Abstract: A plasma reaction method is conducted at atmospheric pressure and is used to treat a surface of a substrate with a reactive plasma. The reaction method involves introducing a mixture of helium and a reactant (monomer) gas into a reaction vessel having upper and lower electrodes. In a preferred embodiment the upper electrode is provided with grooves for diffusing the plasma uniformly over the surface of the electrode. The helium and reactant gas mixture is excited at atmospheric pressure to produce a stable glow discharge plasma which reacts with the surface of the substrate. The preferred gas mixture has helium present at greater than 90% and uses ethylene or tetrafluoromethane as a reactant component.

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: 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: A method for preparing a rubber-based composite material by joining a base material and a rubber composition together by heat pressure bonding can achieve strong bonding without using any adhesives, wherein a monomer is polymerized by atmospheric-pressure glow discharge plasma technique to form a polymerized film having unsaturated bonds on the surface of the base material and then the rubber composition is bonded to said polymerized film by heat pressure bonding to join the base material and the rubber together.

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: The apparatus of the present invention comprises a reaction vessel, and disposed within this vessel, a pair of opposed electrodes. The opposed electrodes comprise an upper electrode and a lower electrode which are spaced apart a suitable distance for receiving the substrate. The lower electrode has an upper surface covered with a solid dielectric. The upper electrode may have its lower surface covered with a solid dielectric, or it may be composed of a plurality of fine wires. Near the spaced apart electrodes are a plurality of gas outlets for uniformly dispersing the reaction gas between the spaced apart electrodes.The method of the present invention comprises introducing a reagent gas or a mixture of a reagent gas and a rare gas or an inert gas into the reaction vessel, exciting the gas to produce a glow discharge plasma under atmospheric pressure, and treating the surface of the substrate with the plasma.

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: This invention provides an atmospheric plasma reaction method characterized by introducing a mixed gas of rare gas and reactive gas into a reaction vessel having a dielectric-coated electrode wherein the surface of two or more electrodes located parallel therewith are provided with solid dielectrics, exciting said mixed gas with plasma at atmospheric pressure, then transporting the active species to the downstream of the plasma and treating the surface of a substrate.This invention also provides an atmospheric plasma reaction apparatus.

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: A process for forming a thin polymeric film is disclosed, which comprises introducing a mixture of an organic monomer gas and helium into a reaction vessel, producing a glow discharge plasma at atmospheric pressure and depositing the plasma on a substrate wherein the helium in the gas mixture is present in an amount higher than 90% by volume.

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.