pps proceeding - Abstract Preview
pps proceeding
Symposium: S01 - Extrusion and Coatings
Oral Presentation
 
 

Investigations of an atmospheric pressure plasma treatment of plastic melts

Burandt Pia (1)*, Schiffers Reinhard (1)

(1) University Duisburg-Essen - Duisburg - Germany

In plastics processing, different plastics are combined to achieve complex property profiles in the product. One challenge that arises here is the generation of sufficient adhesion between the bonding partners. The surface energy of the respective plastics is considered decisive here. For a bond at the interface, this should be as high as possible and consist of equal polar and disperse proportions. However, the polarity or surface energy of plastics differs due to the atoms involved in the macromolecular structure. To overcome these differences, adhesives and adhesion agents are used in practice. The application is associated with disadvantages, for example with an additional process step. In addition, there are increasing tightening requirements due to new restrictions for the application of raw materials used in the adhesion agents and adhesives The approach presented in this paper to overcome these deficits is to treat the plastic melt of the partner with the lower surface energy as it leaves the extrusion die with atmospheric pressure plasma and use it for a film composite free of adhesion agents and adhesives. Against this background, investigations were carried out into the feasibility of treating plastic melt with atmospheric pressure plasma. The target value for the assessment was the surface energy, considering the respective polar and disperse proportions. A contact angle measurement was therefore used and showed that a significant increase in surface energy can be achieved. Subsequently, it was investigated whether plasma treatment of plastic melts can be used for an adhesive-free film composite between Polyethylene (PE) and Polyamide (PA). For this purpose, the PE was treated and combined with the untreated PA in melted form. The solidification took place as a compound. It was shown that a successful bond without adhesives and adhesion agents can be achieved by plasma treatment of the melt after it leaves the mold.