Energy starts at the surface
Batteries, fuel cells, photovoltaic panels, green hydrogen: the performance and lifetime of energy devices depend on what happens at their interfaces.
The surface challenge
In batteries, fuel cells and solar panels, most efficiency losses come from the interfaces. An electrode that does not wet the electrolyte properly, a poorly functionalised membrane, or a current collector with fragile adhesion: each one holds back device performance, durability and safety.
Traditional wet methods (chemical primers, solvents, acid treatments) are costly, polluting and often incompatible with the fragile materials used in the energy sector. Atmospheric pressure plasma offers a dry, in-line alternative that tunes surface chemistry to the nanometre without altering the bulk of the material.
From the battery cell to the photovoltaic module, by way of green hydrogen electrolysers, plasma prepares, cleans and functionalises the critical surfaces of the energy transition.
What plasma changes
| Indicator | Before | After plasma | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface energy — film | 30 to 39 mN/m by resin | 45 to 70 mN/m | Test inks |
| Contact angle (electrolyte) | [x] | [x] | Goniometer |
| Contact angle (water) | 90 to 105° (polyolefins) | 35 to 70° depending on exposure | Goniometer, sessile drop |
| Effect retention | — | near-logarithmic decay; still hydrophilic at 7 days | Controlled ageing |
| Pass speed | — | 6 to 120 m/min per source | Configuration to be validated |
Documented order-of-magnitude figures, not our own measurements: pre-treatment values come from the Accu Dyne Test reference tables, post-treatment values from the atmospheric plasma literature. They place the process — they still depend on the substrate, its geometry and the line speed. A trial on your own part gives you your own numbers. Have my material measured.
What plasma changes
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01
Electrode wettability
Increase contact between electrode and electrolyte to gain usable capacity and cycle life in lithium-ion and solid-state batteries.
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02
Membrane functionalisation
Tune the chemistry of ion-exchange membranes (PEMFC, electrolysers) to improve proton conductivity and selectivity.
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03
Active layer adhesion
Durably fix active materials, separators and collectors in place to prevent delamination under thermal and mechanical cycling.
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04
Substrate preparation
Activate glass, polymer and metal surfaces before depositing conductive, photovoltaic or catalytic layers.
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05
Module encapsulation
Improve the adhesion of encapsulant films on solar panels so they resist humidity and UV cycling over 25 years.
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06
Solvent-free cleaning
Remove organic residues and native oxides before cell assembly, without aggressive chemical baths.
From your sample to your line
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01
Characterisation
You send us a sample. We measure its starting surface energy and identify what is blocking adhesion: contamination, release agent, non-polar polymer.
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02
Parameter trial
We vary power, pass speed, nozzle-to-substrate distance and gas until the target effect is reached, and record the parameters that got us there.
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03
Validation
We check the result with the test that matters to you — adhesion, sealing, wetting — and document how long the effect holds on your material.
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04
Integration
Inline, ahead of coating, lamination or encapsulation, at continuous-process speed.
Atmospheric or vacuum plasma for a continuous process? The detailed comparison.
What plasma does, in detail
The right equipment for this sector
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Surface-discharge plasma source
Uniformity across the whole active area — that is what drives yield.
View the family -
Thin-film deposition station
1-to-300 nm barrier or functional layer.
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Wide-web plasma curtain
For webs and separators running continuously.
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The final choice is made on your part and your cadence, not from a catalogue. All equipment, sorted by the problem it solves.
Frequently treated materials
Polymer films
Ion-exchange membranes
Electrodes
Current collectors
Metal substrates
Solar glass
Thin films
Separators
This list is indicative. The vast majority of polymers, metals, glasses and composites used in the energy sector can be treated with DBD plasma. The best way to confirm your case is to send us a description of your part and your objective. For the hardware, see the plasma equipment sorted by the problem it solves.
What we get asked — Energy
How long does the treatment effect last?
Activation is not permanent: surface energy decays after treatment, faster on mobile polymers and in warm storage. That is why plasma is placed immediately before the step it serves — printing, bonding, sealing. The decay rate is measurable, and we document it on your material during the trial.
Does plasma replace corona treatment?
Both raise surface energy, but not under the same conditions. Corona suits flat film running over a roller. Atmospheric DBD plasma also treats three-dimensional geometries, hollow parts and non-conductive surfaces, with a uniformity that does not depend on holding a constant air gap. On your part, the answer is settled by comparison, not by principle.
Does the treatment change the part's appearance or dimensions?
No. Plasma acts on the first few nanometres of the surface: mass, dimensions and bulk mechanical properties are unchanged. On heat-sensitive substrates, parameters are adjusted to avoid any marking, and that is one of the things checked at the validation stage.
Are chemicals or a drying step required?
No. The treatment runs on electricity and process gas, with no primer, no solvent and no drying time. That is what lets it sit inside a line without lengthening the cycle, and what removes a hazardous-goods handling station.
Can it be retrofitted to an existing line?
That is the most common case. The treatment installs inline, at production speed. Three things need checking: the space available at the useful point, the electrical and gas connections, and extraction. Those three are what the integration stage covers.
Does it apply to battery separators?
It is a textbook case: a polyolefin separator is non-polar, and its wettability to the electrolyte directly drives cell performance. Plasma raises that wettability without altering porosity — provided you stay inside a narrow power window. This is exactly the kind of case where the parameter trial is not a formality.
The selection guide
Atmospheric or vacuum? The question comes up on every project, and it is settled on three concrete criteria — not on a preference for one process.
- Both architectures, what each one can do and what it costs
- Three deciding criteria: part geometry, robotic integration, cycle time
- A grid to fill in so you can defend the choice to an investment committee
Guide being written — leave your email and you will get it on release.
In the meantime, the article comparing both architectures : The detailed comparison.
Related sectors
What you send, what you get back
- You send
- [x] samples of your part or film, [x] minimum size.
- You receive
- surface energy values before and after, one treated sample, and a written record of the parameters used.
- Turnaround
- first reply within 48 hours, trial report within [x] business days.
- Cost
- [x]
Send a description of your part and your goal. Answer within 48 hours.
Three fields, and we get back to you
The energy transition is decided at the surface.
48 hours to find out what plasma can do for your surfaces. No commitment, just clear answers from an expert.
Response within 48 hours. No commitment. A technical discussion with an expert.