KR840000727B1 - An apparatus for continuous treatment of a continuous-length material with low temperature-plasma - Google Patents

Abstract

Continuous sheet materials(F) are subjected to a superficial plasma discharge at low temp. and pressure by leading the material into and out of one or more plasma discharge chambers(1) via a series of subsidiary chambers(8,9) with roll nip seals(10,11). The sheet passes over a cathode(4) in the form of a rotating drum, parallel to the surface of which are mounted one or more rod anodes(5). Power is provided as appropriate to rotate the guide and rolls and the anode, to apply vacuum and to generate a high frequency discharge between the cathode and anode.

Description

Device for continuous processing of material of continuous length with low temperature plasma

1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a side cross section of the present apparatus.

2 is a schematic explanatory view of the front of the apparatus.

3 is an enlarged schematic explanatory view of an axial cross section of the plasma combustion chamber.

4 is a schematic view of the side of the device modified by increasing the number of plasma combustion chambers to two in series.

The present invention relates to a novel apparatus for continuous processing of continuous length materials such as plastic films (e.g. polyvinylchloride resins) with low temperature plasma.

The following facts are known, that is, the treatment of exposing the formation of plastics, in particular polyvinyl chloride, with or in conjunction with a low temperature plasma of a certain gas advantageously improves the various surface properties of the formation. Some properties improved by plasma treatment include reduced migration and bleeding of the plasticizers contained in the product, increased wettability of the surface to water, i.e. increased affinity for water, reduced static buildup of the surface, and a tendency for blocking or adhesive sticking of the surface. Lowering, improved printing resistance, abrasion resistance and weathering resistance, and reduction of stain on the surface and the like.

Since the plasma treatment effect is limited to the surface properties, the most prominent advantage is obtained when the formed article treated with the plasma is in a thinly laid out form such as a plastic film. Although continuous length materials may need to be treated with low temperature plasma on an industrial scale, due to the difficult plasma production conditions, low temperature plasma is produced only under reduced pressure of 0.01 to 10 Torr and using high frequency power in the atmosphere. Suitable devices have not been practically used until now.

Of course, several devices have been proposed for plasma treatment of roll-type continuous length materials in processes such as batches as well as in the form of cut sheets. In the roll type, when a continuous length of material such as a film is processed in such a device, the rolls are all fed into the plasma combustion chamber, and the combustion chamber is depressurized to a desired pressure suitable for producing plasma. Thus, plastic films containing plasticizers, stabilizers or other highly volatile additives cannot escape denaturation in the plasma combustion chamber due to dissipation of the volatile components. Furthermore, since the air confined in the middle of the film roll is gradually released from the plasma combustion chamber to the depressurization atmosphere, a considerable time is required for the desired reduced pressure to be obtained in the plasma combustion chamber, preferably below 0.1 Torr. Do. In addition, when oxygen in the air adversely affects the plasma treatment effect and causes a very difficult and fatal problem which is almost impossible to solve, it is not particularly advantageous to gradually release the air from the film roll.

Continuous effects such as plastic films are treated with a low-temperature plasma produced by supplying high frequency power in a selected plasma gas at a frequency of several KHz to several hundred MHz, under a pressure of 0.01 to 10 Torr to effect the reproduction. In order to achieve this, the atmospheric pressure of the plasma must be kept constant throughout the pretreatment process and gases other than the selected plasma gas must be discharged out of the plasma atmosphere as completely as possible. Film rolls in the plasma combustion chamber necessarily involve these challenges.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel retrofitting apparatus for continuous processing of a continuous length of material, such as a roll-shaped plastic film, with a low temperature plasma in which the above-mentioned problems arising in the prior art apparatus and method are eliminated. It is. In the apparatus of the present invention, a roll of material of continuous length is not necessarily arranged in the plasma combustion chamber. The device uses air-to-air transfer of continuous length material to move the unfolded material into the plasma combustion chamber and then out of the combustion chamber, the fleece undergoes plasma treatment in the combustion chamber and then loads the material. Round continuously in a mold.

The apparatus of the present invention for the continuous treatment of a continuous length of material with a low temperature plasma of plasma gas under reduced pressure consists of the following (a) to (h).

