 2, O 2, H 2 O chemically interact in many reaction mechanisms with each other, with new molecules being formed, with electrons and ions of the discharge, and with the polymer film surface. Consequently, also Ozone (O3) is being produced.
FLAIR Plasma Chemistry In FLAIR systems the air plasma reaction mechanisms and rate equations are tuned to favor reactions and species that improve the functionalisation of the polymer film surface and to suppress reactions and species that are bad for the functionalisation and the stability of the treatment, primarily those which will cause chain scission (e.g. O3)
Enhanced Oxidation Corona Optimized plasma chemistry for enhanced surface oxidation Oxygen based surface modification, chemically compatible to corona and flame treatment
surface tension [mn/m] High Energy Efficiency 56 54 BOPP homopolymer 52 50 48 46 FLAIR 44 42 Corona 40 38 36 34 32 30 0 20 40 60 80 100 P 42 Flair P 42 Corona power dosage [Wmin/m 2 ]
Durable Stainless Steel Roller HybridCore Empowers FLAIR Stainless steel SUS surface Carbon fibre CFRP core Minimum thermal deformation No water cooling necessary Low weight, reduced drive system High power loading No failing silicone coatings
Reduce Treatment Costs Reduce cost for treatment roller No spare roller needed No silicone recoating every 18-24 months Less machine down time / production failures No silicone repair onsite Reduce internal rejections Improve delivery schedule Increase total machine output Reduce carbon footprint of factory Reduce customer rejections Improve customer relations Avoid rejection cost
Reduce Cost For Treatment Roller Corona 8.7 m BOPP Spare Roller : 100.000 US$ Roll Repair : 5.000 US$ Machine downtime : 15.000 US$ Roll Repair : 5.000 US$ Machine downtime : 15.000 US$ Roll Repair : 5.000 US$ Machine downtime : 15.000 US$ Roll recoating : 30.000 US$ TOTAL : 190.000 US$ TIME 6 mo 12 mo 18 mo 24 mo FLAIR Additional investment cost for upgrade or new system, appr. 150 250.000 US$ (no spare roller needed, by design) Maintenance free operation of the FLAIR system over it s entire life span! Cost for FLAIR system : - 40.000 (savings) to + 50.000 US$, within 24 mo. only from treatment roller
FLAIR Enhanced Oxidation Corona After 60 years of corona treatment, finally the next level was reached
Compact Size Small diameter roller even at high power loading Convenient web paths Easy access PIANO air nip option Higher power loading for given roller diameter ideal for power and performance upgrades
Reliable Plasma/Corona Technology Purely electrically powered plasma process No process gas requirement, just air Less ozone problems (pollution) Low running costs
FLAIR : Future Outlook FLAIR can change the way that the BOPP and CPP industries are working today Longer possible transport times will allow concentration of film production on a lower number of lines with higher output, located at positions with low labour cost and/or lower energy cost New film products will be made possible, e.g. anti-fog films with 48 mn/m on anti-fog and 42 mn/m on printing side, synthetic paper with excellent printability, new metalized films FLAIR can empower printing with waterbased inks Printing on BOPP, CPP and PE with high additive content, without the need for costly primer coatings New ink formulations for improved product presentation FLAIR treatment directly in the printing line will even allow printing on originally completely untreated films