Game-Changing Surface Pretreatment Technology Rory A. Wolf VP Business Development Enercon Industries Corporation SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®

Flexible Packaging Industry Graphic Challenges  Higher Productivity & Efficiencies  Higher press speeds  Minimal press set-up  Fully automatic change-over of plate cylinder mandrels/sleeves, anilox rollers/sleeves  Next job make-ready organization  Self-adhesive plate sleeves SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®

Surface Adhesion Challenges Substrate Water-based interfaces are formulated with non-soluble binders composed of styrene acrylic alkali-soluble binder and resin emulsion. SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®

Substrate As interfaces dry, ammonia and volatile amines leave and emulsion particles can “touch”, combining to form a surface film. SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®

Substrate Trapping these interfaces can trap volatile amines which can exist as salts, interfering with interface-to substrate and interface-to- interface bonding. SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®

 Tribocharging caused by contact and separation of a web from rolls can cause “spidering” of flexible packaging inks and coatings following impression to the web.  Tribocharging effect influences surface tension requirements SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®

2x2 micron images of PP film A.No Corona Treatment B.WD = 1.16W/ft 2 /min (12.5W/m 2 /min) C.WD = 1.93W/ft 2 /min (20.8W/m 2 /min) D.WD = 2.71W/ft 2 /min (29.2W/m 2 /min) Topographical Image Phase Image (Height – 10nm) (Range – 60º) SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®

Slow SpeedHigh Speed Treater Ground Roll Contact Area Contact Area …………………………………….. Boundary Air Contamination  Boundary layer air and surface contaminations reduce ground roll contact area at high speed with current art surface activation systems  Reduction in complete surface activation by entrained air behind the web, causing backside treatment. SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®

Current Surface Activation Technologies  Limitations of Current State Corona & Atmospheric Plasma Systems  Boundary layer air not sufficiently removed at high speeds.  Backside treatment creates ink picking.  Tribocharging effect on ink spidering not neutralized at treater.  Ionized air (ozone) or plasma gases entrained with web. SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®

 Limitations of Current State Corona & Atmospheric Plasma Systems  Limited removal of low molecular weight organic surface contaminations.  Splices and varying material thicknesses require manual gap adjustments, reducing productivity  No recent system designs which offer flexographic printers new solutions with integrated sustainability. SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon® Current Surface Activation Technologies

Plasma Technology Change  Step-Changes for Next-Gen Atmospheric Plasma Technology  Completely remove boundary layer air effect to minimize flexible packaging ink/coating adhesion issues.  Neutralize tribocharging/ink-spidering effects at surface treatment.  Higher discharge concentration to remove surface contamination and improve ink/coating adhesion  Significantly reduce gas entrainment with webs, gas consumption.  Reduce treater maintenance/damage due to material thickness variations, splice impact. SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®

Current State APTNext Gen APT SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon® Plasma Technology Change

Experimental Design ParameterDescription Material  Untreated & pre-corona treated BOPP film Process  Current state semi-chambered atmospheric plasma  Next-Gen Atmospheric Plasma design Power Density  High  Low Gas Composition  100% Air (ozone-generating)  100% N2 (non-ozone) SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®

Trial Results/Data Analysis SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon® Treatment Longevity (Days) Surface Tension (mN/m) Next Gen/High PD/Air Current/High PD/Air Next Gen/High PD/N2 Current/High PD/N2 Next Gen/Low PD/Air Next Gen/Low PD/N2 Current/Low PD/ Air Current/ Low PD/ N2

Summary of Results  Next Gen Atmospheric Plasma Technology improves surface energy level relative to Current State technology, at both high and low power density, relative to gas chemistry.  Gas-Phase treatment longevity patterns similar between Next Gen and Current State.  No significant difference between air plasma and inert plasma treatment level or longevity relative to either system. SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®

Boundary Layer Air  Completely removed. No Interference with Plasma Chemical Reaction at Surface Additional Trial Parameters Measured SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®

Boundary Layer Air  Completely removed. No Interference with Plasma Chemical Reaction at Surface Gas Containment  > 40% Reduction in Gas Consumption vs. Current State technology Additional Trial Parameters Measured SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®

Boundary Layer Air  Completely removed. No Interference with Plasma Chemical Reaction at Surface Gas Containment  > 40% Reduction in Gas Consumption vs. Current State technology Tribocharging  Both system designs neutralized web charge at the discharge Additional Trial Parameters Measured SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®

Boundary Layer Air  Completely removed. No Interference with Plasma Chemical Reaction at Surface Gas Containment  > 40% Reduction in Gas Consumption vs. Current State technology Tribocharging  Both system designs neutralized web charge at the discharge Footprint / Sustainability  Next Gen electrode discharge capacity > 3:1 vs. Current State Technology Additional Trial Parameters Measured SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®

Boundary Layer Air  Completely removed. No Interference with Plasma Chemical Reaction at Surface Gas Containment  > 40% Reduction in Gas Consumption vs. Current State technology Tribocharging  Both system designs neutralized web charge at the discharge Footprint / Sustainability  Next Gen electrode discharge capacity > 3:1 vs. Current State Technology Gap Maintenance/Adjustment  Assembly (Gap) maintained throughout trial; auto- adjusted to web thickness Additional Trial Parameters Measured SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®

Boundary Layer Air  Completely removed. No Interference with Plasma Chemical Reaction at Surface Gas Containment  > 40% Reduction in Gas Consumption vs. Current State technology Tribocharging  Both system designs neutralized web charge at the discharge Footprint / Sustainability  Next Gen electrode discharge capacity > 3:1 vs. Current State Technology Gap Maintenance/Adjustment  Assembly (Gap) maintained throughout trial; auto- adjusted to web thickness Backside Treatment  Air plasma discharge generated < OSHA allowable ozone ppm Additional Trial Parameters Measured SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®

Boundary Layer Air  Completely removed. No Interference with Plasma Chemical Reaction at Surface Gas Containment  > 40% Reduction in Gas Consumption vs. Current State technology Tribocharging  Both system designs neutralized web charge at the discharge Footprint / Sustainability  Next Gen electrode discharge capacity > 3:1 vs. Current State Technology Gap Maintenance/Adjustment  Assembly (Gap) maintained throughout trial; auto- adjusted to web thickness Backside Treatment  No backside treatment for either system design Exhausted Emissions  Air plasma discharge generated < OSHA allowable ozone ppm Additional Trial Parameters Measured SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®

THANK YOU! Rory A. Wolf Enercon Industries Corporation SPE International Polyolefins® Conference and FlexPackCon®