Our Plasma & Coating group develops plasma-based processes to tailor functionalized (textile) surfaces. Reactive plasma species are used to modify material surfaces at low temperature through etching (plasma activation, cleaning) and deposition processes (plasma polymerization, sputtering). Beside lab-scale plasma reactors, two pilot-plant reactors both for web and fiber coating are available.

• Plasma coatings enable film properties such as hydrophilic/hydrophobic, antimicrobial, antistatic, conductive, permanence and washing fastness, friction-reducing etc. without influencing the textile properties, i.e. mechanical strength and touch.

• Plasma technology is used as a tool to achieve novel composite materials (fiber reinforced or nano composites, permanent stain repellent surfaces).

• The development and modification of plasma reactors supports the optimization of plasma processes, also regarding scalability. By using pilot-plant reactors the conditions for the transfer of plasma processes into industry are obtained.

Contact

Dr Dirk Hegemann
+41 58 765 72 68
dirk.hegemann@empa.ch