Application fields
Implants and prosthesis
The spectrum of the applications, which are plasma-technically supported, range from hip prosthesis, knee prosthesis, artificial heart valve, ocular lenses, breast implants, ligaments and tendons prosthesis, dental implants to artificial vein parting. The activation of the implant surface improves the adhesions of the biocompatible coating to the metal or ceramics implant. The spread coatings improve the prosthesis ingrowth in the bone tissue and guarantee a reliable anchorage.
Cell culture
The surface activation improves the adhesion of the cells. Without adhesion the cell growth is impossible. The activation enabled the growth of tissue or even whole organs. Plasma enabled the coating of biosensors, immunoassay and the structuring of functionalised polymers.
Paint technology
The surface modification with the coating of the components makes the removing of paint leavings easier like the grids. Thereby it is possible to substitute a water high pressure technology in the middle pressure area (to 500 bars). It is possible to considerable lengthen the service life of grids.
Packing technology
Annually 120 milliard plastic bottles are generated from PET. They were needed up to now for mineral water and sodas. However, PET bottles are no a suitable container for beer. The bottles let too much oxygen penetrate into the beer and too much carbon dioxide from the drink escape. The beer becomes flat and quickly unenjoyable. The internal coating of the bottle from the amorphous carbon improves the barrier qualities 30 times for oxygen and seven times for CO2. The coating will carry out in acetylene plasma. The coating with silicon oxide from outside rises the barrier qualities up to 10000 times. These prepared PET bottles can replace a heavy, breakable glass bottle. Advantage: Fuel savings with the transport so less costs and a smaller environmental impact.
Bakery technology
The non-stick coating enabled the baking without greasing. The coating makes the use of cleansing baths superfluous. It enabled the food industry to use a long-term temperature permanence up to 300°C and in short-term even up to 350°C, and while overheating no noxious decomposition products are released. In baking companies the non-stick coating endures more than 10,000 baking processes.
Sterilisation
The sterilisation of heat sensitive objects like enzymatic biosensors for the continuous measurement of the blood sugar concentration is a special challenge. The elements like enzymes, antibodies and other proteins would be destroyed with steam sterilisation. The sterilisation by means of the chemicals and ultraviolet rays marks low effectiveness. Plasma looks gentle, effective and environmentally friendly.
Textile technology
Plasma-technical functionalisation brings new possibilities in the textile technology. It makes textiles hydrophobic and oil- repellent and replaces the use of environmentally harmful, wet chemical methods. The technical textiles will be used as protective clothing, in the transportation and building industry, with filtration and transport systems. Plasma causes no wool weight losses, improves the effectiveness and the speed of the colouration and it is environmentally friendly.
