Numai proprietățile în vrac ale unui material plastic nu pot determina performanța unei piese din plastic într-o aplicație dată. Proprietățile suprafeței sunt adesea esențiale pentru succesul aplicației. Proprietățile suprafeței pot fi îmbunătățite și adaptate folosind diferite tehnici de modificare a suprafeței, precum și acoperiri și finisaje.

Metodele de modificare a suprafeței includ tratamente fizice, modificări chimice cu lichide și tratamente de suprafață cu gaze reactive. Tratamentele fizice pot produce deteriorarea suprafeței, iar tratamentele chimice cu lichide produc reziduuri chimice semnificative. Tratamentele cu gaze reactive includ procese corona, cu flacără și cu plasmă. Tratamentele cu plasmă la temperatură joasă oferă o metodă eficientă și versatilă de modificare a suprafeței pentru diferite materiale polimerice prin generarea de noi funcționalități ale suprafeței și prin introducerea de noi proprietăți de suprafață necesare pentru multe aplicații. Procesele cu plasmă aplicate polimerilor au meritele de a fi eficiente din punct de vedere economic, uscate și ecologice în ceea ce privește adaptarea caracteristicilor suprafeței, păstrând în același timp proprietățile lor în vrac dorite. Insă, tratarea polimerilor cu plasmă ar putea duce la deteriorarea semnificativă a suprafeței prin reacții de degradare a plasmei, care depind de sensibilitatea polimerului la plasmă, substanțele chimice reactive și gazele utilizate și condițiile de procesare. Tehnicile dinamice de tensiune superficială, cum ar fi balanța Wilhelmy, sunt instrumente eficiente pentru caracterizarea suprafețelor din plastic tratate.

Acoperirile pentru materiale plastice pot fi utilizate pentru protecția plasticului în aplicarea finală sau pentru a conferi proprietăți vizate. Sunt disponibile o mare varietate de vopsele și acoperiri, iar alegerea acoperirii depinde de substrat, de proprietățile dorite și de mediul destinat piesei. Metalizarea poate oferi funcții decorative, conductivitate și crește rezistența la abraziune a materialelor plastice. Diverse tehnici au fost dezvoltate și utilizate pe scară largă pentru materialele plastice, inclusiv metalizarea în vid, pulverizarea cu arc cu flacără și plasmă și galvanizarea (prin placare electroless). Alte metode de imprimare a straturilor funcționale pe materiale plastice includ imprimarea, IMD, coextrudarea și PECVD.

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