PLASMA The Chemistry Tool for the 21st Century

Gas plasma processes are emerging as an important industrial tool for the treatment of plastics to enhance the adhesion and permanence of paints. Gas plasma treatment permanently modifies the surface of plastics introducing chemical functionality that is capable of reacting with paints typically employed in the automotive industry. This chemical reactivity helps assure optimum performance of the painted plastic. This paper reviews the plasma process, equipment and typical performance of painted thermoplastic polyolefin.