Plasmas and polymers: From laboratory to large scale commercialization

Abstract

The use of low-pressure plasmas for materials processing, pioneered by the semiconductor industry since the 1960s, is now also a commercial reality in technologies which make extensive use of plastics (automotive, aerospace, packaging, pharmaceutical, and other industries). On hand of examples from our own experience, we show how research on plasma surface modification of polymers and plasma coating of polymers has progressed from the university laboratory, via pilot-scale operations, to full-scale commercial implementation.