Surface treatment of polyethylene terephthalate film using atmospheric pressure glow discharge in air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang Zhi; Qiu Yuchang; Wang Hui

2004-01-01

Non-thermal plasmas under atmospheric pressure are of great interest in polymer surface processing because of their convenience, effectiveness and low cost. In this paper, the treatment of Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film surface for improving hydrophilicity using the non-thermal plasma generated by atmospheric pressure glow discharge (APGD) in air is conducted. The discharge characteristics of APGD are shown by measurement of their electrical discharge parameters and observation of light-emission phenomena, and the surface properties of PET before and after the APGD treatment are studied using contact angle measurement, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It is found that the APGD is homogeneous and stable in the whole gas gap, which differs from the commonly filamentary dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). A short time (several seconds) APGD treatment can modify the surface characteristics of PET film markedly and uniformly. After 10 s APGD treatment, the surface oxygen content of PET surface increases to 39%, and the water contact angle decreases to 19 degree, respectively. (authors)

Hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surfaces fabricated using atmospheric pressure cold plasma technology: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Dimitrakellis, Panagiotis; Gogolides, Evangelos

2018-04-01

Hydrophobic surfaces are often used to reduce wetting of surfaces by water. In particular, superhydrophobic surfaces are highly desired for several applications due to their exceptional properties such as self-cleaning, anti-icing, anti-friction and others. Such surfaces can be prepared via numerous methods including plasma technology, a dry technique with low environmental impact. Atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) has recently attracted significant attention as lower-cost alternative to low-pressure plasmas, and as a candidate for continuous rather than batch processing. Although there are many reviews on water-repellent surfaces, and a few reviews on APP technology, there are hardly any review works on APP processing for hydrophobic and superhydrohobic surface fabrication, a topic of high importance in nanotechnology and interface science. Herein, we critically review the advances on hydrophobic and superhydrophobic surface fabrication using APP technology, trying also to give some perspectives in the field. After a short introduction to superhydrophobicity of nanostructured surfaces and to APPs we focus this review on three different aspects: (1) The atmospheric plasma reactor technology used for fabrication of (super)hydrophobic surfaces. (2) The APP process for hydrophobic surface preparation. The hydrophobic surface preparation processes are categorized methodologically as: a) activation, b) grafting, c) polymerization, d) roughening and hydrophobization. Each category includes subcategories related to different precursors used. (3) One of the most important sections of this review concerns superhydrophobic surfaces fabricated using APP. These are methodologically characterized as follows: a) single step processes where micro-nano textured topography and low surface energy coating are created at the same time, or b) multiple step processes, where these steps occur sequentially in or out of the plasma. We end the review with some perspectives in the field. We

Determining Atmospheric Pressure Using a Water Barometer

Science.gov (United States)

Lohrengel, C. Frederick, II; Larson, Paul R.

2012-01-01

The atmosphere is an envelope of compressible gases that surrounds Earth. Because of its compressibility and nonuniform heating by the Sun, it is in constant motion. The atmosphere exerts pressure on Earth's surface, but that pressure is in constant flux. This experiment allows students to directly measure atmospheric pressure by measuring the…

Characteristics of meter-scale surface electrical discharge propagating along water surface at atmospheric pressure

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hoffer, Petr; Sugiyama, Y.; Hosseini, S.H.R.; Akiyama, H.; Lukeš, Petr; Akiyama, M.

2016-01-01

Roč. 49, č. 41 (2016), č. článku 415202. ISSN 0022-3727 Institutional support: RVO:61389021 Keywords : water surface * spectroscopy * high-speed photography * pulsed plasma discharge * Atmospheric-pressure plasmas * electric discharges * liquids * water Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 2.588, year: 2016 http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0022-3727/49/41/415202

Characteristics of meter-scale surface electrical discharge propagating along water surface at atmospheric pressure

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hoffer, Petr; Sugiyama, Y.; Hosseini, S.H.R.; Akiyama, H.; Lukeš, Petr; Akiyama, M.

2016-01-01

Roč. 49, č. 41 (2016), č. článku 415202. ISSN 0022-3727 Institutional support: RVO:61389021 Keywords : water surface * spectroscopy * high-speed photography * pulsed plasma discharge * Atmospheric - pressure plasmas * electric discharges * liquids * water Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 2.588, year: 2016 http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/0022-3727/49/41/415202

Surface modification of nanofibrillated cellulose films by atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Siró, Istvan; Kusano, Yukihiro; Norrman, Kion

2013-01-01

of atmospheric pressure plasma treatment, the water contact angle of NFC films increased and the values were comparable with those of PLA films. On the other hand, surface chemical characterization revealed inhomogeneity of the plasma treatment and limited improvement in adhesion between NFC and PLA films...

