A Robust, Low Energy and High Speed Process for Curing Organic Coatings On Film Substrates and Objects Using Radiation Generated From A Low Pressure Gas Plasma Discharge

摘要

A magnetic field enhanced glow discharge (obtained, for example, from low pressure gas plasma) is generated in a treatment space within a vacuum coating apparatus, such as a conventional reel to reel web substrate vacuum coating apparatus for metals or metallic or non-metallic compounds, either before or after the point of deposition of said material(s). A polyrnerisable precursor material comprising a radiation curable species (or mixture of such species), in the form of a vapour or atomised liquid spray, is introduced into the treatment space. The positioning of the said radiation flux in the apparatus in relation to the monomer delivery is investigated. The apparatus is optimally designed such that the maximum impingement of the magnetron derived electron flux on the surface of the substrate can coincide spatially with the maximum arrival and condensation of the monomer on said surface, or sequential to said condensation. The technique has been