Preparation of Copper Nanoparticles Using Dielectric Barrier Discharge at Atmospheric Pressure and its Mechanism简

Dielectric barrier discharge （DBD） cold plasma at atmospheric pressure was used for preparation of copper nanoparticles by reduction of copper oxide （CuO）. Power X-ray diffraction （XRD） was used to characterize the structure of the copper oxide samples treated by DBD plasma. Influences of H2 content and the treating time on the reduction of copper oxide by DBD plasma were investigated. The results show that the reduction ratio of copper oxide was increased initially and then decreased with increasing H2 content, and the highest reduction ratio was achieved at 20% H2 content. Moreover, the copper oxide samples were gradually reduced by DBD plasma into copper nanoparticles with the increase in treating time. However, the average reduction rate was decreased as a result of the diffusion of the active hydrogen species. Optical emission spectra （OES） were observed during the reduction of the copper oxide samples by DBD plasma, and the reduction mechanism was explored accordingly. Instead of high-energy electrons, atomic hydrogen （H） radicals, and the heating effect, excited-state hydrogen molecules are suspected to be one kind of important reducing agents. Atmospheric-pressure DBD cold plasma is proved to be an efficient method for preparing copper nanoparticles.     

Parameter Optimization for Enhancement of Ethanol Yield by Atmospheric Pressure DBD-TreatedSaccharomyces cerevisiae简

In this study, Saccharomyces cerevisiae （S. cerevisiae） was exposed to dielectric barrier discharge plasma （DBD） to improve its ethanol production capacity during fermenta- tion. Response surface methodology （RSM） was used to optimize the discharge-associated pa- rameters of DBD for the purpose of maximizing the ethanol yield achieved by DBD-treated S. cerevisiae. According to single factor experiments, a mathematical model was established using Box-Behnken central composite experiment design, with plasma exposure time, power supply volt- age, and exposed-sample volume as impact factors and ethanol yield as the response. This was followed by response surface analysis. Optimal experimental parameters for plasma discharge- induced enhancement in ethanol yield were plasma exposure time of 1 rain, power voltage of 26 V, and an exposed sample volume of 9 mL. Under these conditions, the resulting yield of ethanol was 0.48 g/g, representing an increase of 33% over control.     

Effect of Cold Plasma Treatment on Seed Germination and Growth of Wheat简

This study investigated the effect of cold helium plasma treatment on seed germina- tion, growth and yield of wheat. The effects of different power of cold plasma on the germination of treated wheat seeds were studied. We found that the treatment of 80 W could significantly improve seed germination potential （6.0%） and germination rate （6.7%） compared to the control group. Field experiments were carried out for wheat seeds treated with 80 W cold plasma. Com- pared with the control, plant height （20.3%）, root length （9.0%） and fresh weight （21.8%） were improved significantly at seedling stage. At booting stage, plant height, root length, fresh weight, stem diameter, leaf area and leaf thickness of the treated plant were respectively increased by 21.8%, 11.0%, 7.0%, 9.0%, 13.0% and 25.5%. At the same time, the chlorophyll content （9.8%）, nitrogen （10.0%） and moisture content （10.0%） were higher than those of the control, indicating that cold plasma treatment could promote the growth of wheat. The yield of treated wheat was 7.55 t-ha-1, 5.89% more than that of the control. Therefore, our results show that cold plasma has important application prospects for increasing wheat yield.     

The Gas Nucleation Process Study of Anatase TiO2 in Atmospheric Non-Thermal Plasma EnhancedChemical Vapor Deposition简

Abstract The gas phase nucleation process of anatase TiO2 in atmospheric non-thermal plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition is studied. The particles synthesized in the plasma gas phase at different power density were collected outside of the reactor. The structure of the collected particles has been investigated by field scanning electron microscope （FESEM）, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, high resolution transmission electron microscopy （HRTEM） and selected area electron diffraction （SAED）. The analysis shows that uniform crystalline nuclei with average size of several nanometers have been formed in the scale of micro second through this reactive atmo- spheric plasma gas process. The crystallinity of the nanoparticles increases with power density. The high density of crystalline nanonuclei in the plasma gas phase and the low gas temperature are beneficial to the fast deposition of the 3D porous anatase TiO2 film.     