Atmospheric pressure plasmas for surface modification of flexible and printed electronic devices: A review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Kyong Nam; Lee, Seung Min; Mishra, Anurag [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); Yeom, Geun Young, E-mail: gyyeom@skku.edu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 440-746 (Korea, Republic of); SKKU Advanced Institute of Nano Technology (SAINT), Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 440-746 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-01-01

Recently, non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma, especially those operated at low gas temperatures, have become a topic of great interest for the processing of flexible and printed electronic devices due to several benefits such as the reduction of process and reactor costs, the employment of easy-to-handle apparatuses and the easier integration into continuous production lines. In this review, several types of typical atmospheric pressure plasma sources have been addressed, and the processes including surface treatment, texturing and sintering for application to flexible and printed electronic devices have been discussed.

Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Cleaning of Contaminated Surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hicks, Robert F.; Selwyn, Gary S.

2001-01-01

Project was to develop a low-cost, environmentally benign technology for the decontamination and decommissioning of transuranic waste. With the invention of the atmospheric-pressure plasma jet the goal was achieved. This device selectively etches heavy metals from surfaces, rendering objects radiation free and suitable for decommissioning. The volatile reaction products are captured on filters, which yields a tremendous reduction in the volume of the waste. Studies on tantalum, a surrogate material for plutonium, have shown that etch rate of 6.0 microns per minute can be achieved under mild conditions. Over the past three years, we have made numerous improvements in the design of the plasma jet. It may now be operated for hundreds of hours and not undergo any degradation in performance. Furthermore, small compact units have been developed, which are easily deployed in the field

Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Cleaning of Contaminated Surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robert F. Hicks; Gary S. Selwyn

2001-01-09

Project was to develop a low-cost, environmentally benign technology for the decontamination and decommissioning of transuranic waste. With the invention of the atmospheric-pressure plasma jet the goal was achieved. This device selectively etches heavy metals from surfaces, rendering objects radiation free and suitable for decommissioning. The volatile reaction products are captured on filters, which yields a tremendous reduction in the volume of the waste. Studies on tantalum, a surrogate material for plutonium, have shown that etch rate of 6.0 microns per minute can be achieved under mild conditions. Over the past three years, we have made numerous improvements in the design of the plasma jet. It may now be operated for hundreds of hours and not undergo any degradation in performance. Furthermore, small compact units have been developed, which are easily deployed in the field.

Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Jet Surface Treatment for Use in Improving Adhesion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuettner, Lindsey Ann [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-09-06

Atmospheric-pressure plasma jets (APPJs) are a method of plasma treatment that plays an important role in material processing and modifying surface properties of materials, especially polymers. Gas plasmas react with polymer surfaces in numerous ways such as oxidation, radical formation, degradation, and promotion of cross-linking. Because of this, gas and plasma conditions can be explored for chosen processes to maximize desired properties. The purpose of this study is to investigate plasma parameters in order to modify surface properties for improved adhesion between aluminum and epoxy substrates using two types of adhesives. The background, results to date, and future work will be discussed.

Small surface wave discharge at atmospheric pressure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kiss' ovski, Zh; Kolev, M; Ivanov, A; Lishev, St; Koleva, I, E-mail: kissov@phys.uni-sofia.b [Faculty of Physics, Sofia University, BG-1164 Sofia (Bulgaria)

2009-09-21

A small surface wave driven source produces plasma at atmospheric pressure. Microwave power at frequency 2.45 GHz is coupled with the source and a discharge is ignited at power levels below 10 W. The coaxial exciter of the surface waves has a length of 10 mm because its dielectric is a high permittivity discharge tube. The plasma source operates as a plasma jet in the case of plasma columns longer than the tube length. The source maintains stable plasma columns over a wide range of neutral gas flow and applied power in continuous and pulse regimes. An additional advantage of this source is the discharge self-ignition. An electron temperature of T{sub e} {approx} 1.9 eV and a density of n{sub e} {approx} 3.9 x 10{sup 14} cm{sup -3} are estimated by the probe diagnostics method. The emission spectra in the wavelength range 200-1000 nm under different experimental conditions are analysed and they prove the applicability of the source for analytical spectroscopy. The dependences of column length, reflected power and plasma parameters on the gas flow and the input power are discussed. (fast track communication)

Atmospheric pressure plasma cleaning of contamination surfaces. 1997 mid-year progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hicks, R.; Selwyn, G.S.

1997-01-01

'Goals of the project are to (1) identify the key physics and chemistry underlying the use of high pressure plasmas for etching removal of actinides and actinide surrogates; and (2) identify key surface reactions and plasma physics necessary for optimization of the atmospheric pressure plasma jet. Technical description of the work decommissioning of transuranic waste (TRU) into low-level radioactive waste (LLW) represents the largest cleanup cost associated with the nuclear weapons complex. This work is directed towards developing a low-cost plasma technology capable of converting TRU into LLW, based upon highly selective plasma etching of plutonium and other actinides from contaminated surfaces. In this way, only the actinide material is removed, leaving the surface less contaminated. The plasma etches actinide material by producing a volatile halide compound, which may be efficiently trapped using filters. To achieve practical, low-cost operation of a plasma capable of etching actinide materials, the authors have developed a y-mode, resonant-cavity, atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ). In contrast to conventional, low pressure plasmas, the APPJ produces a purely-chemical effluent free of ions, and so achieves very high selectivity and produces negligible damage to the surface. Since the jet operates outside a chamber, many nuclear wastes may be treated including machinery, duct-work, concrete and other building materials. In some cases, it may be necessary to first remove paint from contaminated surfaces using a plasma selective for that surface, then to switch to the actinide etching chemistry for removal of actinide contamination. The goal of this work is to develop the underlying science required for maturation of this technology and to establish early version engineering prototypes. Accomplishments to Date The authors have made significant progress in this program. The work conducted jointly at Los Alamos and at UCLA. This has been facilitated by exchange

