Barrier coatings enabled by high-density cold plasma
An innovative beam plasma source developed to produce ultra-dense barrier coatings on plastic substrates, offering superior solvent barrier and wear-resistance properties suitable for packaging applications.
Overview
The development of high-density cold plasma technology presents a novel solution for creating ultra-dense barrier coatings. This technology is particularly suited to enhancing the performance of plastic packaging by applying coatings like amorphous carbon and SiO2, which serve as superior solvent barriers while offering excellent wear resistance. The beam plasma source allows for high-rate deposition of coatings at room temperature, overcoming the limitations of traditional methods that require slow deposition and substrate heating.
Technical specifications
Key features:
- High-density cold plasma: Generates plasma with controllable ion energy, enabling effective dissociation of source gases and interaction with deposited atoms.
- Environmentally friendly coatings: Focus on amorphous carbon and SiO2, known for small carbon atoms and strong covalent bonds, providing dense microstructures essential for barrier performance.
- Room temperature application: Facilitates economically viable production without the need for substrate heating.
Technology readiness level
This technology is currently at TRL 3, indicating experimental proof of concept. The ongoing project aims to demonstrate improved chemical barrier performance on sponsor-specified plastic materials, with the project expected to reach completion within one year.
About Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a major public land‑grant research university with a comprehensive academic portfolio and a large research enterprise. Industry partners engage through an on‑campus U.S. Department of Energy national user facility and shared core laboratories with user access. The university provides a chemical process scale‑up pilot plant on Michigan’s lakeshore, a research and technology park, and a Grand Rapids health innovation campus linking researchers with clinical partners. A statewide extension network supports field deployment and workforce training across Michigan’s manufacturing corridor. Research is backed by competitive federal funding from NSF, NIH, DOE, USDA, and DoD, while dedicated tech transfer and corporate engagement teams—supported by an affiliated research foundation—accelerate IP, licensing, startups, and sponsored research.
delivered to your inbox.