Abstract: A method of bonding an adherent to a substrate, wherein a primer is applied to the substrate by plasma deposition and the adherent is bonded to the primer treated surface of the substrate, and the primer contains functional groups which chemically bond to functional groups in the adherent.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating a travelling web of material in a predetermined gaseous atmosphere comprising a chamber (1) through which a moving web of material (2) is transported from an inlet at a first end of the chamber (1) to an outlet at a second end and a means for introducing and controlling gas (5) intended to provide said predetermined gaseous atmosphere within said chamber (1), wherein said inlet and outlet each comprise a sealing means (4a, 4b) designed to enable passage of said web of material (2) therethrough whilst minimising the ingress of an external gas boundary layer (3) around said web of material (2) characterised in that said apparatus also comprises one or more re-circulation channels (7, 8) adapted to re-circulate gases within said chamber (1) from the second end of the chamber to the first end of the chamber thereby negating or substantially negating any pressure difference within the chamber (1) between said inlet and outlet.

Abstract: A method for forming a polymeric coating on a substrate surface, by plasma treating a mixture comprising a free-radical initiated polymerisable monomer having one or more free-radical polymerisable groups in the presence of a free radical initiator, wherein said plasma treatment is a soft ionisation plasma process (a process wherein precursor molecules are not fragmented during the plasma process and as a consequence, the resulting polymeric coating has the physical properties of the precursor or bulk polymer) aid depositing the resulting polymeric coating material onto a substrate surface.

Abstract: A non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma incorporating an atomised surface treatment agent is generated by applying a radio frequency high voltage to at least one electrode positioned within a dielectric housing while causing a process gas to flow from the inlet of the housing past the electrode to the outlet. The voltage applied is sufficiently high to generate a non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma extending from the electrode at least to the outlet of the housing. The electrode may be combined with an atomiser for the surface treatment agent within the housing. The electrode may comprise a radioactive material. The surface to be treated can be positioned adjacent to the plasma outlet so that the surface is in contact with the plasma, and moved relative to the plasma outlet.

Abstract: In a process for plasma treating a surface, a non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma is generated within a dielectric housing having an inlet and an outlet through which a process gas flows from the inlet to the outlet. A tube formed at least partly of dielectric material extends outwardly from the outlet of the housing, whereby the end of the tube forms the plasma outlet. The surface to be treated is positioned adjacent to the plasma outlet so that the surface is in contact with the plasma and is moved relative to the plasma outlet.

Abstract: A method for forming an active material containing coating on a substrate, which method comprises the steps of: i) introducing one or more gaseous or atomised liquid and/or solid coating-forming materials which undergo chemical bond forming reactions within a plasma environment and one or more active materials which substantially do not undergo chemical bond forming reactions within a plasma environment, into an atmospheric or low pressure non-thermal equilibrium plasma discharge and/or an excited gas stream resulting therefrom, and ii) exposing the substrate to the resulting mixture of atomised coating-forming and at least one active material which are deposited onto the substrate surface to form a coating; wherein the substrate is not a wipe, cloth or sponge for household care or depilatory care or a water solute household cleaning unit dose product.