Decomposition of volatile organic compounds by a novel electrode system integrating ceramic filter and SPCP method

We developed a new efficient apparatus for gas treatment in which a ceramic filter and SPCP (surface corona discharge induced plasma chemical process) were integrated. In this study, the feasibility of the reactor to decompose volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and performance were evaluated. The efficiency was examined against various conditions of initial concentration of VOCs, as trichloroethylene (TCE), toluene and benzene, and by using variable flow rates of carrier gases (air, nitrogen, and mixture of nitrogen and oxygen or water vapor). TCE was decomposed effectively within the reactor system, especially when the carrier gas contains oxygen or water as an oxygen source, whilst the decomposition efficiency was low with the nitrogen carrier. With a sufficient oxygen source, no organic by-products were detected in the treated gas, and TCE was oxidized to inorganic substances. Toluene and benzene were efficiently decomposed as well.For performance evaluation of such non-thermal plasma reactors for VOC treatment, we proposed a new parameter which is derived with substance based energy density, mSED (J/mol). The new parameter has merit to express the performance with a single parameter for a range of discharge power, flow rates, and initial concentrations of the gas to be treated. With the parameter proposed, the evaluation resulted in a new reactor in this study that has as high a performance as a conventional packed-bed reactor, and their performances are higher than pulse corona (PC), and dielectric barrier discharge reactors.     

Efficient and Rapid Synthesis of Radioactive Gold Nanoparticles by Dielectric Barrier Discharge

A compact bench‐top system based on a dielectric barrier plasma discharge (DBD), enables the rapid, automatable, and continuous‐flow synthesis of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and radioactive gold nanoparticles (¹⁹⁸AuNPs). AuNPs are used as radiosensitizers in oncology, and ¹⁹⁸AuNPs (half‐life: 2.7 d) have been suggested as potential cancer brachytherapy sources. Plasma applied at the surface of a liquid containing gold ions (AuCl₄^?) and dextran induces the production of AuNPs directly in water. This synthesis is monitored in real time by UV–visible spectrometry: the change of absorbance of the solution provides new insights on the growth dynamics of AuNPs by plasma synthesis. By balancing gold ions and surfactant molecules, particles with a diameter lying in the optimal range for radiosensitizing applications (28 ± 9 nm) are produced. The method yields a reduction of more than 99% of the gold ions within only 30 min of plasma treatment. A postsynthesis ripening of the AuNPs is revealed, monitored by UV–visible spectrometry, and quantified within the first few hours following plasma treatment. Radioactive ¹⁹⁸AuNPs are also produced by DBD synthesis and characterized by electron microscopy and single‐photon emission computed tomography imaging. The results confirm the efficiency of DBD reactors for AuNPs synthesis in oncology applications.     

Passivation of black silicon boron emitters with atomic layer deposited aluminum oxide

The nanostructured surface – also called black silicon (b‐Si) – is a promising texture for solar cells because of its extremely low reflectance combined with low surface recombination obtained with atomic layer deposited (ALD) thin films. However, the challenges in keeping the excellent optical properties and passivation in further processing have not been addressed before. Here we study especially the applicability of the ALD passivation on highly boron doped emitters that is present in crystalline silicon solar cells. The results show that the nanostructured boron emitters can be passivated efficiently using ALD Al₂O₃ reaching emitter saturation current densities as low as 51 fA/cm². Furthermore, reflectance values less than 0.5% after processing show that the different process steps are not detrimental for the low reflectance of b‐Si. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Influence of Gap Spacing between Dielectric Barriers in Atmospheric Pressure Discharges

The breakdown activity in helium atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma is strongly modified by introducing small impurities (nitrogen (N₂) and air in ppm), although its precise implications for the behavior of discharge plasma is not evident under several constraints. In this simulation study, we investigate the influence of gap spacing between the dielectric barriers to explore the dynamic modification in the structure of discharge plasma in distinct phases of the discharge current pulse using a two‐dimensional fluid model in He‐air gas mixture. Specifically, the impact of nitrogen and air impurities is contrasted by exploring the spatial distributions of electrons in the breakdown phase under similar operating conditions. The filamentary mode of DBD plasma in He‐N₂ is transformed into uniform glow discharge in He‐air gas mixture by the dominant effect of Penning ionization. Finally, the outcomes of two‐dimensional fluid model are validated by comparing with three‐dimensional fluid model to provide the reliability of numerical simulations. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

