Ushio Europe announces its participation in the leading international trade fair for the paper, film, and foil converting, ICE 2022, which takes place in Munich, on 15–17 March 2022. Ushio invites you to visit Munich Trade Fair Centre’s hall A6, booth 984, for presentations on excimer technology and its use in surface treatments.
At ICE, Ushio will exhibit an overview of the vast application possibilities for excimer surface treatment, and introduce the latest product development: Excimer Hyper V-ST series for inline processes, as well as Excimer SUE series for stationary treatment applications.
Excimer: radiation-based, cold alternative to corona and plasma surface treatments
The Ushio excimer devices emit high-energy photons that correspond to a wavelength of 172 nm. These light particles travel through the air, partly absorbed by oxygen and thus creating ozone on the substrate, where they crack the molecular bonds of the surface. The molecule residues are oxidized and at the same time hydrophilic groups are created, leaving behind a functionalized layer on the surface of the substrate.
Unlike common alternatives, such as corona or plasma, excimer irradiation is an extremely gentle surface treatment process. This offers great advantages, especially when treating sensitive materials, such as monofoils and wafers, heat-sensitive substrates such as PET, PE, PA, or extremely thin films.
Excimer treatment is based on radiation, whereas corona and plasma treatments rely on high-energy, charged particles that also cause damage to the surface, resulting in a rougher surface.
Excimer treatment is an essential intermediate production step in many industrial applications, because it removes contamination and passivation layers, while simultaneously forming hydrophilic molecular groups. This combination enhances electro-negativity and leads to a higher surface energy. The result is a substantial increase of printability, coatability, and bondability of the substrates.
Thanks to the absence of an electrical field, excimer does not suffer from the dust contamination associated with corona treatment, and can be applied to all electronics, which would otherwise suffer from static-related issues associated with a discharge.
Split into three blocks: surface cleaning, surface activation, and optical bonding, the Ushio team will deliver the facts and reveal tangible application potential in numerous industrial sectors. You will receive background information on the physical processes, effectiveness on different materials, as well as extensive knowledge on integrating excimer modules into your process structure and production line.
Excimer takes on the competition at ICE 2022 with gentle surface treatment abilities
Excimer vs. corona
- No unwanted backside treatment
- Excimer can treat conductive materials, but corona cannot, e.g. metal foils
- Homogeneous and precise
- No surface roughening
Excimer vs. flame treatment
- Excimer is contamination free
- Free of burning residues
- Excimer has no CO2 emissions
- No heat impact by excimer
Excimer vs. atmospheric plasma
- Homogeneous and precise
- No surface roughening
- Economical on large web width
Exploring the possibilities of Hyper V-ST at Ushio’s Excimer Application Laboratory
Vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) applications can be tested at the Ushio Excimer Application Laboratory, which serves to demonstrate the capabilities of excimer to ensure optimal surface treatment processes.
Reinforcing a commitment to finding solutions to its customers’ needs, Ushio set up an Application Lab at the Ushio Germany plant in Steinhöring, Bavaria, in 2019. Since then, interested clients, in co-operation with Ushio, have the opportunity to explore, develop, and implement industrial VUV processes using excimer technology. In this laboratory, different applications can be tested on site to demonstrate the potential of excimer technology for optimal VUV treatment processes.
The Excimer Application Laboratory is designed to irradiate customer material samples with Ushio’s excimer solutions in a test series. After consultation with our experts, samples can either be sent or brought by the customer to an on-site appointment to conduct tests together. Comprehensive documentation of the tests and results is provided for each test series.
Ushio intends to lead from the front by providing this comprehensive research and development service to its customers. This expansion followed the success of similar IR and UV ventures by Ushio, Inc., in Japan, and Ushio America.
Ushio experts will be available throughout ICE Europe to answer all your questions about excimer treatment and to discuss opportunities for making use of our application lab.
ICE Europe 2022 / Inprint Munich
15–17 March 2022
Messe München, Messegelände Eingang West, 81823 Munich, Germany
Hall A6, booth 984
Contact Ushio for your surface treatment needs
Should you have any questions regarding Ushio products prior to the ICE Europe 2022 show, feel free to send your queries to the Ushio Sales team at www.ushio.eu/contact. Further information on Ushio’s excimer solutions can be downloaded at https://www.ushio.eu/download/.
