Simply put, plasma is an ionized gas, a gas into which sufficient energy frees electrons from atoms. Plasma is the fourth state of matter.  With plasma, positive ions, negative ions, electrons and radicals coexist in a concert of reactions and collisions — as long as an electric potential exists.

Plasma systems control the treatment conditions by controlling the gas type, flow, pressure, and concentration.  Plasma also dictates the energy, frequency, wattage, and electrode configuration.

Vacuum plasma technique is one form of surface modification our team provides.  Plasma has the unique ability to treat a material three dimensionally to prime any surface for adhesion, painting, coating or printing.  And plasma is recognized as a “green” process that releases no hazardous byproducts.

As always, if you still need some clarification – don’t hesitate to Ask The Experts!

But what type of product bag should be used in an accelerated aging test?

There are three common options:

1)      Polyethylene — is inexpensive and readily available, but offers a low melting point.

2)      Polyester — offers a higher melting point and can withstand a rigorous aging study, but is more expensive and not widely available.

3)      Aluminum— can be a good option, but is not widely used.  Aluminum is inexpensive and able to reach a higher temperature.  However, aluminum bags are difficult to seal completely (much like foil).

Bag options must be closely considered to ensure a successful aging test. In accelerated aging for medical applications, for instance, we need to determine whether to keep all of the parts in one bag or in separate bags.  It’s best to duplicate the method most commonly used in the real-life environment.

Tell us about your experience with accelerated aging. Check out the Video Learning Center for more information, too!

We thought we’d offer a quick review of sterilization methods:

1)      Steam — This process dates back to the days of Louis Pasteur, who used heat to kill microbes — or “pasteurization” that is still used today to protect perishable products such as milk.

Steam is still a popular sterilization method prized for its simplicity and relatively short processing time.  However, it can cause decay to the polymer, and can destroy surface treatments through water exposure.

2)      Ethylene oxide (EOX)  — is an option for devices that are sensitive to heat and moisture.  EOX changes the surface of the polymer, but it will revert back.  It uses relatively low temperatures for sterilization, but requires a long aeration process after each cycle.

3)   Gamma rays – This is the method we most recommend.  It can be used on many products all at once – it even penetrates boxes.   We also like that it can be used on any plasma-treated surface and preserves the treatment molecules. With gamma, we can increase the dosage accordingly to modify bulk properties.  It is a unique process for cleaning and sterilization.

Which method of sterilization does your team frequently use?

But what if there were a permanent treatment for inanimate surfaces to help us avoid — and even eliminate — the spread of bacteria, pathogens, and viruses?  Our R&D team is at work on such a solution.

Although still in the testing stage, our propylene additive will have a permanent anti-bacterial and anti-fungal effect on hard surfaces.  The key to remaining germ-free?  A nano silver additive that keeps hard surfaces hygienic indefinitely.

Look for more information to follow.

This is a great question — and a multi-step process. Assuming your lens is a polymer lens like polycarbonate or CR-39, currently there is no single surface treatment for both anti-abrasion and anti-reflective (AR) properties.  Instead, one would apply the anti-abrasion coating first, followed by the AR process, which is done in a vacuum for a uniform and consistent result.

Your abrasion-resistant coating options include:

A)    Polyurethane  – This usually is the most economical coating, which is applied by either sprayed or dip method. This is a popular treatment for end user ophthalmics, but also has the least durability and longevity.

B)    DLC (Diamond-like coating) – An extremely hard, durable coating, that is relatively expensive, but most effective for high-end users.  DLC ensures high-performance and impact-resistance as the resulting surface is very close to the hardness of diamond.

Our team can help you explore your best solution.

Your question is one that we are seeing more frequently. And the short answer is that it all depends on the amount of oil.

If you can see a significant oil collection, then you need to wash the tubing in an ultrasonic bath with an emulsifier. Then, you may simply wipe the tubing with an alcohol wipe to remove any excess. It really depends on the level of contamination. Generally speaking, I’ve found that catheters have a superficial level of oil.

If the amount of oil is superficial, plasma can carry away the excess oil via a specific oxygen treatment. We do not advise corona treatment for this application, since it can make the silicone hydrophilic and give a false impression of being clean. Plasma is a more elegant solution and will “superclean” the surface to promote better adhesion.  Learn how we recently solved this challenge.

Currently, micro-light fiberglass is used for aircraft insulation, but it has the tendency to absorb moisture, which can add substantial — and unwanted — weight to the craft.  A typical flight may consist of up to 1,500 lbs of water weight.

Our team is working on an alternative to fiberglass insulation . The following materials are foam products that offer good acoustic, insulative, and weight properties, but have a tendency to absorb moisture like the fiberglass. We treat these foam products to inhibit these properties:

1)      AC 530 — a polyimide material, is lightweight, fire resistant and offers thermal and noise insulation.  It is a flexible material, but holds its shape and conforms to structural inlay. But, this foam is prone to moisture absorption.

2)      Melamine foam — is also lightweight, fire resistant, and offers thermal and noise insulation. This foam is flexible and holds its shape and conforms to structural inlay. But, this foam will naturally absorb moisture particularly well.

Our hydrophobic process offers the distinct advantage of penetrating the entire surface of the material, unlike some processes that may sit only on the surface. Our process enhances the properties to form a better water-resistant property that inhibits the absorption of moisture maintaining the dry weight of the aircraft.

As always – if you are still burning with questions, Ask The Experts!

Though our tests indicate this treatment does not work well on natural materials like wood and cotton, but this treatment performs great on synthetic fibers and fabrics.

If you would like more information on this product, please continue to our website at www.tstar.com.

Testing of these devices includes mechanical, thermal, chemical tests as well as systemic injection, intracutaneous and implantation. All of these must be done before a plastic component can be approved. Typical materials for biocompatible applications include medical grades of PVC and Polyethylene, PEEK, Polycarbonate, Ultem PEI, Polysulfone, Polypropylene and Polyurethane. For more specific information on Biocompatible materials as well as special plasma preparation treatments of all of these materials, contact TriStar Plastics at www.tstar.com and visit our Video Learning Center and our Materials Database.