激光大气等离子体光谱特性实验研究

报道了对波长为1．06μm的脉冲激光在气体样品中产生的等离子体进行光谱研究的结果。气体样品为一个标准大气压的纯氮、纯氧和空气,光谱探测范围为300～900nm。结果表明,各种气体样品的激光等离子体光谱均表现为连续谱和线状谱的叠加,文中分别给出了连续谱和线状谱的基本特征,讨论了这些特征与等离子体物理特性的关系,并分析了纯氮、纯氧与空气激光等离子体光谱之间的异同。给出了激光等离子体光谱的时间演化和空间分布的基本特征,并初步讨论了与这些特征相关的等离子体物理特性。这些结果有助于加深对激光等离子体特性和机理,特别是对等离子体产生后的弛豫过程和复合机制的了解。     

Hydrogen and Deuterium Analysis Using Laser‐Induced Plasma Spectroscopy

Abstract

Hydrogen emission in laser plasma has been studied by focusing a TEA CO₂ laser and Nd‐YAG lasers on various types of samples, such as glass, quartz, and zircaloy pipes doped with hydrogen. It was found that H_α emission with a narrow spectral width occurs with high efficiency when the laser plasma is produced in low‐pressure host gas. In contrast, the conventional well‐known laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), which operates at atmospheric air pressure, cannot be applied for the analysis of hydrogen as impurity. The specific characteristic of hydrogen emission in low‐pressure plasma is interpreted on the basis of our shock wave model, taking account of the fact that the hydrogen mass is extremely light compared to that of the host target. Another experimental study on gas analysis was conducted using an Nd‐YAG laser and helium host gas at atmospheric pressure on a sample of mixed water (H₂O) and heavy water (D₂O) in vapor form. It was shown that completely resolved hydrogen (H_α) and deuterium (D_α) emission lines that are separated by only 0.179 nm could be obtained at a properly delayed detection time when the charged particles responsible for the strong Stark broadening effect in the plasma have mostly disappeared. It is argued that a helium metastable excited state plays the important role in the hydrogen excitation process.     

Characteristics of a dual‐radio‐frequency cylindrical inductively coupled plasma

The plasma parameters such as electron density, effective electron temperature, plasma potential, and uniformity are investigated in a new dual‐frequency cylindrical inductively coupled plasma (ICP) source operating at two frequencies (2 and 13.56 MHz) and two antennas (a two‐turn high‐frequency antenna and a six‐turn low‐frequency (LF) antenna). It is found that the electron density increases with 2 MHz power, whereas the electron temperature and plasma potential decrease with 2 MHz power at a fixed 13.56 MHz power. Moreover, the plasma uniformity can be improved by adjusting the LF power. These results indicate that a dual‐frequency synergistic discharge in a cylindrical ICP can produce a high‐density, low‐potential, low‐effective‐electron‐temperature, and uniform plasma.     

Plasma‐Based Pollutant Degradation in Gas Streams: Status,Examples and Outlook

The status of the research into and the application of non‐thermal plasmas for the pollutant degradation in gases is discussed, including some fundamental topics and engineering issues. Two reactor concepts, both based on dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs), are presented and investigated for various tasks. The DBD‐stack reactor shows a very good scalability and was investigated for the oxidation of NO in combustion gases (shipping diesel engine exhausts). The oxidation processes were significantly enhanced by the admixture of hydrocarbons. Significant NO conversion at low specific energy densities below 100 J/L were achieved in laboratory and test bench studies. The water falling film reactor demonstrated its feasibility for the removal of hydrocarbon pollutants from gases. Undecane, a long‐chain, harmful hydrocarbon, was decomposed. The conversion of non‐soluble compounds into soluble ones (formic acid) is a promising development towards a compact plasma‐assisted scrubbing technology. These approaches are good progress not only in the field of environmental plasma application, but also for indoor air quality, hygiene, and plasma synthesis. (© 2014 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

屏蔽气体对氩等离子体冲击射流的影响

在空气环境中利用氩等离子体射流进行材料加工时,环境空气卷吸进入射流可能会引起金属材料氧化。采用同轴屏蔽气体保护是减小该不利影响的一种可行方案。为此本文对空气环境中层流氩等离子体冲击射流特性受屏蔽气体影响问题进行了数值模拟研究,重点考察了屏蔽气体速度等对材料加工区氧含量的影响。     

Multifunctional TiO2‐Based Particles: The Effect of Fluorination Degree and Liquid Surface Tension on Wetting Behavior

