by Scott R. Sabreen, president, The Sabreen Group, Inc. High-performance polymers, including polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherimid (PEI), polyimide (PI) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), are among the most difficult plastics to bond. These plastics are used widely for applications needing high-temperature stability, broad chemical … [Read more...] about Adhesion Bonding of High-Performance Polymers
Adhesion
Plasma Surface Pretreatments of Polymers for Improved Adhesion Bonding
by Scott Sabreen, president, The Sabreen Group, Inc. Abstract Polymeric adhesion bonding problems are pervasive throughout the plastics industry. Two- and three-dimensional products often include joining plastic-to-plastic, plastic-to-metal and plastic-to-composite. Many plastics have a poor tendency to bond to other materials because of their inherent chemical structure … [Read more...] about Plasma Surface Pretreatments of Polymers for Improved Adhesion Bonding
Improving the Adhesion of UV-Curable Coatings to Plastics
by Andrew Stecher and Paul Mills, Plasmatreat US UV-cured coatings provide a number of benefits to plastic part manufacturers, including improved performance, enhanced appearance and various process advantages. However, the same densely cross-linked chemistry and rapid film formation that provide these benefits also increase the likelihood of encountering adhesion … [Read more...] about Improving the Adhesion of UV-Curable Coatings to Plastics
Gas-Phase Surface Pretreatments for Plastics Adhesion
by Scott Sabreen, The Sabreen Group, Inc. Surface pretreatments are used to promote adhesion between difficult-to-bond plastic substrates and adhesives, coatings and inks. Among pretreatments, "gas-phase surface oxidation" processes are proven highly effective, economical and environmentally safe. The selection of which method is best for any given application can be … [Read more...] about Gas-Phase Surface Pretreatments for Plastics Adhesion
How Coloring Plastics Affects Secondary Processes
by Scott R. Sabreen, The Sabreen Group, Inc. . Coloring plastics is integral to most products both aesthetically and functionally. Improperly formulated color compounds can cause harm or damage to secondary processes including bonding and printing. Many colorants can be used only in a limited selection of polymers. For example, dyes have low solubility in polyethylene … [Read more...] about How Coloring Plastics Affects Secondary Processes