(a) at least one plasma combustion chamber, each having a front hole and a front rear hole and a rear wall for moving material of continuous length;

(b) a drum-shaped cathode or ground electrode installed in the plasma combustion chamber, supported by an axis and a rotation axis around the vertical, perpendicular to the direction in which the front and rear holes of the plasma combustion chamber are connected;

(c) at least one pole type anode or power electrode installed in the plasma combustion chamber in axial direction parallel to the drum type cathode,

(d) one end to allow continuous lengths of material to be moved through it into the plasma combustion chamber so that each closed combustion chamber can be divided and introduced into at least two closed combustion chambers installed with a pair of hermetically sealed rollers facing each other vertically. Is hermetically connected to the front hole of the plasma combustion chamber and the other end is open in air,

(e) one end to allow continuous length of material to be transferred through it into the plasma combustion chamber and to be introduced into at least two closed combustion chambers installed with a pair of hermetically sealed rollers facing each other vertically. Is airtightly connected to the back hole of the plasma combustion chamber and the other end is open to the atmosphere, followed by a preliminary vacuum combustion chamber,

(f) a device for evacuating the plasma combustion chamber and the preliminary vacuum combustion chamber,

(g) a device for supplying high frequency power to the cathode and anode, and

(h) a device for simultaneously rotating the drum type cathode and the hermetic roller;

1 and 2 show schematic explanatory diagrams of side cross-sections and front views of the apparatus, respectively.

3 is an enlarged schematic explanatory view of an axial cross section of the plasma combustion chamber.

4 is a schematic view of the side of the device modified by increasing the number of plasma combustion chambers in two in series.

In the following, the device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 and 2 are schematic explanatory views of side and front views of a typical embodiment of the device, respectively.

In the figure, the plasma combustion chamber 1, which is shaped like a drum, to withstand the internal exhaust well, has a front hole 2, a rear hole 3 on the front side, and a rear wall of the plasma plasma combustion chamber 1, respectively. These holes 2 and 3 are in the form of slits that are narrow enough in width and height to prevent contact with the material F of continuous length flowing, respectively.

In the plasma combustion chamber 1, between the equipped cathode 4 and anode 5, low temperature plasma is produced using a high frequency electrical voltage with a cooling device if desired. The cathode 4 is a drum-like material supported by the horizontal axis 6 as seen in FIG. 3 which is an axial cross-sectional view of the axis of the plasma combustion chamber 1 and the axis of rotation around it. The negative electrode 4 is preferably made of a metal material.

The apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is provided with a plurality of anodes 5, but sometimes only one anode is sufficient to obtain the desired plasma treatment effect.

Each anode 4 is pole-shaped and is fixed to the edge wall 30 of the plasma combustion chamber 1 axially parallel to the drum-shaped rotating cathode in order to maintain a constant distance from the surface of the cathode over its length.

When a plurality of anodes 5 are installed in the plasma combustion chamber 1, in order to ensure the uniformity of the electric field or, as a result, the uniformity of the low temperature plasma strength in the space formed by the anode 4 group, such as the surface of the cathode 4 and the cage, The anodes 5 maintain approximately the same distance to the surface of the cathode 4. Usually, these positive poles 5 are connected to the total power terminal of the high frequency generator (not shown) and the negative pole 4 is connected to the ground terminal of the generator.

From the front hole 2 into the plasma combustion chamber 1 so that the surface of the material F which is not in contact with the surface of the cathode 4 is exposed to the cold plasma 2 produced in the space between the cathode 4 and the anode 5 when the cathode 4 is continuously rotated. The continuous length of material F introduced is introduced for direct contact with the surface of the rotating cathode 4 guided by a set of guide rollers 7 and also into the back hole 3 guided by another set of guide rollers 7. .

In order to ensure the vacuum-tightness of the plasma combustion chamber 1 in the front and rear holes 2,3, each hole 2,3 must be connected to the front prevacuum combustion chamber 8 or to the rear prevacuum combustion chamber 9, respectively, which are continuous lengths of material F Material F is removed from the plasma combustion chamber 1 without introducing it into it, or causing the atmosphere to enter the plasma combustion chamber 1. The front and rear preliminary combustion chambers 8 and 9 are hermetically connected to the front and rear holes 2 and 3 of the plasma combustion chamber 1, respectively, and each of the preliminary vacuum combustion chambers 8 and 9 are divided or 8a, 8b and 8c, respectively. … Or 9a, 9b, 9c... … At least two sealed combustion chambers are separated.

The models shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 have four hermetic combustion chambers in the preliminary vacuum combustion chambers 8 and 9, respectively.

