In vitro study of nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma in improving the durability of the dentin–adhesive interface with an etch-and-rinse system

In this study, we employed a nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NTAPP) jet to evaluate the effect of plasma treatment on the durability of resin–dentin bonding under a thermocycling challenge. Furthermore, we assessed the degradation resistance of plasma-treated collagen under a sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) challenge. We assessed the beneficial effect of NTAPP treatment on the acid-etched dentin–bonding interface by testing the micro-tensile bond strength and examining the morphology. We found that the immediate bonding strength of the dentin significantly increased after NTAPP treatment. Compared with the control group, NTAPP resulted in a more prominent effect on the bonding durability of the dentin–adhesive interface after treatment for 5 or 10 s. Simultaneously, the mechanical strength of dentin collagen under the NaClO challenge was improved. Our results indicate that, in optimal conditions, NTAPP could be a promising method to protect dentin collagen and to improve the bonding durability between dentin and etch-and-rinse adhesives.     

Fluorine analysis of human dentin surrounding resin composite after fluoride application by μ-PIGE/PIXE analysis

The use of fluoride for the prevention of caries is based on the transformation of hydroxylapatite to fluoroapatite in the presence of fluoride ions, thereby strengthening tooth structure. Adhesion of dentin and resin composite (tooth-colored restoration material) requires a dentin bonding system, since resin composite is not able to adhere to dentin directly. Demineralization of dentin by acid etching is an important step in the dentin bonding system, however, demineralization also introduces weaknesses in tooth structure. If the demineralized dentin could be strengthened by the application of fluoride, then the dentin-resin composite bond strength might also improve. To test this hypothesis, the present study evaluated the influence of fluoride applications on the strength of the dentin-resin composite bond by (1) tensile strength testing analyses, (2) SEM analyses of tooth structure, and (3) detection of calcium (Ca) and fluorine (F) distribution patterns by micro proton-induced X-ray emission (μ-PIXE) and micro proton-induced gamma-ray emission (μ-PIGE) analyses conducted at the Takasaki Ion Accelerators for Advanced Radiation Application (TIARA) at the Takasaki Advanced Radiation Research Institute (TARRI).In this study, the dentin in extracted human molars was exposed by grinding and the dentin was etched with 35% phosphoric acid. Fluoride was applied at two concentrations, 0.022% (100 ppm F) and 2.21% (10,000 ppm F) NaF solution, for two time periods, 30 and 60 s, prior to bonding the resin composite with the treated dentin. Controls were prepared in the same manner, but without the fluoride application. Bond strength was measured with a micro-tensile testing unit, and the fluorine and calcium distributions at the interface between dentin and resin composite were detected by μ-PIGE and μ-PIXE analysis, respectively.Results indicate that the 10,000 ppm F applications resulted in higher bond strengths than observed in either the 100 ppm F applications or the control group. In addition, PIGE analyses showed high concentrations of fluorine in the hybrid bonding layer of the 10,000 ppm F samples, suggesting that the fluorine contributes to the strength of the dentin-resin composite bond. Detection of fluoroapatite within the hybrid bonding layer suggests that bond strength involves remineralization processes.     

Characteristics of a radio-frequency cold atmospheric plasma jet produced with a hybrid cross-linear-field electrode configuration

Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) jet has wide applications in various fields including advanced materials synthesis and modifications, biomedicine, environmental protection and energy saving, etc. Appropriate control on the volume, temperature and chemically reactive species concentrations of the CAP jet is of great importance in actual applications. In this paper, an radio-frequency atmospheric-pressure glow discharge (RF-APGD) plasma generator with a hybrid cross-linear-field electrode configuration is proposed. The experimental results show that, with the aid of the copper mesh located at the downstream of the traditional co-axial-type plasma generator with a cross-field electrode configuration, a linear field between the inner powered electrode of the traditional plasma generator and the copper mesh can be established. This liner- field can, to some extent, enhance the discharges at the upstream of the copper mesh, resulting in small increments (all less than 12.5%) of the species emission intensities, electron excitation temperatures and gas temperatures by keeping other parameters being unchanged. And due to the intrinsic transparent and conducting features of the grounded copper mesh to the gas flowing, electric current and heat flux of the plasma plumes, a plasma region with higher concentrations of chemically reactive species and larger plasma plume diameters is obtained at the downstream of the grounded copper mesh on the same level of the gas temperature and electron excitation temperature compared to those of the plasma free jet. In addition, the charged particle number densities at the same downstream axial location of the grounded copper mesh decrease significantly compared to those of the plasma free jet. This means that the copper mesh is also, to some extent, helpful for separating the chemically reactive neutral species from the charged particles inside a plasma environment. The preceding results indicate that the cross-linear-field electrode configuration of the plasma generator is an effective approach for tuning the characteristics of the RF-APGD plasma jet in order to obtain an appropriate combination of the plasma jet properties with higher chemically reactive species concentrations, especially relative higher number densities of neutral species, larger plasma volumes and lower gas temperatures.     

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.     

电子束辐照接枝对棉织物抗皱/拒水拒油性能的影响

利用MG-6600型拒水拒油剂以及柠檬酸抗皱剂,以轧烘焙、电子束辐照接枝、等离子体预处理-电子束辐照接枝三种工艺对棉织物进行后整理。傅里叶红外光谱(FTIR)证明拒水拒油剂与柠檬酸已成功接枝于棉纤维上;扫描电子显微镜(SEM)分析表明经三种工艺整理后的棉织物表面均有一层覆盖物,且经等离子预处理后的织物表面出现纵向条纹。通过测量棉织物折皱回复角(WRA)、对水的接触角(WCA)、对油(正十六烷)的接触角(OCA)大小来表征织物性能的变化。结果表明,在等离子体预处理-电子束辐照接枝工艺条件下,棉织物的抗皱、拒水、拒油性能达到最优,其WRA为185.9°,WCA为158.9°,OCA为129.1°,断裂强力、白度值均能满足服用要求,同时棉织物的耐水洗性能大大提高。     

Deposition of stain resistance coating by non-thermal plasma brush application to dental whitening

A non-thermal plasma brush is employed to deposit stain-resistant SiO₂-like coatings on resin composite fillings and bovine teeth. With post-treating by plasma, the hardness of the coating increases from H to 8H and the water contact angle decreases from 98.8° to 61.7°. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results show that, after plasma post-treating, the Si–O–Si and Si–OH bonds of the coating increase. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images show the coatings to be uniform, without cracks. The coatings present outstanding performance in a stain resistance test both on resin composite and bovine teeth. Being easy to handle and less time consuming than traditional methods, with a body-friendly temperature and material, this plasma brush provides a promising in-situ coating method on patient teeth in dental clinics.     

Study of generation characteristics of glow-type atmospheric-pressure plasma jet based on DC discharge in air

In order to form an atmospheric-pressure plasma jet without airflow, a needle–ring electrode structure is proposed in this paper. When heteropolar potentials are applied to a needle and a ring, a marked electric field strength enhancement around the needle's pointed end has been found. When the same potential is applied to both the needle and the ring, the lateral electric field strength for the needle can be weakened. By using the above two methods, an increase of the difference between the pointed end electric field strength and the lateral one is achieved and stable plasma jets are formed. A symmetrical space electric field distribution is established at the pointed end of the needles when several sets of heteropolar needle–ring electrodes are uniformly arranged, which is conducive to forming a uniform array plasma jet. Under DC discharge conditions, a safe and stable plasma jet of high density and an array plasma jet are successfully achieved.     

Theoretical analysis on the effect of liquid droplet geometry on contact angle

This paper is concerned with the development of a first-principle theoretical method to explain the dependence of contact angle on the size of liquid droplets on smooth solid substrates. It has been shown that the contact angle for axisymmetric droplets is size-dependent and, consequently, cannot satisfy the original Young equation. However, this contact angle can be theoretically deduced for any droplet material and mass as a function of the asymptotic contact angle (the limiting value of the contact angle as droplet size decreases). The proposed approach is based on the fact that the two major forces acting on a droplet, that is, the surface force and the gravity force, are independent of each other. It has been demonstrated that for sessile droplets on smooth surfaces, the contact angle can be uniquely determined for given droplet mass (or volume) and liquid/solid/gas properties.     

