Plasma applications are disclosed that operate with argon or helium at atmospheric pressure, and at low temperatures, and with high concentrations of reactive species in the effluent stream. Laminar gas flow is developed prior to forming the plasma and at least one of the electrodes can be heated which enables operation at conditions where the argon or helium plasma would otherwise be unstable and either extinguish, or transition into an arc. The techniques can be employed to clean and activate a metal substrate, including removal of oxidation, thereby enhancing the bonding of at least one other material to the metal.

An antibacterial molded article that can further increase antibacterial performance. The present invention for achieving the above object is related to an antibacterial molded article including a resin molded article. The resin molded article has an antibacterial area on a surface of the resin molded article, the antibacterial area having a prominent protrusion ratio of 3% or greater and 25% or less. Alternatively, the resin molded article has an antibacterial area on a surface of the resin molded article, the antibacterial area having: a maximum height of profile defined by JIS B 0601 (2013) of 100 nm or greater and less than 500 nm, and a plurality of capture protrusions having a height of not less than half the maximum height of profile (Rz), in which an average distance between the plurality of capture protrusions is 1.5 μm or greater and 7 μm or less.

A robot end effector for surface preparation in an automated inspection and repair system for composite parts has an end effector body and a plasma control unit and a plasma jet nozzle supported on the end effector body. The plasma control unit directs a jet of atmospheric plasma through the plasma jet nozzle. A slave tool changer is secured to the end effector body. The slave tool changer releasably and operatively connects the robot end effector to an industrial robot such that the industrial robot can move the robot end effector along a composite part as the plasma control unit directs a jet of atmospheric plasma through the plasma jet nozzle toward the composite part to clean the composite part and increase a surface free energy of the composite part.

In one embodiment, a method of forming a rigid package includes positioning a label with a plastic outer surface within a mould, positioning a PET sheet over the mould, contacting a first surface portion of the plastic outer surface with a second surface portion of the PET sheet, wherein at least one of the first surface portion and the second surface portion has a surface energy modified by a surface energy treatment, thermoforming the positioned PET sheet in the mould, and direct bonding the first surface portion and the second surface portion.

A method for increasing the adhesion between the first surface of a first web-type material and a first surface of a second web-type material, the first web-type material and the second web-type material being supplied to a lamination nip continuously and with the same direction of the web. In said nip, the first surface of the first web-type material and of the second web-type material are laminated together and both first surfaces are treated with a plasma over the whole surface. The lamination nip is formed by a pressure roller and a counter-pressure roller and at least one of the surfaces of the rollers or both are equipped with a dielectric. The first web-type material comprises an adhesive compound layer arranged in the first web-type material such as to form the first surface of the first web-type material.

A method for increasing the adhesion between the self-adhesive surface of a web-shaped material and a surface of a substrate, to which substrate the web-shaped material having the self-adhesive surface should be applied, wherein the web-shaped material is continuously fed to a laminating gap, in which the web-shaped material having the self-adhesive surface is laminated onto the surface of the substrate, the self-adhesive surface of the web-shaped material and the surface of the substrate are treated with a plasma over the entire area, and namely in such a way that the plasma is applied continuously to the two surfaces, starting from before the laminating gap into the laminating gap, the laminating gap being formed by a pressing element and the substrate and the surface of the pressing element being equipped with a dielectric.

Methods and systems are provided for fabricating polymer-based imprint lithography templates having thin metallic or oxide coated patterning surfaces. Such templates show enhanced fluid spreading and filling (even in absence of purging gases), good release properties, and longevity of use. Methods and systems for fabricating oxide coated versions, in particular, can be performed under atmospheric pressure conditions, allowing for lower cost processing and enhanced throughput.

A three-dimensional shaping device includes: a plasticizing unit configured to plasticize a material to generate a plasticized material; a stage having a deposition surface on which the plasticized material is deposited; an ejection unit that has a plurality of nozzles arranged side by side along a first axis parallel to the deposition surface of the stage, and that is configured to eject the plasticized material in a continuous linear form from the plurality of nozzles toward the deposition surface; an ejection switching unit configured to individually switch between stopping and resuming ejection of the plasticized material from the plurality of nozzles; a moving unit configured to move the ejection unit with respect to the stage along a second axis that is parallel to the deposition surface of the stage and that intersects the first axis; and a control unit configured to laminate a shaping layer formed of the plasticized material on the deposited surface of the stage by controlling the plasticizing unit, the ejection switching unit, and the moving unit.

A surface preparation method (200) for a composite material (104) having an original surface (110), the material (104) comprising fibres (104a) within a matrix (104b), comprises removing (204) a surface portion of the matrix (104b) by plasma ablation so as to reveal and activate (206) a new surface (120) with at least a portion of a plurality of the fibres (104a) exposed thereon, without creating a residual heat-affected zone.

A process for the nanostructuring of fibers in fiber-composite plastics, where a sulfur-containing nanostructure is formed. Also, a plastics matrix with such nanostructured fibers is disclosed, and also a process for the repair of fibers in a fiber-composite plastic.