In the wake of the breaking news of new findings in barrier coatings manufactured
by atomic layer deposition (ALD), Beneq
is developing the equipment that will take ALD firmly into the field of Roll-to
Roll industrial production. Beneq already offers the world's first and
only research equipment for continuous ALD (CALD), the TFS 200R Thin Film System.
In an article published by the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE), research
scientist Terhi Hirvikorpi tells about superior barrier layer properties enabled
by ALD: "ALD-coating has the potential to reduce the need of aluminum in
juice cartons by more than 99%". The thin film coating applied by ALD efficiently
replaces the need for the present solution, which is a thick layer of aluminum
on the inside of the carton. This aluminum layer has for long been the only
material suitable for an industrially manufactured moisture and diffusion barrier.
The substrate materials used in the research project were similar to those used
in foodstuff and pharmaceutical packing. On the pharmaceutical packing front,
solutions have long been sought for to replace the aluminum lidding in unit-dose
blister packs for tablets and capsules. The ALD results presented by Hirvikorpi
and team present a firm step towards a solution.
In 2009, Beneq introduced the world's first commercially available ALD
system for Roll-to-Roll research and CALD. The unit is an important link in
taking ALD to yet new markets and applications. Beneq is heavily engaged in
all ALD development, both equipment and applications, and is with the TFS 200R,
among others, at the forefront of industrial ALD implementation. Recent equipment
deliveries to the solar and flexible electronics industry have laid a solid
foundation of experience and know-how to build on, both inside Beneq and in
helping our customer to draw the full benefit of ALD.
Read
the original article by YLE News/Arto Nummi (in Finnish).
Beneq Oy, based in Finland, is a supplier of equipment and coating technology
for global markets. Beneq turns innovations into success by developing applications
and equipment for cleantech and renewable energy fields, especially in glass,
solar and emerging thin film markets. Coating applications include optics, barriers
and passivation layers, as well as energy generation and conservation. Beneq
also offers complete coating services. Beneq's coating applications are based
on two enabling nanotechnology platforms:Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) and aerosol
coating (nHALO® and nAEROTM).