Atmospheric pressure plasma cleaning of contamination surfaces. 1997 mid-year progress report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Selwyn, G.S. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (US); Hicks, R. [Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA (US)

1997-06-01

'Goals of the project are to (1) identify the key physics and chemistry underlying the use of high pressure plasmas for etching removal of actinides and actinide surrogates; and (2) identify key surface reactions and plasma physics necessary for optimization of the atmospheric pressure plasma jet. Technical description of the work decommissioning of transuranic waste (TRU) into low-level radioactive waste (LLW) represents the largest cleanup cost associated with the nuclear weapons complex. This work is directed towards developing a low-cost plasma technology capable of converting TRU into LLW, based upon highly selective plasma etching of plutonium and other actinides from contaminated surfaces. In this way, only the actinide material is removed, leaving the surface less contaminated. The plasma etches actinide material by producing a volatile halide compound, which may be efficiently trapped using filters. To achieve practical, low-cost operation of a plasma capable of etching actinide materials, the authors have developed a y-mode, resonant-cavity, atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ). In contrast to conventional, low pressure plasmas, the APPJ produces a purely-chemical effluent free of ions, and so achieves very high selectivity and produces negligible damage to the surface. Since the jet operates outside a chamber, many nuclear wastes may be treated including machinery, duct-work, concrete and other building materials. In some cases, it may be necessary to first remove paint from contaminated surfaces using a plasma selective for that surface, then to switch to the actinide etching chemistry for removal of actinide contamination. The goal of this work is to develop the underlying science required for maturation of this technology and to establish early version engineering prototypes. Accomplishments to Date The authors have made significant progress in this program. The work conducted jointly at Los Alamos and at UCLA. This has been facilitated by

Characteristics of meter-scale surface electrical discharge propagating along water surface at atmospheric pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffer, Petr; Sugiyama, Yuki; Hosseini, S Hamid R; Akiyama, Hidenori; Lukes, Petr; Akiyama, Masahiro

2016-01-01

This paper reports physical characteristics of water surface discharges. Discharges were produced by metal needle-to-water surface geometry, with the needle electrode driven by 47 kV (FWHM) positive voltage pulses of 2 µ s duration. Propagation of discharges along the water surface was confined between glass plates with 2 mm separation. This allowed generation of highly reproducible 634 mm-long plasma filaments. Experiments were performed using different atmospheres: air, N 2 , and O 2 , each at atmospheric pressure. Time- and spatially-resolved spectroscopic measurements revealed that early spectra of discharges in air and nitrogen atmospheres were dominated by N 2 2nd positive system. N 2 radiation disappeared after approx. 150 ns, replaced by emissions from atomic hydrogen. Spectra of discharges in O 2 atmosphere were dominated by emissions from atomic oxygen. Time- and spatially-resolved emission spectra were used to determine temperatures in plasma. Atomic hydrogen emissions showed excitation temperature of discharges in air to be about 2  ×  10 4 K. Electron number densities determined by Stark broadening of the hydrogen H β line reached a maximum value of ∼10 18 cm −3 just after plasma initiation. Electron number densities and temperatures depended only slightly on distance from needle electrode, indicating formation of high conductivity leader channels. Direct observation of discharges by high speed camera showed that the average leader head propagation speed was 412 km · s −1 , which is substantially higher value than that observed in experiments with shorter streamers driven by lower voltages. (paper)

Seasonal Variations of the Earth's Gravitational Field: An Analysis of Atmospheric Pressure, Ocean Tidal, and Surface Water Excitation

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, D,; Gross, R.S.; Dickey, J.

1996-01-01

Monthly mean gravitational field parameters (denoted here as C(sub even)) that represent linear combinations of the primarily even degree zonal spherical harmonic coefficients of the Earth's gravitational field have been recovered using LAGEOS I data and are compared with those derived from gridded global surface pressure data of the National meteorological center (NMC) spanning 1983-1992. The effect of equilibrium ocean tides and surface water variations are also considered. Atmospheric pressure and surface water fluctuations are shown to be the dominant cause of observed annual C(sub even) variations. Closure with observations is seen at the 1sigma level when atmospheric pressure, ocean tide and surface water effects are include. Equilibrium ocean tides are shown to be the main source of excitation at the semiannual period with closure at the 1sigma level seen when both atmospheric pressure and ocean tide effects are included. The inverted barometer (IB) case is shown to give the best agreement with the observation series. The potential of the observed C(sub even) variations for monitoring mass variations in the polar regions of the Earth and the effect of the land-ocean mask in the IB calculation are discussed.

