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4th State Inc.

1260 Elmer St.
Belmont, CA 94002
Tel: 650/596-1600
Fax: 650/596-1604

Web: http://www.4thstate.com
E-mail: sales@4thstate.com


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Gas plasma processes are utilized for a wide variety of applications in many different industries.

Cleaning:
Inert and oxygen plasmas are ideal for cleaning. The plasma cleaning process removes, via ablation, organic contaminates such as cutting oils, skin oils, mold releases, et cetera on the surface of most industrial materials. To obtain molecular cleanliness there is not a more effective method than plasma.

Activation:
When a polymer or elastomer is treated in an inert gas or a non-carbon containing gas such as oxygen, ammonia or nitrous oxide to name a few, the primary result is the incorporation of different moieties of the process gas onto the surface of the material being treated. For example, the surface of polyethylene normally consists solely of carbon and hydrogen, however, in an appropriate plasma the surface may be "activated" to contain a variety of functional groups including but not limited to hydroxyl, carbonyl, peroxyl, carboxylic, amino and amines. Almost any polymer or elastomer surface may be modified providing chemical functionality to specific adhesives or coatings significantly enhancing the adhesion characteristics and permanency. Polymers activated in such a manner provide greatly enhanced adhesive strength and permanency.

Deposition:
When a more complex molecule is employed as the process gas a process known as plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) may result. For instance, if carbon tetrafluoride is employed the gas may undergoes fragmentation in the plasma and then reacts with itself to combine into a polymer. PECVD coatings dramatically alter the permeation and tribological properties of the material on to which these have been deposited.

Give 4th State a call today (www.4thstate.com/contact.htm) to discuss how plasma can benefit your application or learn more about the plasma advantage at www.4thstate.com/techpubs.htm.

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