PiezoBrush PZ3

Effective plasma handheld device for manual use

PiezoBrush PZ3 has been designed as a compact plasma handheld device for use in laboratories, predevelopment and assembly of small series. With a maximum power consumption of 18 W, the Piezoelectric Direct Discharge (PDD®) technology is used to generate cold active plasma at a low temperature. The heart of this portable plasma device is the TDK piezo plasma generator CeraPlas™ – a high-voltage discharge device for generating cold atmospheric-pressure plasma. Plasma is used to increase the surface energy of many materials with high efficiency, as well as to reduce germs and odors.

piezobrush® Module Nearfield plasma discharge

piezobrush® Module Standard plasma discharge

Fields of application

Joining technology
Development and optimization of production processes
Research facilities and laboratories
Microbiology, microfluidics and food technology
Medical and dental technology
Prototype and architectural model making
Small-scale production
Activation and functionalization of surfaces of various materials
Improvement of wettability
Optimization of bonding, painting, printing and coating processes
Surface treatment of plastics, glass, ceramics, metals, semiconductors, natural fibres and composite materials
Ultra-fine cleaning and odour reduction

Application examples

Better bonding with atmospheric pressure plasma

Prof. Dr. Bender examines the interaction of surface roughness and surface energy with polyethylene and how better bonding with atmospheric pressure plasma can be achieved.

Plasma treatment of polymer base plates

At the TH Lübeck, a plasma treatment of polymer base plates is carried out before 3D printing in order to achieve good adhesion.

Customer reference Prints and more

In digital and pad printing, plasma treatment achieves ultra-fine cleaning of the printing surface and significantly improves adhesion.

PiezoBrush PZ3 in the online shop

Rental unit PiezoBrush PZ3

400,00 € / 15 days
PiezoBrush PZ3 (without modules)

1.620,00 €
PiezoBrush PZ3 Professional Set

2.540,00 €

Technical details PiezoBrush PZ3

Electrical connection: 110-240 V / 50-60 Hz
Power consumption: max. 18 W
Weight: 110 g
Design: Handheld unit with plug-in power supply, integrated fan
Sound pressure level: 45 dB
Treatment speed: 5 cm²/s
Typical treatment distance: 2 – 10 mm
Typical treatment width: 5 – 29 mm

Modules

Different surfaces have to be activated with the appropriate accessories to achieve an ideal result. Currently five different modules are available for the PiezoBrush PZ3 plasma handheld device. The PDD technology used to generate the cold plasma in PiezoBrush PZ3 is based on the discharge of high electric fields. Therefore, the electrical conductivity of the component to be treated is of decisive importance when choosing the modules.

Modules in the online shop

Display

For process control of plasma treatment, the PiezoBrush PZ3 is equipped with various features that can be selected and modified via the display:

Process control
– Stopwatch: For monitoring the treatment time
– Countdown: Time setting with automatic switch-off function
– Metronome: Acoustic feedback after defined treatment time
Power adjustment: Reduction of plasma power in several increments

Display piezobrush® PZ3 for process control

Stand for PiezoBrush PZ3

The stand has been designed for the PiezoBrush PZ3 to allow hands-free operation of the handheld device. The height and angle of the stand can be easily and quickly adjusted according to customer requirements. The rubber studs on the base of the stand ensure a secure footing.

Accurate and reproducible processing of substrates is possible with the stand. The included support plate enables the treatment of conductive and non-conductive substrates.
The stand consists of a frame, a clamping device for holding the PiezoBrush PZ3 and a lay-on plate. The stand and its components can be stored in the supplied case.

Fields of application:

Laboratory
Dental technology
Small series

The dimensions of the stand are (W x H x D): 78 mm x 190 mm x 180 mm

Stand for PiezoBrush PZ3

FAQs

Is the PiezoBrush PZ3 a corona device?

No, the PiezoBrush is a jet with the advantages of more intensive treatment and less charge transfer.

Is it possible to feed in external gases?

JYes, the Multigas Module allows the use of other process gases such as nitrogen and the noble gases helium and argon.

How fast must the PiezoBrush be moved over the surface?

Depending on the application, a treatment speed of up to 20 mm/s is recommended.

How long does the activation effect last?

The decrease in time of plasma activation (hydrophobic recovery) varies greatly. It is based on three main influencing factors: the plasma treatment (e.g. selection of process gas and plasma solution), the nature of the treated substrate and the storage conditions (e.g. temperature, relative humidity). Accordingly, further processing should take place as soon as possible after plasma treatment.

Can I process a component for too long?

Due to the low temperature of the generated plasma, an overtreatment as it often occurs with conventional plasma systems due to thermal stress is not possible with most modules. Only with the needle module is there a higher concentrated temperature input.

What modules are available for the PiezoBrush?

There are currently five different exchangeable modules: the Standard, Nearfield, Needle, Nearfield Needle and Multigas Module. These are also suitable for the PiezoBrush PZ3-i.

Is there a holder for the hand-held unit for even treatment?

Yes, a stand is available as an accessory for the PiezoBrush PZ3. The device can be clamped in this to ensure uniform treatment of substrates.

How high is the ozone emission?

In air operation, the PiezoBrush generates ozone with a maximum concentration of 10ppm and a quantity of 25l/min. For continuous operation, an exhaust system with activated carbon filter is recommended.

Can the PiezoBrush cause a dangerous electric shock?

No, the amount of charge and the current strength that can be directly transmitted is too small.

Which materials can be processed?

In principle, all materials can be processed. With metals, care must be taken to avoid electric flashovers. With regard to working speed and effect, please refer to the application reports.

What is the optimum working distance?

For the Nearfield and Nearfield Needle Modules, the optimum working distance is 0.5 – 2 mm, for the Needle Module 2 – 5 mm, for the Standard Module 2 – 10 mm and for the Multigas Module 2 – 20 mm.

How much does the adhesion of my bonded area increase?

Adhesion strongly depends on the material and adhesive. Please read the application reports.

How can I make the activation effect visible?

In the simplest case, you will achieve good water wettability (72mN/m), which you can check with a simple water ink.

Can the PiezoBrush clean components?

Thin layers of release agent or adsorbates can be removed (fine cleaning). Thicker layers are not removed.

How often must the module insert be changed?

In normal operation, the module insert hardly wears out. However, depending on the working conditions, discoloration may occur after a few hundred hours of operation.

Does the PiezoBrush emit UV light?

The light emission of the PiezoBrush during air operation is very low and completely harmless.

Can the PiezoBrush damage the skin?

If the PiezoBrush is brought so close to the skin that an electric arc ignites, a local superficial burn may occur.

Downloads

Description	Language	Download
Manual	ML	Manual
Flyer	EN	Flyer
Brochure	EN	Brochure
Comparison PiezoBrush PZ2 and PiezoBrush PZ3	EN	Flyer
Whitepaper: Operation Principle and Characteristics	EN	Whitepaper
Whitepaper: Ozone control	EN	Whitepaper
Flyer – PiezoBrush PZ3 in the dental lab	EN	Flyer
Whitepaper PiezoBrush PZ3: endurance test for standard module	EN	Whitepaper
Aufbauanleitung PZ3 Stativ / Assembly instruction PZ3 stand	ML	Aufbauanleitung PZ3 Stativ / Assembly instruction PZ3 stand