Sterilization of Surfaces with a Handheld Atmospheric Pressure Plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Hicks, Robert; Habib, Sara; Chan, Wai; Gonzalez, Eleazar; Tijerina, A.; Sloan, Mark

2009-10-01

Low temperature, atmospheric pressure plasmas have shown great promise for decontaminating the surfaces of materials and equipment. In this study, an atmospheric pressure, oxygen and argon plasma was investigated for the destruction of viruses, bacteria, and spores. The plasma was operated at an argon flow rate of 30 L/min, an oxygen flow rate of 20 mL/min, a power density of 101.0 W/cm^3 (beam area = 5.1 cm^2), and at a distance from the surface of 7.1 mm. An average 6log10 reduction of viable spores was obtained after only 45 seconds of exposure to the reactive gas. By contrast, it takes more than 35 minutes at 121^oC to sterilize anthrax in an autoclave. The plasma properties were investigated by numerical modeling and chemical titration with nitric oxide. The numerical model included a detailed reaction mechanism for the discharge as well as for the afterglow. It was predicted that at a delivered power density of 29.3 W/cm^3, 30 L/min argon, and 0.01 volume% O2, the plasma generated 1.9 x 10^14 cm-3 O atoms, 1.6 x 10^12 cm-3 ozone, 9.3 x 10^13 cm-3 O2(^1δg), and 2.9 x 10^12 cm-3 O2(^1σ^+g) at 1 cm downstream of the source. The O atom density measured by chemical titration with NO was 6.0 x 10^14 cm-3 at the same conditions. It is believe that the oxygen atoms and the O2(^1δg) metastables were responsible for killing the anthrax and other microorganisms.

Atmospheric-pressure plasma technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kogelschatz, U

2004-01-01

Major industrial plasma processes operating close to atmospheric pressure are discussed. Applications of thermal plasmas include electric arc furnaces and plasma torches for generation of powders, for spraying refractory materials, for cutting and welding and for destruction of hazardous waste. Other applications include miniature circuit breakers and electrical discharge machining. Non-equilibrium cold plasmas at atmospheric pressure are obtained in corona discharges used in electrostatic precipitators and in dielectric-barrier discharges used for generation of ozone, for pollution control and for surface treatment. More recent applications include UV excimer lamps, mercury-free fluorescent lamps and flat plasma displays

How to increase the hydrophobicity of PTFE surfaces using an r.f. atmospheric-pressure plasma torch

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Carbone, E.A.D.; Boucher, N.; Sferrazza, M.; Reniers, F.

2010-01-01

An experimental investigation of the surface modification of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) by an Ar and Ar/O2 plasma created with an atmospheric-pressure radio frequency (r.f.) torch is presented here. The surfaces were analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), XPS and water contact angle (WCA) to

Surface modification for biomedical purposes utilizing dielectric barrier discharges at atmospheric pressure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gessner, Cordula; Bartels, Volker; Betker, Tanja; Matucha, Ulrike; Penache, Cristina; Klages, Claus-Peter

2004-07-01

Using dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) at atmospheric pressure, glass or polymer surfaces were equipped with epoxide groups or amino groups by plasma deposition from suitable monomers or - in case of polymers - DBD treatment in nitrogen-containing gases. Functional group densities have been estimated using absorption and fluorescence measurements or by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Amino group densities are comparable or even larger than those of aminosilylated surfaces. Fluorescence-labeled streptavidin has been used to investigate the binding capacity of surfaces equipped with covalently bound biotin molecules, starting either from epoxide or from amino groups. As an example of a Plasma Printing process, the generation of an array amino-functionalized spots, 400-{mu}m in diameter on a polymer surface by local deposition from aminopropyl-trimethoxysilane is demonstrated.

Surface modification of polyester synthetic leather with tetramethylsilane by atmospheric pressure plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Kan, C. W.; Kwong, C. H.; Ng, S. P.

2015-08-01

Much works have been done on synthetic materials but scarcely on synthetic leather owing to its surface structures in terms of porosity and roughness. This paper examines the use of atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) treatment for improving the surface performance of polyester synthetic leather by use of a precursor, tetramethylsilane (TMS). Plasma deposition is regarded as an effective, simple and single-step method with low pollution. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirm the deposition of organosilanes on the sample's surface. The results showed that under a particular combination of treatment parameters, a hydrophobic surface was achieved on the APP treated sample with sessile drop static contact angle of 138°. The hydrophobic surface is stable without hydrophilic recovery 30 days after plasma treatment.

