The trend to the transparency just as to the dematerialization of the building envelope is of continuous interest in architecture (Figure 1). Point fittings supported these topics and will therefore often used for glass facades. Novel applications of adhesive joints represent an alternative to the currently used mechanical fixed point fittings.
However, permanent adhesive joints are only realizable with special qualities of the adherent surfaces. Thereby, the surface structure, inherent moisture or contaminants have a decisive influence on the adhesion properties. The surfaces of the materials and thus their adhesive behaviour can be modified by specific cleaning and surface treatments. But due to deactivation processes on the modified surfaces, a fast bonding after the pretreatment is recommended. Since the value chain of the manufacturing of a building envelope is distributed to multiple companies, it makes sense to separate the pretreatment as special process from the adhesive bonding. Hence, to increase quality and economic efficiency of the industrial production of adhesive glass fixings, a temporally and locally separation of the individual manufacturing steps should be aimed. In consequence, a long-term stability of the surface modifications or an appropriate surface protection has to be ensured.

Therefore, the stability of the surface pretreatment with atmospheric plasma used on different stainless steels, commonly used in glass constructions, have been investigated before and after long term storages under specified atmospheric conditions and vacuum. The experimental study included contact angle measurements for the determination of the wettability and the surface energy of untreated and pretreated as well as of unstored and stored stainless steel surfaces. Furthermore, the adhesion of pretreated and stored specimens was determined by the tensile-strength-test of butt joints (according to EN 15780).