Plasma Knowledge Base

Corona Treatment

Written by George Osenga | Aug 17, 2021 7:01:40 PM
Corona Treatment is a  plasma surface treatment that is often referred to as air plasma. This is a low temperature process that is able to modify surfaces and increase their surface energy.  Corona treatment is conducted by applying a high voltage to small diameter electrode tips. This causes a corona discharge to be created which is a visible plasma curtain that has the ability to partially ionize the air around it. When a surface undergoes corona treatment, it passes under the corona discharge which alters the surface properties and raises the surface energy by bombarding the surface with ions.  Corona treatment is often used to enhance the adhesion properties of many materials such as plastics, nylon, vinyl, and paper.

The Differences between Corona Treatment and Atmospheric Plasma

Corona treatment and  atmospheric plasma treatments are a very similar process. They both use high voltage electrodes to ionize gas molecules that are used to modify surfaces. However, the plasma that  corona treatment creates has a smaller plasma density than  atmospheric plasma, meaning that fewer molecules get ionized making corona treatment a less effective surface modification method. Both  corona treatments and atmospheric plasma treatments can be used as an efficient way to treat surfaces on an industrial line.

To learn more about the use of plasma in manufacturing, please read our eBook titled "Manufacturer’s Surface Activation Guide for Improved Adhesion."