Low Pressure DC Glow Discharge Air Plasma Surface Treatment of Polyethylene (PE) Film for Improvement of Adhesive Properties

The present work deals with the change in surface properties of polyethylene (PE) film using DC low pressure glow discharge air plasma and makes it useful for technical applications. The change in hydrophilicity of the modified PE film surface was investigated by measuring contact angle and surface energy as a function of exposure time. Changes in the morphological and chemical composition of PE films were analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The improvement in adhesion was studied by measuring T-peel and lap-shear strength. The results show that the wettability and surface energy of the PE film has been improved due to the introduction of oxygen-containing polar groups and an increase in surface roughness. The XPS result clearly shows the increase in concentration of oxygen content and the formation of polar groups on the polymer surface. The AFM observation on PE film shows that the roughness of the surface increased due to plasma treatment. The above morphological and chemical changes enhanced the adhesive properties of the PE film surfaces, which was confirmed by T-peel and lap-shear tests.     

Low Pressure Hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO)/Nitrogen Plasma Treatment on the Wettability and Surface Free Energy of Biaxial-Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) Films

In this paper the influence of DC glow discharge HMDSO-N₂ plasma on wettability and surface properties of Biaxial-oriented polypropylene (BOPP) polymeric surfaces, has been investigated. The effects of plasma exposure time and HMDSO percent on the surface energy and wettability of the BOPP films were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and contact angle measurement. A clear change in the surface energy of BOPP films due to plasma treatment was observed. In this work we report changing surface properties of BOPP films instead of plasma treatment time and HMDSO ratios.     

Wetting properties of liquid lithium on select fusion relevant surfaces

Research into lithium as a plasma facing component material has illustrated its ability to engender low recycling operation at the plasma edge leading to higher energy confinement times. Introducing lithium into a practical fusion device would almost certainly require the lithium to be flowing to maintain a clean lithium surface for gettering. Several conceptual designs have been proposed, like the LiMIT concept of UIUC (Ruzic, 2011). Critical to the implementation of these devices is understanding the interactions of liquid lithium with various surfaces. For a device that relies on thermoelectric magnetohydrodynamic drive, such as the LiMIT concept, two of the critical interactions are the wetting of materials by lithium, which may be characterized by the contact angle between the lithium and the surface, and the relative thermopower between lithium and potential substrate materials.Experiments have been performed into the contact angle of liquid lithium droplets with various surfaces, as well as methods to decrease the contact angle of lithium with a given surface. The contact angle, as well as its dependence on temperature was measured. For example, at 200 °C, tungsten registers a contact angle of 130°, whereas above its wetting temperature of 350 °C, the contact angle is less than 80°. Glow discharge cleaning of the target surface as well as evaporation of a thin layer of liquid lithium onto the surface prior to performing wetting measurements were both found to decrease the wetting temperature.     

Ultra-violet protection and water repellency of polyester fabrics treated by surface deposition of nickel under the effect of low temperature plasma

This paper is aimed at understanding the textile properties of nickel-deposited polyester fabric after treating with low temperature plasma treatment. Low temperature plasma treatment with oxygen gas was employed in this paper to activate a hydrophilic surface for the polyester fabrics and hence facilitate the nickel deposition through an electroless plating process. The textile properties of plasma-induced electroless nickel-plated polyester fabrics were evaluated by different standard testing methods in terms of both physical and chemical performances. The electroless nickel plating with plasma treatment improved significantly the performance of nickel-plated polyester fabrics as reflected by the scanning electron microscopy, tensile strength, ultraviolet protection as well as fabric weight. On the contrary, it also enhanced the fabric thickness and colour fastness to crocking. In addition, there was no influence on the performance of colour fastness to light and colourfastness to laundering. Moreover, the application of plasma treatment adversely affected slightly the performance of contact angle and wrinkle recovery property.     