Enhancement of cell growth on honeycomb-structured polylactide surface using atmospheric-pressure plasma jet modification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng, Kuang-Yao; Chang, Chia-Hsing; Yang, Yi-Wei; Liao, Guo-Chun; Liu, Chih-Tung; Wu, Jong-Shinn, E-mail: chongsin@faculty.nctu.edu.tw

2017-02-01

Graphical abstract: Atmospheric-pressure plasma enhances cell growth on two different pore sizes of honeycomb pattern on polylactide surface. - Highlights: • Different pore sizes of honeycomb pattern on PLA film are created. • The two-step plasma treatment provided the oxygen- and nitrogen-containing functional groups that had a major impact on cell cultivation. • The plasma treatment had a significant effect for cell proliferation. • The surface structures are the main influence on cell cultivation, while plasma treatment can indeed improve the growth environment. - Abstract: In this paper, we compare the cell growth results of NIH-3T3 and Neuro-2A cells over 72 h on flat and honeycomb structured PLA films without and with a two-step atmospheric-pressure nitrogen-based plasma jet treatment. We developed a fabrication system used for forming of a uniform honeycomb structure on PLA surface, which can produce two different pore sizes, 3–4 μm and 7–8 μm, of honeycomb pattern. We applied a previously developed nitrogen-based atmospheric-pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) jet system to treat the PLA film without and with honeycomb structure. NIH-3T3 and a much smaller Neuro-2A cells were cultivated on the films under various surface conditions. The results show that the two-step plasma treatment in combination with a honeycomb structure can enhance cell growth on PLA film, should the cell size be not too smaller than the pore size of honeycomb structure, e.g., NIH-3T3. Otherwise, cell growth would be better on flat PLA film, e.g., Neuro-2A.

Characterization of an atmospheric pressure air plasma source for polymer surface modification

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Shujun; Tang, Jiansheng

2013-10-01

An atmospheric pressure air plasma source was generated through dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). It was used to modify polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) surfaces with very high throughput. An equivalent circuit model was used to calculate the peak average electron density. The emission spectrum from the plasma was taken and the main peaks in the spectrum were identified. The ozone density in the down plasma region was estimated by Absorption Spectroscopy. NSF and ARC-ODU

Atmospheric pressure surface sampling/ionization techniques for direct coupling of planar separations with mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Pasilis, Sofie P; Van Berkel, Gary J

2010-06-18

Planar separations, which include thin layer chromatography and gel electrophoresis, are in widespread use as important and powerful tools for conducting separations of complex mixtures. To increase the utility of planar separations, new methods are needed that allow in situ characterization of the individual components of the separated mixtures. A large number of atmospheric pressure surface sampling and ionization techniques for use with mass spectrometry have emerged in the past several years, and several have been investigated as a means for mass spectrometric read-out of planar separations. In this article, we review the atmospheric pressure surface sampling and ionization techniques that have been used for the read-out of planar separation media. For each technique, we briefly explain the operational basics and discuss the analyte type for which it is appropriate and some specific applications from the literature. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharges for sterilization and surface treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chin, O. H.; Lai, C. K.; Choo, C. Y.; Wong, C. S.; Nor, R. M. [Plasma Technology Research Centre, Physics Department, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Thong, K. L. [Microbiology Division, Institute of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

2015-04-24

Atmospheric pressure non-thermal dielectric barrier discharges can be generated in different configurations for different applications. For sterilization, a parallel-plate electrode configuration with glass dielectric that discharges in air was used. Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Salmonella enteritidis) and Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus cereus) were successfully inactivated using sinusoidal high voltage of ∼15 kVp-p at 8.5 kHz. In the surface treatment, a hemisphere and disc electrode arrangement that allowed a plasma jet to be extruded under controlled nitrogen gas flow (at 9.2 kHz, 20 kVp-p) was applied to enhance the wettability of PET (Mylar) film.

Experimentally obtained values of electric field of an atmospheric pressure plasma jet impinging on a dielectric surface

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sobota, A.; Guaitella, O.; Garcia-Caurel, E.

2013-01-01

We report on experimentally obtained values of the electric field magnitude on a dielectric surface induced by an impinging atmospheric pressure plasma jet. The plasma plume was striking the dielectric surface at an angle of 45¿, at 5mm from the surface measured at the axis of the jet. The results

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Processing for Polymer Adhesion: A Review

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kusano, Yukihiro

2014-01-01

Atmospheric pressure plasma processing has attracted significant interests over decades due to its usefulness and a variety of applications. Adhesion improvement of polymer surfaces is among the most important applications of atmospheric pressure plasma treatment. Reflecting recent significant de...

Atmospheric pressure plasma jets : properties of plasma bullets and the dynamics of the interaction with dielectric surfaces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sobota, A.; Slikboer, E.; Guaitella, O.Y.N.

2015-01-01

Cold atmospheric pressure plasma jets, although mostly researched for applications in surface treatment, are rarely investigated in the presence of a surface. This paper presents the properties of plasma bullets formed in the capillary as well as the dynamics of the propagation of the plasma on

Device for determining pressures in aggressive atmospheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schley, Robert; Voituriez, Bernard.

1982-01-01

This invention concerns a compact device for measuring rapidly changing pressures at high temperature and in corrosive or radioactive atmospheres. The device includes a case in which there is a support having two plane surfaces, an elliptical flexible membrane fixed to the first plane surface and supporting a strain gauge, a second gauge fixed to the second plane surface, the support being fitted with a passage enabling the membrane to distort under the action of the fluid it is desired to measure for pressure. Applies to the determination of pressures in nuclear reactors [fr

Carbon dioxide, temperature, salinity, and atmospheric pressure from surface underway survey in the North Pacific from January 1998 to January 2004 (NODC Accession 0045502)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Sea surface pCO2, sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity, and atmospheric pressure measurements collected in the North Pacific as part of the NOAA Office of...