A systematic investigation into the influence of the degree of fluorination on the static and dynamic wetting behavior of TiO₂‐based nanobelt (TNB) particles with various liquids is described. The effect of the degree of fluorination and the surface tension of the liquid on the occurrence and stability of liquid marbles, foams or dispersions are studied and the wetting behavior and arrangement of particles at the air–liquid surface are observed. Using contact angle (θ) measurements, the relation between the type of particle‐stabilized material and θ is established. For liquids of relatively high tension like water or formamide which do not wet the fluorinated particles, a powder‐like material (marble) is formed. For polar oils of intermediate tension (35–50 mN m^?1), which partially wet the fluorinated particles, stable air‐in‐oil foams can be prepared in which particles form a close‐packed layer enveloping air bubbles. Liquids of relatively low tension, e.g., ethanol or polydimethylsiloxane, wet the particles forming a uniform dispersion and partial sedimentation. By contrast, the as‐prepared hydrophilic TNB particles are rapidly wetted by all the liquids as expected due to their high surface energy. The stable cross‐stacked TNB particles with fluoroalkylsilane (FAS) modification could be a versatile platform in a wide range of applications, especially for fluidic devices (e.g., biofluids, gas sensing, and lab‐on‐a‐chip devices). In a proof‐of‐concept study, the oil–water separation performance of fabrics with chemically stable TNB/FAS coating and the liquid isolation by a TNB/FAS shell for highly sensitive gas sensing or reagent assays are investigated.     

Surface morphology changes of poly(ethyleneterephthalate) fabrics induced by cold plasma treatments

Some selective cold plasma processing modify specific surface properties of textile polymeric materials such as their dyeability, wettability and hydrorepellence. To correlate the sample surface changes with the acquired surface properties allows one to obtain information on the chemical and physical processing involved in plasma treatment. In this work, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been applied to investigate the morphological and topographical surface modifications induced by RF cold plasma processing of poly(ethyleneterephthalate) (PET) fabrics. Rms surface roughness and surface area of the samples are measured before and after the treatments. The morphology changes have been analysed as a function of the treatment time and air gas pressure. Measurements have been performed also using plasmas produced by different gases such as He, Ar, SF₆ and CF₄. The PET shows different behaviour with different gas plasmas. In the case of air, He and Ar gases the sample surface modifications seem to be mainly due to etching effects, while the fluorine atoms grafting probably is responsible for surface rearrangement process using SF₆ and CF₄ gases. As a consequence different surface properties are produced in the plasma treated samples. Article presented at the International Conference on the Frontiers of Plasma Physics and Technology, 9–14 December 2002, Bangalore, India.     

Micro‐Disperse Particles in Plasmas: From Disturbing Side Effects to New Applications

The research effort in the area of dusty plasmas initially aimed at avoiding particle formation and controlling the contamination level in industrial reactors. Nowadays, dusty plasmas have grown into a vast field and new applications of plasma‐processed dust particles are emerging. There is demand for particles with special properties, and for particle‐seeded composite materials. Low‐pressure plasmas offer a unique possibility of confinement, control and fine tailoring of particle properties. The role of plasma technology in treatment and surface modification of powder grains is reviewed and illustrated with examples. The interaction between plasma and injected micro‐disperse powder particles can also be used as a diagnostic tool for the study of plasma surface processes.     

Novel high‐temperature reactors for in situ studies of three‐way catalysts using turbo‐XAS

Two novel high‐temperature reactors for in situ X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements in fluorescence are presented, each of them being optimized for a particular purpose. The powerful combination of these reactors with the turbo‐XAS technique used in a dispersive‐XAS beamline permits the study of commercial three‐way catalysts under realistic gas composition and temporal conditions.     

Comparison of electrical discharge techniques for nonthermal plasmaprocessing of NO in N2

This paper presents a comparative assessment of three types of electrical discharge reactors: 1) pulsed corona, 2) dielectric-barrier discharge, and 3) dielectric-pellet bed reactor. The emphasis is on the efficiency for electron-impact dissociation of N₂(e+N₂ →e+N+N) and the subsequent chemical reduction of NO by nitrogen atoms (N+NO→N₂+O). By measuring the concentration of NO as a function of input energy density in dilute mixtures of NO in N₂, it is possible to determine the specific energy cost for the dissociation of N₂. Our experimental results show that the specific energy consumption (eV per NO molecule reduced) of different types of electrical discharge reactors are all similar. These results imply that, during radical production in electrical discharge reactors, the electric field experienced by the plasma is space-charge shielded to approximately the same value. The specific energy consumption for the dissociation of N₂ using electrical discharge processing is measured to be around 240 eV per nitrogen atom produced. In the NO-N₂ mixture, this corresponds to a specific energy consumption of around 240 eV per NO molecule reduced     

Continuous dust monitoring and analysis by spark induced breakdown spectroscopy

Fast monitoring and elemental analysis of suspended dust in air is an important part of health care. In the present paper we attempt to show the capabilities of spark induced breakdown spectroscopy (SIBS) as a simple, rapid, and in situ method for continuous detection and analysis of dust. In this method a high voltage is applied between two electrodes to create plasma in dusty air. Spectral emission of plasma contains qualitative information about the elemental composition of the air. The spectral lines of two major elements of dust, Ca and Mg, are traced as quality criteria of dusty air. To prevent shot to shot fluctuations, the spectral lines of Ca and Mg are normalized to N line available in air. The dust inside the room air is analyzed and compared for two cases of with and without foot traffic. In the subsequent stage, this approach is applied as continuous dust monitoring in a box, which has been simulated under windy weather conditions. The results show that, in the range of laboratory, SIBS has a good sensitivity to monitor variation of dust produced by foot traffic.     