Each closed combustion chamber 8a, 8b,... … And 9a, 9b,... … Is a pair of hermetic rollers 10a, 10a,…. … And 11a, 11b,... … Are respectively installed, and the closed rollers 10a, 10b,... … Introduced into the plasma combustion chamber 1 tightened by pairs of and subjected to plasma treatment in the above-mentioned plasma combustion chamber 1, and then closed from the plasma combustion chamber 1 as well. … Tighten by pairs of and then into the atmosphere through pre-vacuum combustion chamber 9. Although the pressure in the closed combustion chamber is higher than the adjacent closed combustion chamber located close to the plasma combustion chamber 1, it is, of course, designed so that air does not enter the plasma combustion chamber 1. In the figure, the pressures in the outermost closed combustion chambers 8a and 9d are approximately equal to atmospheric pressure, and the pressures in the innermost closed combustion chambers 10d and 11a are approximately equal to the pressure in the plasma combustion chamber 1. In this way, the continuous length of material F taken out of the roll 12 is treated continuously with the cold plasma in the plasma combustion chamber 1 and then rounded up in the roll 13 by air-air movement.

The plasma combustion chamber 1 and the closed combustion chambers in the preliminary vacuum combustion chambers 8 and 9 are respectively exhausted by a separate vacuum pump. However, a convenient way in this case is that the enclosed combustion chambers of the front and rear pre-vacuum combustion chambers 8, 9 are located at the same distance or in the same order as counted from the plasma combustion chamber 1, for example, located symmetrically with respect to the plasma combustion chamber 1. Since the pressure in the closed combustion chamber is about the same, the closed combustion chambers 8a and 9d, 8b and 9c, and 8c and 9b are connected two by one, and each connected pair of closed combustion chambers is connected by a completely identical vacuum pump. As shown in FIG. 2, the plasma combustion chambers 1, 8c and 9b pairs, 8b and 9c pairs, and 8a and 9d pairs of enclosed combustion chambers are vacuum pumps 14 through vacuum lines 18, 19, 20 and 21, respectively. By 15, 16 and 17, respectively.

As mentioned above, the continuous length of material F exits from the starting roller 12 and by air-air movement via the front prevacuum combustion chamber 8, the plasma combustion chamber 1 and the rear prevacuum combustion chamber 9 with the aid of the tension rollers 22 and 23. It is rolled up in roller 13. The movement of the material F through the apparatus is controlled by the synchronized rotation of the drum type cathode 4 and the closed combustion chambers 10a, 11a, etc. in the preliminary vacuum combustion chambers 8,9. The co-rotation of the cathode and these rollers is essential for the smooth movement of the film material F through the device. To secure the co-current rotation of the cathode and hermetic rollers 10a, 11a, etc., and also the roll-up rollers 13, they are provided for the conduction shaft 26 due to the hermetic roller of the preliminary vacuum combustion chamber 8 and for the cathode 4 of the plasma combustion chamber 1. 27, driven by a common shaft 24, which is rotated by an electric motor 25 together with 28 for the hermetic roller of the rear prevacuum combustion chamber 9 and 29 for the roll-up roller 13. Since they are passively rotated, no thrust is supplied to the starting roller 12 and the tensioning rollers 22 and 23. The apparatus of the present invention for plasma processing is a direct subclass of production equipment such as, for example, polishing machines, extruders and similar machines for plastic films and looms for weaving fabrics, and the material produced in the machine is preliminary vacuum. When reached directly into the combustion chamber 8, the starting roller 12 can, of course, be omitted.

3 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a cross section of an enlarged axis of the plasma combustion chamber 1 in which a drum-shaped cathode 4, an anode 5 and a guide roller 7 are provided therein. The shaft 6 supporting the cathode 4 is installed in a cantilever supported at one part of the edge wall 30 by a mechanical seal 31 for hermetically sealing the rotating vacuum, while the guide roller 7 is limited to only the combustion chamber, while each anode 5 They are electrically insulated by the insulator 32 and pass through the edge wall 30. As shown in FIG. 3, it should be noted that the cathode 4, anode 5 and guide roller 7 are all supported by one edge wall 30 in the cantilever strut, and the other wall 33 does not have to support the cathode 4 lamp. Instead, the edge wall 33 consists of a removable cover, with a flange 33a that seals the vacuum tightly. On the other hand, it is opened at the bottom of the combustion chamber 1 of the vacuum line 18 for evacuating the plasma combustion chamber 17. In order to facilitate the main purpose of cleaning and inspection inside the plasma combustion chamber 1 to which electrodes 4, 5 and guide roller 7 belong, as well as passing the continuous length of material F through the plasma combustion chamber 1 33 The above-mentioned use role of the edge walls 30 and 33 is very advantageous because can be removed so that a very high working efficiency can be obtained.