Continuous processing of polymers in repetitively pulsed atmospheric pressure discharges with moving surfaces and gas flow

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhoj, Ananth N [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801 (United States); Kushner, Mark J [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 (United States)

2007-11-21

Atmospheric pressure corona discharges are industrially employed to treat large areas of commodity polymer sheets by creating new surface functional groups. The most common processes use oxygen containing discharges to affix oxygen to hydrocarbon polymers, thereby increasing their surface energy and wettability. The process is typically continuous and is carried out in a web configuration with film speeds of tens to hundreds of cm s{sup -1}. The densities and relative abundances of functional groups depend on the gas composition, gas flow rate and residence time of the polymer in the discharge zone which ultimately determine the magnitude and mole fractions of reactive fluxes to the surface. In this paper, results are discussed from a two-dimensional computational investigation of the atmospheric pressure plasma functionalization of a moving polypropylene sheet in repetitively pulsed He/O{sub 2}/H{sub 2}O discharges. O and OH typically initiate surface processing by hydrogen abstraction. These species are regenerated during every plasma pulse but are also largely consumed during the inter-pulse period. Longer-lived species such as O{sub 3} accumulate over many pulses and convect downstream with the gas flow. Optimizing the interplay between local rapid reactions, such as H abstraction which occurs dominantly in the discharge zone, and non-local slower processes, such as surface-surface reactions, may enable the customization of the relative abundance of surface functional groups.

Continuous processing of polymers in repetitively pulsed atmospheric pressure discharges with moving surfaces and gas flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhoj, Ananth N; Kushner, Mark J

2007-01-01

Atmospheric pressure corona discharges are industrially employed to treat large areas of commodity polymer sheets by creating new surface functional groups. The most common processes use oxygen containing discharges to affix oxygen to hydrocarbon polymers, thereby increasing their surface energy and wettability. The process is typically continuous and is carried out in a web configuration with film speeds of tens to hundreds of cm s -1 . The densities and relative abundances of functional groups depend on the gas composition, gas flow rate and residence time of the polymer in the discharge zone which ultimately determine the magnitude and mole fractions of reactive fluxes to the surface. In this paper, results are discussed from a two-dimensional computational investigation of the atmospheric pressure plasma functionalization of a moving polypropylene sheet in repetitively pulsed He/O 2 /H 2 O discharges. O and OH typically initiate surface processing by hydrogen abstraction. These species are regenerated during every plasma pulse but are also largely consumed during the inter-pulse period. Longer-lived species such as O 3 accumulate over many pulses and convect downstream with the gas flow. Optimizing the interplay between local rapid reactions, such as H abstraction which occurs dominantly in the discharge zone, and non-local slower processes, such as surface-surface reactions, may enable the customization of the relative abundance of surface functional groups

Impact of electrode geometry on an atmospheric pressure surface barrier discharge

Science.gov (United States)

Hasan, M. I.; Morabit, Y.; Dickenson, A.; Walsh, J. L.

2017-06-01

Several of the key characteristics of an atmospheric pressure surface barrier discharge (SBD) are heavily dependent on the geometrical configuration of the plasma generating electrodes. This paper reveals that increasing the surface area of an SBD device by reducing the gaps within the electrodes can have major and unforeseen consequence on the discharge properties. It is experimentally demonstrated that a critical limit exists when reducing the diameter of a circular electrode gap below 5 mm, beyond which the required breakdown voltage increases exponentially and the power deposited in the discharge is impeded. Using a numerical model, it is shown that a reduced electrode gap diameter yields a decrease in the voltage difference between the electrode and dielectric surface, thus lowering the maximum electric field. This study indicates a link between the electrode geometry and the nature of the reactive chemistry produced in the plasma, findings which have wide-reaching implications for many applications where multiple closely packed surface barrier discharges are employed to achieve uniform and large area plasma processing.

A microwave pressure sounder. [for remote measurement of atmospheric pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Peckham, G. E.; Flower, D. A.

1981-01-01

A technique for the remote measurement of atmospheric surface pressure will be described. Such measurements could be made from a satellite in polar orbit and would cover many areas for which conventional meteorological data are not available. An active microwave instrument is used to measure the strength of return echoes from the ocean surface at a number of frequencies near the 60 GHz oxygen absorption band. Factors which affect the accuracy with which surface pressure can be deduced from these measurements will be discussed and an instrument designed to test the method by making measurements from an aircraft will be described.

