what we solve
Precise wettability control for films and membranes, from superhydrophilic filtration surfaces to highly hydrophobic barrier coatings, solvent-free, and fully compatible with flexible substrates at industrial scale.
<20 mN/m
Min. surface energy (hydrophobic)
72 mN/m
Max surface energy (hydrophilic)
Years+
Proven treatment stability
100%
Solvent-free process
The challenge
Whether a surface repels or attracts water is one of the most consequential material properties in filtration, packaging, medical and electronics applications. Yet most film manufacturers are working with surface chemistries fixed at the point of production, with limited ability to adjust wettability without adding wet chemistry steps or compromising the substrate.
Conventional hydrophilic coatings require solvents and cure steps. Hydrophobic coatings often rely on fluorinated chemistries facing regulatory restriction. Neither approach is compatible with in-line, high-speed flexible film production at the required scale.
Our answer
CPI Plasmalex uses tailored plasma precursor chemistries to tune flexible substrates across the wettability spectrum: from superhydrophilic surfaces below 10° to highly hydrophobic surfaces above 110°.
This is achieved in a single continuous roll-to-roll pass, without solvents or downstream curing.
By adjusting the precursor chemistry, power and exposure, functional surface groups are created and covalently bonded to the substrate. This allows precise control of surface behaviour and long-term stability.
Wettability engineering
Contact angle and surface energy are fully tunable, from highly hydrophilic filtration membranes to durable hydrophobic barrier films.
Permanent adhesion on polyether ether ketone for structural bonding in aerospace, medical implants and industrial components, without primer or surface abrasion.
PTFE, FEP, ETFE, ECTFE and PVDF surfaces functionalized for lamination, metallization and adhesive bonding. Fully dry process, no sodium naphthalene etching required.
High-performance adhesion on silicone rubber, EPDM and other elastomers, critical for automotive seals, medical tubing and flexible electronics integration.
Pre-treatment for physical vapour deposition (PVD) and electroless plating on polymer films. Enables reliable metal-polymer adhesion for multilayer insulation, EMI shielding and flexible circuits.
PEEK bonding
Fluoropolymers
Solvent-free
Elastomers
Metallisation
Aerospace
Lamination
Digital printing
Key applications
Hydrophilic surface modification of filtration membranes increases water flux, reduces fouling tendency and extends service life, critical for water treatment, industrial filtration and bioprocessing applications.
Biocompatible wettability adjustment for wound care, diagnostic test strips and drug delivery films. Controlled surface energy for consistent fluid management without extractable chemistry.
Durable hydrophobic coatings for flexible packaging, building membranes and outdoor technical textiles. Water and moisture repellency without PFAS compounds, a regulatory future-proof solution.
Precise wettability patterning for conductive ink deposition on flexible substrates. Defined hydrophilic/hydrophobic zones enable selective ink placement and improved feature resolution.
Breathable membranes and vapour control layers with engineered wettability profiles. Uniform treatment of wide-format technical textiles and nonwovens at high processing speeds.
Superhydrophilic surfaces prevent condensation droplet formation on optical and packaging films. Permanent treatment eliminates need for topical anti-fog coatings that wear off.
Filtration membranes
Medical films
Barrier coatings
Printed electronics
Building & construction
Anti-fog
PFAS-free
Biocompatibility
Technology comparison
Corona is a blunt instrument for wettability adjustment. Atmospheric plasma gives you a scalpel, with full control over direction, magnitude and long-term stability of the surface energy modification.
Source: Plasmalex technical white paper 2023 — BOPP film surface energy measured over 120 days with calibrated inks. AFM images (1×1 µm²) confirm absence of surface damage
in plasma-treated samples vs. LMWOF formation in Corona-treated samples at equal dosage.
Quality & characterisation
Wettability is not a parameter you can assume, it must be measured. Our quality control processes combine inline process monitoring with comprehensive ex-situ surface characterisation, giving you full confidence in the consistency of every roll delivered.
For customers requiring third-party validation, we have access to independent certified laboratory partners capable of performing the full suite of surface analysis techniques required for regulated applications in medical devices, food contact and aerospace.
Method 1
Sessile drop contact angle measurement with both water and diiodomethane to calculate polar and dispersive components of surface energy using Owens-Wendt method.
Method 2
Dyne-level calibrated test inks for rapid inline quality verification of surface energy across the treated web.
Method 3
Advanced surface chemistry analysis to confirm functional group composition, coating depth profile and surface morphology, available for R&D and qualification campaigns.
Production capabilities
Plasma stations
6 machines in operation
Web widths
200 – 2000 mm
Processing speed
10–500 m/min
Surface energy range
<20 – 72 mN/m
Environment
Class 1000 cleanroom
Substrate thickness
10 – 500 µm
Test before you commit. CPI Plasmalex offers a structured test treatment programme, we treat your material at multiple wettability set-points, measure the surface response, and provide you with a full data package to support your own internal qualification process. No investment required at the evaluation stage.
We work with engineers who have real problems. Tell us your application.