Abstract: A plastic tube extruded from an extruder is conveyed through a plasma treatment apparatus. The plasma treatment apparatus is equipped with a tubular electrode body having a high-voltage side electrode and a grounded-side electrode disposed on a tubular insulator and a high frequency electric power source connected to the electrodes. When the plastic tube is conveyed through the electrode body with one end of the tube open to the atmosphere, a mixture of a glow discharge-stabilizing gas and a treating gas is fed into the other end of the tube and an alternating-current high-voltage is applied to generate a plasma region at a pressure near to atmospheric pressure in which the tube is treated with a glow discharge plasma. This method allows an interior and/or exterior surface of a plastic tube designed to convey a medical fluid to be continuously treated by a glow discharge plasma at atmospheric pressure to form an anti-thrombotic and blood-compatible film on the surface treated.

Abstract: An atmospheric pressure glow discharge plasma treatment method, in which a gaseous mixture comprising argon, argon and helium, or argon and hydrogen, mixed with water vapor or water vapor and ketones at room temperature or a specified temperature, is introduced into a plasma reactor having a dielectric-coated electrode comprising a solid dielectric disposed on the surface of at least one of opposing electrodes, and a high-frequency voltage is applied under atmospheric pressure to generate atmospheric pressure glow discharge and excite a plasma, thereby making surface treatment of plastics or fibers disposed between the electrodes.

Abstract: A length of sheet material is continuously surface treated, typically modified or coated, by continuously feeding helium gas or a helium gas mixture into a treating chamber while a plasma region is created in the gas under atmospheric pressure, continuously moving a length of sheet material into and out of the chamber through entrance and exit ports to pass through the plasma region, thereby continuously subjecting the sheet at either surface to plasma discharge treatment. The entrance and exit ports are sealed in a less gas tight manner to allow leakage of the helium gas or gas mixture.

Abstract: Tightly integrated composite products are obtained by treating a fluoropolymer member on its surface with atmospheric pressure glow discharge plasma in a helium gas atmosphere containing 97% by volume or more of helium gas, and joining another member of rubber compositions, resins, metals, ceramics, or semiconductors to the surface treated fluoropolymer member. By using a fluoropolymer sheet as the fluoropolymer member and a metal or synthetic resin layer as the other member, there are obtained weather-resistant composite sheets in which the layer is firmly bonded to the fluoropolymer sheet.

Abstract: A grounded electrode and a high-voltage applying electrode, each obtained by covering a metal electrode with a dielectric are housed at least within a reactor apparatus. A rare gas can be introduced in the apparatus by way of a gas delivery tube, and a monomer gas can be admitted in the apparatus by way of a gas delivery tube. An additional gas may also be introduced in the apparatus by way of a gas delivery tube. The employed gases may be discharged from within the reactor by way of a discharge tube. Powders are charged in the apparatus with a rare gas, monomer gas, or combination thereof and, optionally, additional gases may be included, the gas components being selected based upon what type of electrical power is to be treated. Powers ape supplied to the electrodes to induce atmospheric-pressure plasma reactions, thereby modifying or enhancing the characteristics of the powders.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for the treatment of a powder by use of a plasma reactor under atmospheric pressure, comprising the steps of providing a reaction chamber having first and second electrodes covered with a dielectric, an upper gas exhaust means and a lower gas inlet means, feeding a fluidizing gas comprising a rare gas, a monomer gas or a mixture thereof through said gas inlet means into said chamber to agitate a powder to be treated in said chamber, concurrently removing said gas from said chamber through said gas exhaust means; and generating a glow plasma under atmospheric pressure in said chamber by applying a voltage to said first electrode and grounding said second electrode whereby said powder is provided with an anticorrosive surface treatment.