Calculation of Plasma Radiation in Electrothermal-Chemical Launcher简

A numerical model of radiation has been adopted for electrothermM-chemical （ETC） launcher, in which Monte Carlo method and statistical physics are employed to simulate the process of a capillary plasma source in an ETC launcher. The effect on propellant grains with different average absorption coefficients is discussed. The plasma-propellant interaction is also discussed when combined with a thermal model. Results show that the strong instantaneous radiation is responsible for the transmission of energy to the propellant grains leading to ignition. The efficiency of energy absorption in the propellant bed always maintains a high level. Radiant energy caused by plasma is concentrated around the plaslna injector. And the ＂hot zone＂ efficiency is mainly affected by the properties of propellant grains within a small field around the plasma injector.     

Investigation of Microwave Surface-Wave Plasma Deposited SiOxCoatings on Polymeric Substrates简

In this paper, we reported nano-scale SiOx coatings deposited on polyethylene terephthalate （PET） webs by microwave surface-wave assisted plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition for the purpose of improving their barrier properties. Oxygen （O2） and hexamethyl- disiloxane （HMDSO） were employed as oxidant gas and Si monomer during SiOx deposition, re- spectively. Analysis by Fourier transform infrared spectroscope （FTIR） for chemical structure and observation by atomic force microscopy （AFM） for surface morphology of SiO~ coatings demon- strated that both chemical compounds and surface feature of coatings have a remarkable influence on the coating barrier properties. It is noted that the processing parameters play a critical role in the barrier properties of coatings. After optimization of the SiOx coatings deposition conditions, i.e. the discharge power of 1500 W, 2 ： 1 of O2 ： HMDSO ratio and working pressure of 20 Pa, a better barrier property was achieved in this work.     

Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Electron Beam Air Plasma Properties at Moderate Pressure简

Large size of air plasma at near atmospheric pressure has specific effects in aerospace applications. In this paper, a two dimensional multi-fluid model coupled with Monte Carlo （MC） model is established, and some experiments were carried out to investigate the characteristics of electron beam air plasma at pressure of 100-170 Torr. Based on the model, the properties of electron beam air plasma are acquired. The electron density is of the order of 1016 m-3 and the longitudinal size can exceed 1.2 m. The profiles of charged particles demonstrate that the oxygen molecule is very important for air plasma and its elementary processes play a key role in plasma equilibrium processes. The potential is almost negative and a very low potential belt is observed at the edge of plasma acting as a protection shell. A series of experiments were carried out in a low pressure vacuum facility and the beam plasma densities were diagnosed. The experimental results demonstrate that electron density increased with the electron beam energy, and the relatively low pressure was favorable for gaining high density plasma. Hence in order to achieve high density and large size plasma, it requires the researchers to choose proper discharge parameters.     

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet in Ar and O2/Ar Mixtures： Properties and High Performance for Surface Cleaning＊

An atmospheric pressure plasma jet generated in Ar and O2/Ar mixtures has been investigated by specially designed equipment with double power electrodes at 20~32 kHz, and their effects on the cleaning of surfaces have been studied. Properties of the jet discharge are studied by electrical diagnostics, including the waveform of discharge voltage, discharge current and the Q-V Lissajous figures. The optical emission spectroscopy is used to measure the plasma parameters, such as the excitation temperature and the gas temperature. It is found that the consumed power and the excitation temperature increase with increase of the discharge frequency. On the other hand, at the same discharge frequency, these parameters in O2/Ar mixture plasma are found to be much larger. The effect on surface cleaning is studied from the changes in the contact angle. For Ar plasma jet, the contact angle decreases with increase of the discharge frequency. For O2/Ar mixture plasma jet, the contact angle decreases with increase of discharge frequency up to 26 kHz, however, further increase of discharge frequency does not show further decrease in the contact angle. At the same discharge frequency, the contact angle after O2/Ar mixture plasma cleaning is found to be much lower compared to the case of pure Ar. From the results of quadrupole mass-spectrum analysis, we can identify more fragment molecules of CO and H2O in the emitted gases after O2/Ar plasma jet treatment compared with Ar plasma jet treatment, which are produced by the decomposition of surface organic contaminants during the cleaning process.     