Compact High-Velocity Atmospheric Pressure Dielectric Barrier Plasma Jet in Ambient Air

In this paper,a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet at high streaming velocity operating with ambient air is highlighted.In the present technological approach,the employment of air poses a significant challenge.The high oxygen concentration in air results in a reduced concentration of reactive species in combination with a short species lifetime.The plasma jet assembly presented here contains a special dielectric barrier with a high secondary emission coefficient.In this way,the electron density and in turn the density of reactive species is increased.In addition,the plasma jet assembly is equipped with a short electrode.This leads to a higher voltage across the discharge gap and in turn to an increased density of reactive plasma species.The plasma jet is formed within and emitted by a small conical nozzle.A high-speed gas flow with gas velocity of 340 m/s was achieved at the end of the nozzle.In the jet the concentration of toxic and unwanted neutral plasma species like O_3 or NO_x is significantly reduced because of the shorter residence time within the plasma.The range of short-lived active plasma species is in turn considerably enhanced.The jet efficiency and action range measured through the oxidation of a test surface were determined by measuring the increase of surface tension of a polypropylene substrate via contact angle measurements after plasma treatment.Numerical modeling of the plasma plume indicates that oxygen atoms are in fact the main active species in the plasma plume.     

Effect of toughened epoxy resin on partial discharge at solid-solid interface

A series of solid-solid interfaces,consisting of ceramic-epoxy resin interface samples with a tip-plate electrode,were investigated by performing partial discharge tests and realtime electrical tree observations.A toughening agent was added to the epoxy resin at different ratios for comparison.The impact strength,differential scanning calorimetry(DSC) and dielectric properties of the cured compositions and ceramic were tested.The electric field strength at the tip was calculated based on Maxwell's theory.The test results show that the addition of a toughener can improve the impact strength of epoxy resin but it decreases the partial discharge inception voltage(PDIV) of the interface sample.At the same time,toughening leads to complex branches of the electrical tree.The simulation result suggests that this reduction of the PDIV cannot be explained by a change of permittivity due to the addition of a toughening agent.The microstructural change caused by toughening was considered to be the key factor for lower PDIV and complex electrical tree branches.     

A comparison of power measurement techniques and electrical characterization of an atmospheric pressure plasma jet

In the last two decades a growing interest has been shown in the investigation of atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs) that operate in contact with liquid samples. In order to form a complete picture about such experimental systems, it is necessary to perform detailed diagnostics of plasma jets, as one step that will enable the adjustment of system properties for applications in different areas. In this work, we conducted a detailed electrical characterisation of a plasma system configuration used for water treatment. A helium plasma jet, with a pin electrode powered by a continuous sine wave at a frequency of 330 kHz, formed a streamer that was in contact with a distilled water sample. An electrical circuit allowed the monitoring of electrical signals supplied to the jet and also to the plasma itself. An electrical characterisation together with power consumption measurements was obtained by using two different methods. The first method was based on the direct measurements of voltage and current signals, while in the second method we used 'Lissajous figures'. We compared these two methods when used for discharge power estimation and addressed their advantages and limitations. The results showed that both of these methods could be used to successfully determine power consumed by a discharge in contact with water, but only when taking into account power dissipation without plasma.     

Characteristics of Coaxial Dielectric Barrier Discharge at an Atmospheric Pressure with a Swirling Gas Argon/Oxygen Mixture for the Surface Modification of Polyester Fiber Cord

A newly developed coaxial dielectric barrier discharge reactor with a length of 1000 mm at an atmospheric pressure was used for plasma treatment of polyester fiber cord in a roll-to-roll manner. In this reactor, swirling mixture gases of oxygen of about 1% and argon with a flow rate of 1.5 to 2.7 L/min ensured the gas usage sparing, discharge uniformity and efficient fiber surface modification. The water contact angle and surface morphology of the treated fiber were measured. The results show that the surface oxygenation is mainly responsible for the wettability improvement of the fiber cord when passing through the plasma zone at a linear speed of 3 to 8 m/min. The specimens of modified-polyester fiber reinforced rubber composite were also prepared for the interfacial shear strength tests. Furthermore, the effect of adding oxygen into argon discharge on the fiber surface oxidation was correlated with optical emission spectroscopy. Finally, the effect of adding oxygen into argon discharge on the kinetic processes of the active species generation were also analyzed.     

