VERFAHREN UND VORRICHTUNG ZUR OBERFLAECHENBEHANDLUNG VON OBJEKTEN

WO 200243781 A UPAB: 20021031 NOVELTY - In a process to sterilise a web or deep-drawn material (1), the surface (2) is positioned in a discharge chamber (3) filled with a gas or gas mixture and exposed to a barrier discharge between first (4) and second (5) electrodes. The second electrode is especially a plasma- excited gas or gas mixture emitting ultra violet radiation impinging on the surface (2). DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is also included for a sterilisation assembly in which the gas pressure is at least 10000 Pa. The plasma- excited second gas or gas mixture is another plasma- excited gas or gas mixture. One or more additional gases are admitted to the discharge chamber (3) which enhance the surface treatment process and/or improve the uniformity of barrier discharge. Suitable additional gases are helium, argon, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, ozone, water gas, steam, hydrogen peroxide gas or vapour. USE - Process to sterilise a web of packing material by electrode discharge and ultra violet light. ADVANTAGE - The process and assembly combines high efficiency with high-speed treatment of a web.