Reel-to-reel inline atmospheric plasma deposition of hydrophobic coatings

Plasma deposition equipment was developed and installed at a pilot extrusion coating line for reel-to-reel substrates. Hexamethyldisiloxane was used as a siloxane precursor for the atmospheric plasma deposition of siloxane coatings on substrates of three different categories: paper, polyethylene-coated paper, and textile materials (woven cotton fabric and polypropylene nonwoven). SEM, H₂O contact angle measurements, heat sealability, and water vapor barrier measurements were carried out to characterize the composition and surface structure of the samples. The potential of the method and the equipment was shown by the coatings, ranging to micrometer scale. With selected samples, hydrophobic coating was shown to form at speeds up to 100 m/min.