Thermal fatigue damage in monofilament reinforced copper for heat sink applications in divertor elements

In fusion reactor systems extreme conditions require materials with high temperature and radiation resistance. The divertor component consists of a plasma facing W plate attached to a Cu heat sink to extract the heat from the nuclear reaction chamber coolant. The Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) mismatch between the W plate and the Cu heat sink causes interface delamination reducing the long term stability of the divertor.To avert this problem, composites are developed as interlayer materials with a high thermal conducting Cu matrix reinforced with up to 50 vol.% SiC or W monofilaments to increase the mechanical strength and to reduce the CTE mismatch. Thermal stresses are transferred from the macroscopic interface between the components into the bulk of the composite. Oscillating micro stresses may lead to fiber delamination and matrix damage during thermal cycling. Different matrix alloys, fiber materials and interface designs are investigated.In situ neutron diffraction performed during thermal cycling show the effect of bonding strength on the stress amplitudes expected under service conditions. The long term stability is tested by measurements after further ex situ cycling. Thermal fatigue damage and its propagation are visualized by in situ as well as ex situ high resolution synchrotron tomography. The combination of both methods helps to understand the strain induced damage mechanisms. Weak bonding leads to delamination of the fiber-matrix interfaces. Strong bonding causes severe matrix deformation and damage. Fiber cracks originating from sample production cause accumulating thermal fatigue damage during thermal cycling.     

阳极结构对直流非转移型等离子体射流特性的影响

本文介绍了自行研制的直流非转移弧等离子体炬的结构和工作原理,研究了不同阳极结构等离子体射流的特性与气体流量、弧功率的关系,以及侧向垂直送气对射流形貌的影响.结果表明,阳极结构对等离子体射流特性的影响较大,弧压随着阳极压缩角的增大而下降,较小压缩角的射流稳定性更好;通道直径较小的等离子体射流刚性更强;不同阳极结构的等离子体炬可以有不同的应用领域.     

A Steam-Plasma Igniter for Aluminum Powder Combustion

High-temperature ignition is essential for the ignition and combustion of energetic metal fuels,including aluminum and magnesium particles which are protected by their highmelting-temperature oxides.A plasma torch characterized by an ultrahigh-temperature plasma plume fulfills such high-temperature ignition conditions.A new steam plasma igniter is designed and successfully validated by aluminum power ignition and combustion tests.The steam plasma rapidly stabilizes in both plasma and steam jet modes.Parametric investigation of the steam plasma jet is conducted in terms of arc strength.A high-speed camera and an oscilloscope method visualize the discharge characteristics,and optical emission spectroscopy measures the thermochemical properties of the plasma jet.The diatomic molecule OH fitting method,the Boltzmann plot method,and short exposure capturing with an intensified charge coupled device record the axial distributions of the rotational gas temperature,excitation temperature,and OH radical distribution,respectively.The excitation temperature at the nozzle tip is near 5500 K,and the gas temperature is 5400 K.     

Effect of Low Pressure Nitrogen–Oxygen (N<Subscript>2</Subscript>/O<Subscript>2</Subscript>) Plasma Treatment on Surface Properties of Polypropylene Films

In this paper the effect of plasma treatment by using mixed gas (N₂/O₂) on surface properties of a Polypropylene PP films were investigated as a function of O₂ content and treatment time. Results obtained by using Fourier Transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), contact angle measurement and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It is found that plasma treatment can change chemical structure of polymer surfaces partially. SEM images revealed distinct changes in topography of PP due to O₂/N₂ plasma treatment. Finally wettability and surface energy before and after treatment investigated in different conditions.