Study on the Generation Characteristics of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasmas on Water Surface简

A new contact glow discharge electrode employed in this study. Because of the strong field the electrode and the water surface, glow discharge on the surface of water was designed and strength in the small air gap formed by plasmas were generated and used to treat waste water. The electric field distribution of the designed electrode model was simulated by MAXWELL 3D~ simulation software, and the discharge parameters were measured. Through a series of experiments, we investigated the impact of optimal designs, such as the dielectric of the electrode, immersion depths, and curvature radii of the electrode on the generation characteristics of plasmas. In addition, we designed an equipotential multi-electrode configuration to treat a Methyl Violet solution and observe the discoloration effect. The experimental and simulation results indicate that the designed electrodes can realize glow discharge with a relative low voltage, and the generated plasmas covered a large area and were in stable state. The efficiency of water treatment is improved and optimized with the designed electrodes.     

Deposition of Polymer Thin Film Using an Atmospheric Pressure Micro-Plasma Driven by Dual-FrequencyExcitation简

Polymer thin film deposition using an atmospheric pressure micro-plasma jet driven by dual-frequency excitations is described in this paper. The discharge process was operated with a mixture of argon （6 slm） and a small amount of acetone （0-2100 ppm）. Plasma composition was measured by optical emission spectroscopy （OES）. In addition to a large number of Ar spectra lines, we observed some spectra of C, CN, CH and C2. Through changing acetone content mixed in argon, we found that the optimum discharge condition for deposition can be characterized by the maximum concentration of carbonaceous species. The deposited film was characterized by scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS） and Fourier transform infrared （FTIR） spectroscopy. The XPS indicated that the film was mostly composed of C with trace amount of O and N elements. The FTIR suggested different carbon-containing bonds （-CHx, C=O, C=C, C-O-C） presented in the deposited film.     

Electrical Characteristics of Pseudoglow Discharges in Helium under Atmospheric Pressure

A pseudoglow discharge behaviour is achieved at a 2.0-mm dielectric-dielectric electrode gap in pure helium under atmospheric pressure. An experimental study of the pseudoglow discharges is presented. The electrical characteristics and the discharge photos of the pseudoglow discharges are analyzed and discussed. The current-voltage parameters of the pseudoglow dis- charges are considered in regard to the influence on their behaviour.     

Simulation Study on the Self-Sustained Oscillations in DC Driven Glow Discharges at Atmospheric Pressure Under Different Gas Gaps

In this paper,a one-dimensional plasma fluid model is employed to study the selfsustained oscillations in DC-driven helium glow discharges at atmospheric pressure under different gas gaps.Our simulation results indicate that a harmonic current oscillation with tiny amplitude always occur at the onset of instability and transits into a relaxation one as the conductivity of the semiconductor is decreased.It is found that the dynamics of the oscillations are dependent on the gas gaps.The discharge can only exhibit a simple oscillation with unique amplitude and frequency at smaller gas gaps(2 mm) while it can exhibit a more complex oscillation with several different amplitudes and frequencies at larger gas gaps(2 mm).The discharge modes in these current oscillations have also been analyzed.     

The Role of Metastable Atoms in a Homogeneous Atmospheric Pressure Barrier Discharge in Helium

A one-dimensional fluid model for homogeneous atmospheric pressure barrier discharges in helium is presented by considering elementary processes of excitation and ionization including a metastable atom effect. Using this model we investigate the behaviours of the helium metastable atoms in discharges as well as their influence on the discharge characteristics. It is shown that the metastable atoms with a relatively high concentration during the discharge are mainly produced in the active phase of the discharge and dissolved in the off phase. It is also found that the metastable atom collisions can not only provide seed electrons for discharges but also influence the concentration of ions. A reduction of matestable atom density results in a drop in the charged particle densities and causes a qualitative change in the discharge patterns.     

Temporally-Resolved Emission Spectroscopic Diagnostics of the Atmospheric Pressure Glow Discharge in Helium

Temporally-resolved spectroscopic diagnostics of dielectric barrier discharges(DBDs) in atmospheric-pressure helium was carried out to study the discharge mechanism.Using an intensified charge-coupled device(ICCD) and a grating spectrometer,we obtained the emission spectra of homogeneous discharges and presented them in 3D graphs.We also studied the time variation of typical emissions from He,O and first negative bands of N+ 2.The results showed that the spectral lines do not develop synchronously as N+ 2(B2u+X2∑+g,0~0,λ=391.4 nm) and N∑+2(B2∑+u → X2∑+g,0~1,λ=427.8 nm) appear earlier and last for a longer time than He(33S1 → 23P1,λ=706.5 nm) and O(35P→35S,λ=777.4 nm).A certain number of He metastables produced in the initial stage of discharge.Even between adjacent pulses,the emissions from N∑+2 can still keep certain intensities while those from He and O extinguish.Since long-lifetime He metastables are produced and exist in the discharging space,it is the Penning ionization that keeps the long decay of N∑+2 emissions.     

