what we solve
Permanent adhesion on the substrates that conventional processes simply cannot bond — PEEK, fluoropolymers, elastomers and high-performance films, without primers, solvents or wet chemistry.
9x
Higher peel strength vs. untreated*
900 N/m
Max peel force achieved (PET)*
10-500 m/min
Treatment speed*
20+
Substrate types treated*
The challenge
High-performance engineering polymers like PEEK, PTFE, FEP, ETFE and PVDF are precisely valued for their chemical inertness. But that same inertness makes them nearly impossible to bond, print on, metallize or laminate using conventional methods. Traditional primers create contamination risks, add process steps and add cost. Solvent-based surface preparation is regulated or banned in many end-use environments.
Elastomers present different bonding challenges: their low surface energy and flexible nature cause adhesive interfaces to fail under dynamic stress. Corona treatment can provide a temporary improvement, but it degrades rapidly and offers no functional group selectivity.
Our answer
CPI Plasmalex uses roll-to-roll atmospheric cold plasma to functionalize and graft the surfaces of difficult substrates at the molecular level. By introducing specific functional groups, amines, amides, carboxylic acids, or silica nanocoatings, covalently bonded to the polymer backbone, we create adhesion interfaces that are permanent, stable and chemically tailored to the downstream bonding process.
Unlike corona treatment, which produces a transient, non-selective oxidation that decays within hours or days, plasma functionalization creates stable bonds that survive ageing, temperature cycling and mechanical stress. The process runs dry, inline, at industrial speed, and requires no subsequent chemistry step.
Key applications
Our process is validated across a broad range of bonding, printing and metallization applications on substrates that were previously considered impractical or impossible.
Permanent adhesion on polyether ether ketone for structural bonding in aerospace, medical implants and industrial components, without primer or surface abrasion.
PTFE, FEP, ETFE, ECTFE and PVDF surfaces functionalized for lamination, metallization and adhesive bonding. Fully dry process, no sodium naphthalene etching required.
High-performance adhesion on silicone rubber, EPDM and other elastomers, critical for automotive seals, medical tubing and flexible electronics integration.
Pre-treatment for physical vapour deposition (PVD) and electroless plating on polymer films. Enables reliable metal-polymer adhesion for multilayer insulation, EMI shielding and flexible circuits.
Stable surface energy up to 72 mN/m enables printing with all ink systems, water-based, solvent-based, UV/EB crosslinkable and digital, directly on untreatable substrates.
CPI Plasmalex is the validated supplier for multilayer insulation film for satellite applications, PEEK surface functionalization for Thales Alenia Space. Proven in the most demanding qualification regimes.
PEEK bonding
Fluoropolymers
Solvent-free
Elastomers
Metallisation
Aerospace
Lamination
Digital printing
Technology comparison
Corona treatment has been the industry default for surface activation for decades. Atmospheric plasma fundamentally changes the outcome, with measured data to prove it.
Source: Plasmalex technical white paper 2023 — BOPP film, peel force on PET thermoset adhesive, surface energy measured with calibrated inks (AFM 1×1 µm²).
How it works
Step 1
We analyse your substrate using XPS, ToF-SIMS, contact angle measurement and peel testing to define the starting surface chemistry and identify the optimal treatment approach.
Step 2
Our physicists and chemists select the plasma precursor chemistry and process parameters, gas mixture, power density, exposure time — targeted to your specific bonding application.
Step 3
We treat sample rolls on our machines and send them for your own independent evaluation. Surface energy, peel force and adhesion durability are measured and documented.
Step 4
Scale to full contract manufacturing on our roll-to-roll machines (200–2000 mm web width, 10–500 m/min), or commission your own Bluemach plasma station for in-house production.
Substrates we treat
Fluoropolymers
PTFE · FEP · ETFE · ECTFE · PVDF · PVF
High-performance
PEEK · PI · PEI · PSU
Commodity films
PET · PP · PE · BOPP · PA · PVC
Elastomers
Silicone · EPDM · TPU · NBR
Fabrics
Woven & nonwoven — all fibre types
Conductive films
ITO · metal foil · graphene composites
Tell us your surface treatment challenge and we’ll evaluate whether our technology can solve it.