In addition, the claim wall 30, which accommodates the electrodes 4, 5 and the guide roller 7, is designed to be placed upside down 180 ° with respect to the electrode and the guide roller on the side that does not change position, and to be mounted on the body of the plasma combustion chamber 1. The edge wall 30 of the design described above is advantageous when continuously treating the front and bottom surfaces of a continuous length of material, with low temperature plasma obtained as desired using two plasma combustion chambers of the same design connected in series.

4 is a schematic illustration of the side of the arrangement of the device of the present invention, in which two plasma combustion chambers 1a and 1b are connected in series with the rear hole 3a of the first plasma combustion chamber 1a and the front hole 2b of the second plasma combustion chamber 1b connected in series. The front part and the rear part of the preliminary vacuum combustion chambers 8 and 9 are connected as described above. Plasma combustion chambers 1a and 1b are designed in the same design but their edge walls supporting the respective electrodes and guide rollers are provided in the combustion chamber body in reverse with respect to each other. In other words, the edge wall of the second plasma combustion chamber 1b is located upside down with respect to the edge wall of the first plasma combustion chamber 1a so that a continuous length of material F flowing through these combustion chambers 1a and 1b takes precedence over one side of the plasma atmosphere in the first combustion chamber 1a. After exposure, the other surface of material F is introduced into a second combustion chamber 1b which is exposed to a plasma atmosphere. In this way, material F can be treated with both low temperature plasma in one continuous operation, thus greatly improving the working efficiency.

If only one side of the material is to be subjected to plasma treatment, the plasma walls of the first plasma combustion chamber 1a are exposed to the plasma atmosphere by installing the edge walls of the two plasma combustion chambers 1a and 1b in the respective combustion chamber bodies in the same direction. F exposes the same surface to the plasma atmosphere in the second plasma combustion chamber 1b, thereby doubling the exposure time to the plasma atmosphere.

Conversely, the rate of film movement through the plasma combustion chamber can be doubled in a single pass when the effect of exposure to the desired plasma, which is probably proportional to the exposure time to the plasma atmosphere, is equal. Therefore, the efficiency of the plasma treatment can only be increased by increasing the number of plasma combustion chambers connected respectively to the front and the rear of the plasma combustion chamber in which the combustion chambers of the pair of front and rear preliminary vacuum chambers are continuously coupled. The number of plasma combustion chambers is, of course, not limited to two, but may be three or more depending on the desired working efficiency and thus the speed of movement of the material of continuous length through the plasma combustion chamber.

The apparatus of the present invention can be used for various materials of continuous length, mainly organic matter. Materials include polyvinylchloride, polyethylene, nylon, polyester, cellulose acetate and the like, woven fibers, non-woven fibers and knits of natural and synthetic rubbers, ie natural and synthetic fibers. Wood veniers, papers and combinations thereof, as well as fibers.

As can be appreciated from the above description, the apparatus of the present invention for the continuous treatment of continuous lengths of materials with low temperature plasma is desired not only for the high efficiency of the plasma treatment, but also for the effects of the treated continuous lengths of material and plasma treatment. It is also very advantageous in terms of the deformation of the device, in accordance with the various requirements according to its properties.

Claims (1)

A device for continuous processing of a continuous length of material with a cold plasma of plasma gas under reduced pressure, comprising: at least one plasma combustion chamber and a plasma, each having a front hole and a front rear hole and a rear wall for moving the material of continuous length; Supported by a shaft perpendicular to the direction in which the front and rear holes of the combustion chamber were connected and a rotation axis around the drum, the drum-shaped cathode installed in the plasma combustion chamber and the drum-shaped cathode were installed in the plasma combustion chamber axially in parallel with the drum-shaped cathode. So that at least one long anode and a continuous length of material can be introduced into the plasma combustion chamber and divided into at least two sealed combustion chambers installed with a pair of hermetically sealed rollers facing each other vertically. To ensure that one end is airtight with the front hole of the plasma combustion chamber At least two hermetically sealed combustion chambers connected to each other and open at the other end of the prevacuum combustion chamber, with continuous lengths of material moving through them into the plasma combustion chamber, with a pair of hermetic rollers facing each other vertically. One end is hermetically connected to the rear hole of the plasma combustion chamber and the other end is open to the air, the apparatus for evacuating the prevacuum combustion chamber, the plasma combustion chamber and the prevacuum vacuum chamber, and the cathode and the anode. A device for continuously processing a material of continuous length together with a low temperature plasma, comprising a device for supplying high frequency power and a device for simultaneously rotating a drum-type cathode, a hermetic roller, and a roll-up roller.

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