Gas Breakdown of Radio Frequency Glow Discharges in Helium at near Atmospheric Pressure

A one-dimensional self-consistent fluid model was developed for radio frequency glow discharge in helium at near atmospheric pressure, and was employed to study the gas breakdown characteristics in terms of breakdown voltage. The effective secondary electron emission coefficient and the effective electric field for ions were demonstrated to be important for determining the breakdown voltage of radio frequency glow discharge at near atmospheric pressure. The constant of A was estimated to be 64±4 cm 1 Torr 1 , which was proportional to the first Townsend coefficient and could be employed to evaluate the gas breakdown voltage. The reduction in the breakdown voltage of radio frequency glow discharge with excitation frequency was studied and attributed to the electron trapping effect in the discharge gap.     

Influence of Additive Gas on Electrical and Optical Characteristics of Non-equilibrium Atmospheric Pressure Argon Plasma Jet

Electrical and optical properties of an argon plasma jet were characterized. In particular, effects of an additive gas, namely nitrogen or oxygen, on these prop...     

Characteristics of RF Cold Plasma at Atmospheric Pressure

The characteristics of a stable discharge at atmospheric pressure is investigated. The plasma source consisted of two closely spaced parallel-plated perforated electrodes, driven by a radio frequency power to generate a uniform cold plasma in Helium at atmospheric pressure. Both alpha and gamma modes were clearly observed. The hollow cathode effects were found in the discharge. The influence of the dielectric barrier on the discharge was also investigated by utilizing a surface-anodized aluminium electrode as the anode.     

A Brief Study on the Ignition of the Non-Thermal Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet from a Double Dielectric Barrier Configured Plasma Pencil

To understand the self sustained propagation of the plasma jet/bullet in air under atmospheric pressure, the ignition of the plasma jet/bullet, the plasma jet/bullet ignition point in the plasma pencil, the formation time and the formation criteria from a dielectric barrier configured plasma pencil were investigated in this study. The results were confirmed by comparing these results with the plasma jet ignition process in the plasma pencil without a dielectric barrier. Electrical, optical, and imaging techniques were used to study the formation of the plasma jet from the ignition of discharge in a double dielectric barrier configured plasma pencil. The investigation results show that the plasma jet forms at the outlet of the plasma pencil as a donut shaped discharge front because of the electric field line along the outlet’s surface. It is shown that the required time for the formation of the plasma jet changes with the input voltage of the discharge. The input power calculation for the gap discharge and for the whole system shows that 56% of the average input power is used by the first gap discharge. The estimated electron density inside the gap discharge is in the order of 1011cm-3 . If helium is used as a feeding gas, a minimum 1.48×10-8C charge is required per pulse in the gap discharge to generate a plasma jet.     

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Processing of Fused Silica in Different Discharge Modes

One of the major advantages of utilizing atmospheric pressure plasma processing(APPP) technology to fabricate ultra-precision optics is that there is no subsurface damage during the process.In APPP,the removal footprint and removal rate are critical to the capability and efficiency of the figuring of the optical surface.In this paper,an atmospheric plasma torch,which can work in both remote mode and contact mode,is presented.The footprints and the removal rates of both modes are compared by profilometer measurements.The influences of process recipes and substrate thickness for both modes are investigated through a series of experiments.When the substrate is thinner than 12 mm,the removal rate in contact mode is higher.However,the removal rate and width of the footprint decrease dramatically as the substrate thickness increases in contact mode.     

Optical Spectroscopic Investigation of Ar/CH_3OH and Ar/N_2/CH_3OH Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jets

Ar/CH3OH and Ar/N2/CH3OH plasma jets were generated at atmospheric pressure by dual-frequency excitations. Two different cases were studied with focus laid on the generation of CN radicals. In one case Ar gas passed through a bubbler with saturated methanol steam but without addition of N2 （Ar/CH3OH plasma）. In the other case N2 passed through the bubbler with saturated methanol steam （Ar/N2/CH3OH plasma）. The optical emission lines of CN radicals have been observed in these two cases of plasma discharges. The addition of N2 can significantly increase the optical emission intensity of CN bands.