Bio-hybrid Nanocomposite Roll-to-roll Coatings for Fiber-based Materials and Plastics - Natural Polymers, Biopolymers, Biomaterials, and Their Composites, Blends, and IPNs - page 202

harmful volatile substances. Surface treatments can be cured using cold or hot air
drying, IR-drying or UV-curing. The main benefits are low cost, low coating material
demand and versatility of used substrates including plastics, paper and carton board.
Basic layout including all units of the SUTCO surface treatment concept is shown in
Figure 4.
Figure 4. (a) Basic layout of the SUTCO surface treatment concept with configuration of 13 units, (b)
drying section and rewinding, and (c) unwinding.
Pectin solutions were roll-to-roll flexo-coated onto argon/nitrogen plasma-activat-
ed oriented polypropylene (OPP) film (thickness 25 μm, roll width 38 cm) obtained
from Amcor Flexibles Oy, Lieksa, and Finland. Plasma-activation was carried out in-
line to increase the surface energy of OPP film prior the coating with water-based
pectin solution. Effects of plasma-activation on water contact angle and surface energy
can be found from Figure 5. Pectin was easily spread onto activated OPP surface form-
ing an even and smooth dry coating ( Figure 6) .
Figure 5. Effects of corona and Ar/N 2 plasma pre-treatments on water contact angle and surface
energy of OPP film.