Importance

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Abstract

A pulsed surface discharge apparatus for treating dielectric surfaces, such as polymers, having a pair of electrodes spaced apart adjacent to a surface to be treated, means for supplying an inert gas, or a predominantly inert gas mixture, adjacent to the surface in the region between the electrodes, an electric pulse generator providing repeated pulses of a high voltage to the electrodes sufficient to cause breakdown of the inert gas and generate a discharge across the surface to be treated, and a dielectric surface transport for moving the surface to be treated past the electrodes. The electrodes and inert gas may be enclosed within a treatment chamber having entrance and exit ports for the material to be treated, and adapted for wire, rod, tube, sheet or other forms of dielectric material. One embodiment encloses the supply of dielectric material, which material drags inert gas along with to the discharge region. Material treatment by the surface discharge improves wettability of and adhesion to the dielectric surface due to the irradiation by intense uv or other electromagnetic radiation and bombardment by electrons, ions and excited gas species in the discharge.

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First Claim