Abstract: This invention concerns a SiO.sub.2, SiN.sub.x protection film formed by a CVD or PVD gas phase glowing method capable of preventing melting of the matrix ingredients at the surface of a dielectric material in electric discharge of an ozone generator and it relates to a dielectric material used for an ozone generator capable of overcoming the problems for the abrasion of electrode and dielectric material or melting of ions or molecules of during electric discharge, as well as a method of forming a protection film therefor based on the finding that an SiO.sub.2 film or SiN.sub.x film can be formed easily on a surface of a predetermined electric material or, further, on a surface of electrode by processing a specific reaction gas, for example, comprising a crude gas such as SiH.sub.4, SiCl.sub.4, N.sub.2, NH.sub.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for surface treatment which comprises subjecting an object for surface treatment to an atmospheric pressure plasma while rolling or floating said object in an insulating vessel fed with a prescribed gas and provided on the outside thereof or on both the outside and inside thereof with electrodes for voltage application and grounding, said atmospheric pressure plasma occurring upon application of a voltage to said electrodes. This method permits simple, certain, and uniform surface treatment of any objects in the form of lump or sphere. The surface treatment by the atmospheric pressure plasma does not need the apparatus to be evacuated. Therefore, it can be carried out in a simple apparatus without causing the object for surface treatment to release volatile matters.Disclosed also herein is a method for the surface treatment of vulcanized rubber with an atmospheric pressure plasma in the presence of an oxygen-containing gas and halogen containing gases.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for producing golf balls which comprises surface-treating a golf ball with atmospheric pressure plasma prior to finish coating. The resulting golf balls have a coating film which is in good adhesion to the golf ball and highly resistant to discoloration and deterioration by heat, moisture, and light. The surface treatment is by the atmospheric pressure plasma which does not need the treating apparatus to be evacuated. The surface treatment under atmospheric pressure requires only a simple treating apparatus and can be applied to any golf balls without evaporating volatile matters contained therein.

Abstract: A surface treating apparatus which comprises a hollow cylindrical electrode and a counter electrode provided within the hollow cylindrical electrode, and a power supply for applying a potential between the electrode and the counter electrode to cause an atmospheric pressure plasma in the presence of a selected gas to generate within the cylindrical electrode is described. A method is also described, wherein a material to be treated is placed between the electrodes and a potential is applied therebetween to generate the plasma to effect the surface treatment of the material. The method and apparatus are very effective for surface treatment of axially symmetric substrates in the form of bars, tubes or fibers.

Abstract: A surface treatment process for improving surface properties of a timber as to wetness by exposing the timber to a plasma mixture of an inert gas and a reactive gas at a near atmospheric pressure. Prior to being exposed to the plasma mixture, the timber is treated to reduce a moisture content below a fiber saturation point of the timber so as to eliminate free moisture from the fibers of the timber which would otherwise lead to unstable plasma and therefore detract an uniform improvement over substantially the entire surface expected at the subsequent exposure to the plasma mixture. Thus, the plasma treatment can be effected in the absence of the free moisture to obtain a desired surface improvement uniformly across the surface of the timber, which gives an enhanced practicability of improving the surface properties of the timber, in addition to that the plasma mixture is generated at near the atmospheric pressures readily available without requiring substantial vacuum generating equipments.

Abstract: According to this invention, there is provided an atmospheric pressure plasma surface treatment process comprising the steps of introducing a gas in a plasma reaction apparatus having a pair of dielectric-covered electrodes having opposing surfaces on at least one of which is provided with a solid dielectric; performing plasma excitation under atmospheric pressure; and surface treating an object placed between the opposing electrodes, wherein the gas introduced is a gaseous composition consisting essentially of argon, helium and/or ketone. This process makes it possible to quickly imparting hydrophilic nature to surfaces of an object made of a plastic to be treated. The hydrophilic nature given lasts long.

Abstract: Plates, sheets, fibers and other articles can be rendered water repellent by subjecting the articles at their surface to a glow discharge plasma under atmospheric pressure. The treating gas is a mixture of an inert gas and a fluorinated compound in the form of a cyclic or unsaturated hydrocarbon having some or all of the hydrogen atoms thereof replaced by halogen groups including fluorine atoms. The surface treatment lowers the surface energy of the articles in a long lasting manner.