Plastic-metal hybrid components are firmly established in industrial manufacturing and are becoming increasingly relevant in an era of lightweight construction. This material combination comes into its own for components whose property profile unites the individual strengths of both materials: The metal provides high strength and stiffness, while the plastic offers greater design flexibility combined with low density.
A reliable covalent bond is the key to joining two dissimilar materials to create a high quality, durable and reproducible compound. If not properly sealed, the joint interface between the plastic and metal materials constitutes a risk factor.
Together with plastic compound manufacturer AKRO-PLASTIC GmbH, Plasmatreat has developed a process for hybrid injection-molded components which significantly improves bond adhesion and can be integrated into mass production lines. The atmospheric PlasmaPlus® coating Plasma-SealTight® lies at the heart of this development. This coating facilitates the formation of a covalently bonded joint between the two materials to create a very strong, media-tight hybrid compound.
Plasma-SealTight® process: Reliable, reproducible and environmentally friendly
The Plasma-SealTight® process is designed as an automated inline solution for continuous production systems which can be fully integrated into the injection molding line. All process components within the overall concept (plasma polymer layer, plastic recipe, process parameters) are precisely matched to ensure that the process is reliable and reproducible even at high production capacities.
The first step involves cleaning the surface of the metal inlay to a microfine level with Openair-Plasma®. An adhesion-promoting, corrosion-proof, plasma polymer coating is then applied to the metal surface immediately after cleaning. Both the plasma cleaning and plasma coating process are completed in a matter of seconds and are area-selective, i.e. applied only to targeted areas. The thermoplastic is then injected onto the coated metal in the subsequent injection molding process.
The pretreatment steps used in conventional processes such as solvent-based primers, which are often harmful to the environment, can be completely replaced by the Plasma-SealTight® coating while maintaining quality assurance.
Improved bond strength compared with adhesion promoters
Plasma-SealTight® bonds to the metal (stainless steel, copper, aluminum, steel) at molecular level and at the same time generates organic compounds (functional groups) which ensure a strong adhesive bond between the metal and the plastic.
Tensile shear strengths of over 40 MPA can be achieved between plastic and metal with Plasma-SealTight®. Plasma coating achieves significantly higher bond strength than other processes such as adhesion promoters, laser micro-structuring or etching.
Media-tight hybrid bond
Water can penetrate the boundary layer and spread across the surface of materials that do not have a chemically bonded joint. In combination with oxygen, water corrodes the metal insert in the hybrid compound, leading to failure of the component function or even delamination.
The plasma coating prevents the penetration of aggressive media by filling in even the tiniest of cavities and bonding covalently with the metal surface. This protective seal provides a long-time stable barrier to water, salt solutions, oils and gases and prevents these media migrating below the surface.
Put Openair-Plasma® to the test with our rental and test systems.
How to measure surface energy with test ink.
Plasmatreat constantly faces shifting demands as a result of new ideas, regulations, and standards. Customers are increasingly approaching the company with unique and innovative project requests. Consequently, the capacities of the technology and research center will now be expanded to include a class-6 cleanroom.
Plasmatreat supports digitized manufacturing with its Plasma Control Unit (PCU) and makes numerous controls, regulation, and monitoring functions available to ensure consistently high surface-treatment quality and reproducibility.
VOCs occur when solvents and solvent-containing products are used, and they are harmful to the environment. Nevertheless, manufacturing in many industries still involves pre-treating surfaces with primers, bonding agents or other chemicals that release VOCs. With its Openair-Plasma process, Plasmatreat offers an environmentally friendly alternative.