Investigation of the characteristics of atmospheric pressure surface barrier discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Rui; Zhan Rujuan; Wen Xiaohui; Wang Lei

2003-01-01

Experiments were performed on atmospheric pressure surface barrier discharges. Two types of panels were used. Both have pectinate high voltage electrodes on their upper surface, but the difference is that in type I, the grounded electrode consists of the same pectinate electrodes on the lower surface, whereas type II has an extended grounded plane electrode on the lower surface. The excitation temperature was determined from a Fermi-Dirac model and a temperature near 0.7 eV is obtained. The electron density was estimated from an electrical conductivity approach (Ohmic heating model) - an equivalent circuit model is proposed and the electron density is found to be of the order of 10 11 cm -3 . The electrical behaviour was studied, and it was found that the average power consumed in the discharge plasma increases with increasing strip width in the type I discharge, whereas it remains almost constant with increasing strip width in the type II discharge. The average discharge power remains almost constant with variation in the strip-to-strip distance. The type II discharge consumes much higher average discharge power than type I. We also find that panels with a larger height of high voltage electrodes can generate brighter and thicker discharge plasmas. The equivalent circuit model was used to interpret these phenomena

Directional mass transport in an atmospheric pressure surface barrier discharge.

Science.gov (United States)

Dickenson, A; Morabit, Y; Hasan, M I; Walsh, J L

2017-10-25

In an atmospheric pressure surface barrier discharge the inherent physical separation between the plasma generation region and downstream point of application reduces the flux of reactive chemical species reaching the sample, potentially limiting application efficacy. This contribution explores the impact of manipulating the phase angle of the applied voltage to exert a level of control over the electrohydrodynamic forces generated by the plasma. As these forces produce a convective flow which is the primary mechanism of species transport, the technique facilitates the targeted delivery of reactive species to a downstream point without compromising the underpinning species generation mechanisms. Particle Imaging Velocimetry measurements are used to demonstrate that a phase shift between sinusoidal voltages applied to adjacent electrodes in a surface barrier discharge results in a significant deviation in the direction of the plasma induced gas flow. Using a two-dimensional numerical air plasma model, it is shown that the phase shift impacts the spatial distribution of the deposited charge on the dielectric surface between the adjacent electrodes. The modified surface charge distribution reduces the propagation length of the discharge ignited on the lagging electrode, causing an imbalance in the generated forces and consequently a variation in the direction of the resulting gas flow.

Electron Density in Atmospheric Pressure Microwave Surface Wave Discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jasinski, M.; Zakrzewski, Z.; Mizeraczyk, J.

2008-01-01

In this paper, we present results of the spectroscopic measurements of the electron density in a microwave surface wave sustained discharges in Ar and Ne at atmospheric pressure. The discharge in the form of a plasma column was generated inside a quartz tube cooled with a dielectric liquid. The microwave power delivered to the discharge via rectangular waveguide was applied in the range of 200-1500 W. In all investigations presented in this paper, the gas flow rate was relatively low (0.5 l/min), so the plasma column was generated in the form of a single filament, and the lengths of the upstream and downstream plasma columns were almost the same. The electron density in the plasma columns was determined using the method based on the Stark broadening of H β spectral line, including plasma region inside the waveguide which was not investigated earlier

Investigation of surface treatment of conductive wire in cylindrical atmospheric pressure plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ye Rubin; Kagohashi, Tsutomu; Zheng Wei

2009-01-01

Polyethylene insulated electric wire was treated in He and Ar dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric pressure plasmas generated in a quartz tube wound with tubular electrodes. The wire was put penetrating through the high voltage and the grounded electrodes, improving the discharge and facilitating uniform surface treatment. In this work, the influences of conductivity of the wire on the effects of surface treatment and discharge behavior were investigated. Surface properties of the wire samples were analyzed by means of surface energy measurement and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In order to reveal the mechanism for treating the conductive wire, I-V discharge waveforms were measured and time-resolved plasma images were taken. It was demonstrated that the conductive wire was involved in the discharge process, reducing the breakdown voltage significantly and enhancing the discharge. It shows that the discharge mode was strongly dependent on the conductivity of a wire. Intensive surface discharges developed along the conductive wire were found to be mainly responsible for noticeable improvement in the treatment effect.

Atmospheric pressure H20 plasma treatment of polyester cord threads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simor, M.; Krump, H.; Hudec, I.; Rahel, J.; Brablec, A.; Cernak, M.

2004-01-01

Polyester cord threads, which are used as a reinforcing materials of rubber blend, have been treated in atmospheric-pressure H 2 0 plasma in order to enhance their adhesion to rubber. The atmospheric-pressure H 2 0 plasma was generated in an underwater diaphragm discharge. The plasma treatment resulted in approximately 100% improvement in the adhesion. Scanning electron microscopy investigation indicates that not only introduced surface polar groups but also increased surface area of the fibres due to a fibre surface roughening are responsible for the improved adhesive strength (Authors)

Helium atmospheric pressure plasma jets touching dielectric and metal surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Norberg, Seth A.; Johnsen, Eric; Kushner, Mark J.