The role of second‐order radial density gradient for helicon power absorption

To demonstrate the mysterious and still controversial mechanism of high ionization efficiency during helicon discharges, this work focuses particularly on the role of second‐order radial density gradient (SRDG) in helicon power absorption, both analytical and numerical. It was found that the positive or negative sign of SRDG and radial location of vanishing SRDG determine the radial profile of power absorption remarkably. First, by measuring SRDG at two radial locations (near plasma core and edge) where power absorption usually peaks, and varying it as a function of free parameter, we see that: (a) the power absorption from the antenna to plasma increases for positive SRDG and decreases for negative SRDG when viewed in the same x‐coordinate direction of SRDG and (b) the power absorption is maximized near the position where this local SRDG vanishes, consistent with the theory of radially localized helicon mode (B. N. Breizman and A. V. Arefiev, Phys. Rev. Lett., 84:3863, 2000). Second, by choosing the whole radial profiles of typical plasma distribution that have zero‐crossing SRDG, we find that the power absorption redistributes significantly when the location of vanishing SRDG moves radially outwards, and specifically when the radial locations of maximum power absorption and vanishing SRDG move in the same direction near the plasma core but noticeably in the opposite direction near the plasma edge. These findings are very interesting for helicon plasma applications that require certain power distribution or heat flux configuration, for example, material processing, which can be controlled by adjusting the radial profile of SRDG, especially the zero‐crossing SRDG.     

高密度等离子体工艺总体模型初探

介绍了与高密度等离子体工艺相关的模型和数值模拟方法,即连续流和动力学方法。在漂流－扩散方程的连续流模型和单元粒子／蒙特卡罗碰撞动力学模型的基础上,提出了一个等离子体工艺模型。讨论了对等离子体鞘层、等离子体刻蚀和淀积过程的模拟方法,提出了一个高密度等离子体工艺总体模型的初步方案。     

Repetitive hydrogen pellet injector utilizing a screw extruder

A new injector for the continuous formation of an unlimited supply of fuel pellets and their injection into the plasma of fusion reactors is described. A solid hydrogen rod of length in excess of 50 m has been extruded at an average rate of 20 mm/s, and more than a thousand pellets of diameter 2 mm have been formed from it in continuous operation at frequencies of 1 Hz and 2 Hz and have been accelerated to 0.6–0.8 km/s. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 117–120 (May 1998)     

Investigation of induction of air due to ultrasound source in the sonochemical reactors

A detailed investigation into the phenomena of induction of air using a novel arrangement of the ultrasonic horn (tip is located just above the liquid surface) has been made with the quantification of the extent of induction in terms of the air entrainment rate and the gas–liquid mass transfer coefficient for the transfer of air into the system. The measurement of air entrainment rate was found to be quite difficult and hence focus was kept on the quantification in terms of the gas–liquid mass transfer coefficient. The effect of ultrasonic power dissipation and type of the liquid medium (water, sodium chloride and sodium laruyl sulphate [surfactant] solution) on the mass transfer coefficient has been studied and correlations have been developed for the prediction of the same. Comparison with the mechanically agitated surface aerators has enabled us to understand the controlling mechanism in the induction and subsequent distribution of the air i.e. turbulence or convective motion. The present work should open an entirely new field of research in the area of design of sonochemical gas–liquid reactors operating possibly as a combination of gas-inducing reactors and cavitational reactors.     

Non‐linear interaction of a q‐Gaussian laser beam in a plasma channel created by the ignitor‐heater technique

This paper presents a theoretical investigation of the propagation characteristics of a q‐Gaussian laser beam propagating through a plasma channel created by the ignitor‐heater technique. The ignitor beam creates the plasma by tunnel‐ionization of air. The heater beam heats the plasma electrons and establishes a parabolic channel. The third beam (q‐Gaussian beam) is guided in the plasma channel under the combined effects of density non‐uniformity and non‐uniform ohmic heating of the plasma channel. Numerical solutions of the non‐linear Schrodinger wave equation (NSWE) for the fields of laser beams are obtained with the help of the moment theory approach. Particular emphasis is placed on the dynamical variations of the spot size of the laser beams and the longitudinal phase shift of the guided beam with the distance of propagation.