NTE: Ultraviolet (UV) Light Surface Treatment of Polymers and Metals - An Environmentally Benign Manufacturing Process for Enhanced Paint and Adhesive Performance

Michigan State University, East Lansing MI

Investigators

Abstract

There is a growing need for a fast, robust, efficient and environmentally benign surface treatment process for plastics and metals that can be easily incorporated into the manufacturing environment. This New Technologies for the Environment project will emphasize high risk/high return, exploratory feasibility study into the ability to use UV light, in air, to clean and surface treat polymer and metals surfaces as a replacement technology for abrasion, solvent and detergent based cleaning methods to prepare surfaces to painting and/or adhesive bonding. The UV source will illuminate a surface with photons of sufficient energy and intensity in air to create atomic oxygen and ozone to both decompose surface contaminants and oxidize and increase the surface energy of the surface being illuminated. If this process could be accomplished, it would result in a reduction in VOCs; a reduction in detergent fouled waste water; and a reduction in fine particulates. This technology also has the potential to be very cost effective through its energy efficiency. Preliminary research being conducted has shown the potential ubiquitous nature of this process to a large variety of polymer and metal surfaces. Research in this portion of the project will be directed at the fundamental scientific and engineering aspects of this process which would allow life-cycle considerations for costs and efficient materials reuse in a sustainable materials stream.