Surface is the only attribute of a material which can be independently changed. Surface pre-treatment has become a frequent alternative to an expensive searching of a suitable material, or the only solution how to achieve required material properties of plastics.
Fluorination makes it possible to change the surface properties without influencing the mechanical and thermal properties. The surface properties achieved through fluorination are stable over a long period of time:
- Improved wettability
- Adhesivity
- Suitable friction coefficients
- Barrier properties
For many applications, fluorination has proved to be the best form of pre-treatment.
Examples:
- Decorating (painting and printing)
- Sticking (flocking and laminating)
- Achievement of preset friction coefficients
- Minimisation of diffusion and permeation
Fluorination has been employed successfully in many areas:
- Packaging
- Construction
- Automotive industry
- Electrical systems
- Medical systems
- Air and space travel
- Textiles
Fluorination Process
In the fluorination process, the surface of the plastic parts to be treated is exposed to a fluorine mixture. Due to its high reactivity, fluorine causes the required surface changes. It does not need to be encouraged through additional energy. This makes the process very simple and safe to monitor.
