Inline passivation of vacuum-deposited aluminum on web substrate
AssigneeSigma Laboratories of Arizona, Inc.
InventorsAngelo Yializis, Michael G. Mikhael
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Abstract
In a continuous in-vacuum process for the manufacture of a film metallized with aluminum, the aluminum layer is exposed to a passivating agent, inline, immediately after deposition and prior to rewinding of the film onto a take-up roller. Passivation is carried out by plasma treatment in an oxidizing atmosphere (oxygen, nitrogen or others). The resulting product exhibits no peel-off problems during unwinding of the take-up roller and greatly improved corrosion resistance.
Claims19
In a process for the manufacture of a metallized film, wherein an aluminum layer is vapor deposited continuously in a vacuum chamber over a web to produce a coated film that is spooled onto a take-up roller, a method of passivation to prevent corrosion and peel-off damage when the roller is unwound for post-production processing, said method comprising the following step:
- exposing the aluminum layer to a plasma field produced with a plasma gas containing a passivating component, said exposing step being carried out inline in the vacuum chamber prior to spooling said coated web onto the take-up roller.
A vapor deposition chamber comprising the following units operating in sequential order over a web being spooled between a feed roller and a take-up roller:
- a plasma pre-treatment unit for cleaning the web;
- a metallization unit for coating the web with a metallic layer;
- and
- a plasma unit with a source of plasma gas containing a passivating component for passivating the metallic layer after deposition and prior to spooling over said take-up roller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.