The technology start-up SALD BV and the machine and plant manufacturer Coatema Coating Machinery GmbH announced a far-reaching development partnership at the CES innovation trade fair in Las Vegas. The common goal is to implement the "Spatial Atomic Layer Deposition" (SALD) technology in industrial roll-to-roll production systems. In the R2R ("roll-to-roll") process, a flexible starting material is unrolled, a structure is printed or imprinted and then rolled up again. In combination with SALD technology, it is possible to print nano-thin coatings with specific properties and functions onto the roll. R2R mass printing production is used for flexible electronic components, packaging films, textiles, solar and battery coatings, among other things. SALD and Coatema intend to focus on battery technology, electrolytes and fuel cells as a first step. The R2R process is particularly suitable for cost-effective mass production on a large scale.
Nano-coatings for mass production
SALD technology allows several layers to be applied on top of each other, each of which is as thin as a single atom. Nine layers on top of each other are just one nanometer thick. Different materials can be used to trigger specific chemical processes depending on the order in which they are printed, resulting in coatings with properties and functions that were previously considered unthinkable. The challenge is to transfer this technology, which is well known in materials research, to industrial mass production with flexible substrates such as plastic or metal foils. SALD BV is providing the nanoprocess technology for this, while Coatema is contributing the necessary machinery.
"From Lab to Fab" (from the lab to the factory)
"For decades, production engineers have dreamed of using SALD in production. Now we are crossing this threshold and, together with Coatema, we are taking atomic coating technology from the lab to industry, i.e. from lab to fab," explains Frank Verhage, CEO of SALD BV, proudly. Thomas Kolbusch, Vice President Coatema Coating Material, explains: "Coatema has been developing customized machines and systems based on the latest technologies for over 40 years. SALD brings us the expertise for Spatial Atomic Layer Deposition, one of the most promising basic technologies for broad industrial use, which can significantly improve numerous manufacturing processes in various industries." Erik Kremers, CTO of SALD BV, adds: "We are experiencing strong demand from industry to bring SALD technology into mass production. We can satisfy this growing demand through our cooperation with Coatema."
Almost infinite range of functions
In the SALD process, numerous different surface materials, such as metal oxide or metal nitride, can be applied to various substrates. The large number of possible combinations results in an almost infinite range of functions, depending on which materials are layered on top of each other in which order and in how many layers. As a result, completely different functional substances and complex compounds can be created on almost any surface.
This results in the extremely broad industrial field of application of SALD technology, from chip production to battery cells, fuel cells, solar panels and textiles to ultra-thin, tear-resistant films for packaging in the food and consumer goods industry. In the future, the cooperation between Coatema and SALD will extend to all areas of application in which the roll-to-roll production process is used.