2015-07-01

Atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs) are being investigated in the context plasma medicine and biotechnology applications, and surface functionalization. The composition of the surface being treated ranges from plastics, liquids, and biological tissue, to metals. The dielectric constant of these materials ranges from as low as 1.5 for plastics to near 80 for liquids, and essentially infinite for metals. The electrical properties of the surface are not independent variables as the permittivity of the material being treated has an effect on the dynamics of the incident APPJ. In this paper, results are discussed from a computational investigation of the interaction of an APPJ incident onto materials of varying permittivity, and their impact on the discharge dynamics of the plasma jet. The computer model used in this investigation solves Poisson's equation, transport equations for charged and neutral species, the electron energy equation, and the Navier-Stokes equations for the neutral gas flow. The APPJ is sustained in He/O2 = 99.8/0.2 flowing into humid air, and is directed onto dielectric surfaces in contact with ground with dielectric constants ranging from 2 to 80, and a grounded metal surface. Low values of relative permittivity encourage propagation of the electric field into the treated material and formation and propagation of a surface ionization wave. High values of relative permittivity promote the restrike of the ionization wave and the formation of a conduction channel between the plasma discharge and the treated surface. The distribution of space charge surrounding the APPJ is discussed.

The Effect of Varying Atmospheric Pressure upon Habitability and Biosignatures of Earth-like Planets.

Science.gov (United States)

Keles, Engin; Grenfell, John Lee; Godolt, Mareike; Stracke, Barbara; Rauer, Heike

2018-02-01

Understanding the possible climatic conditions on rocky extrasolar planets, and thereby their potential habitability, is one of the major subjects of exoplanet research. Determining how the climate, as well as potential atmospheric biosignatures, changes under different conditions is a key aspect when studying Earth-like exoplanets. One important property is the atmospheric mass, hence pressure and its influence on the climatic conditions. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to understand the influence of atmospheric mass on climate, hence habitability, and the spectral appearance of planets with Earth-like, that is, N 2 -O 2 dominated, atmospheres orbiting the Sun at 1 AU. This work utilizes a 1D coupled, cloud-free, climate-photochemical atmospheric column model; varies atmospheric surface pressure from 0.5 to 30 bar; and investigates temperature and key species profiles, as well as emission and brightness temperature spectra in a range between 2 and 20 μm. Increasing the surface pressure up to 4 bar leads to an increase in the surface temperature due to increased greenhouse warming. Above this point, Rayleigh scattering dominates, and the surface temperature decreases, reaching surface temperatures below 273 K (approximately at ∼34 bar surface pressure). For ozone, nitrous oxide, water, methane, and carbon dioxide, the spectral response either increases with surface temperature or pressure depending on the species. Masking effects occur, for example, for the bands of the biosignatures ozone and nitrous oxide by carbon dioxide, which could be visible in low carbon dioxide atmospheres. Key Words: Planetary habitability and biosignatures-Atmospheres-Radiative transfer. Astrobiology 18, 116-132.

Exploration of Venus' Deep Atmosphere and Surface Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Glaze, L. S.; Amato, M.; Garvin, J. B.; Johnson, N. M.

2017-01-01

Venus formed in the same part of our solar system as Earth, apparently from similar materials. Although both planets are about the same size, their differences are profound. Venus and Earth experienced vastly different evolutionary pathways resulting in unexplained differences in atmospheric composition and dynamics, as well as in geophysical processes of the planetary surfaces and interiors. Understanding when and why the evolutionary pathways of Venus and Earth diverged is key to understanding how terrestrial planets form and how their atmospheres and surfaces evolve. Measurements made in situ, within the near-surface or surface environment, are critical to addressing unanswered questions. We have made substantial progress modernizing and maturing pressure vessel technologies to enable science operations in the high temperature and pressure near-surface/surfaceenvironment of Venus.

Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Interaction with Soft Materials as Fundamental Processes in Plasma Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Takenaka, Kosuke; Miyazaki, Atsushi; Uchida, Giichiro; Setsuhara, Yuichi

2015-03-01

Molecular-structure variation of organic materials irradiated with atmospheric pressure He plasma jet have been investigated. Optical emission spectrum in the atmospheric-pressure He plasma jet has been measured. The spectrum shows considerable emissions of He lines, and the emission of O and N radicals attributed to air. Variation in molecular structure of Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film surface irradiated with the atmospheric-pressure He plasma jet has been observed via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). These results via XPS and FT-IR indicate that the PET surface irradiated with the atmospheric-pressure He plasma jet was oxidized by chemical and/or physical effect due to irradiation of active species.

Formation of hydrophobic coating on glass surface using atmospheric pressure non-thermal plasma in ambient air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang, Z; Qiu, Y; Kuffel, E

2004-01-01

Non-thermal plasmas under atmospheric pressure are of great interest in material surface processing because of their convenience, effectiveness and low cost. In this paper, the treatment of a glass surface for improving hydrophobicity using a non-thermal plasma generated by a dielectric barrier corona discharge (DBCD) with a needle array-to-plane electrode arrangement in atmospheric air is conducted, and the surface properties of the glass before and after the DBCD treatment are studied using contact angle measurement, surface resistance measurement and the wet flashover voltage test. The effects of the plasma dose (the product of average discharge power and treatment time) of DBCD on the surface modification are studied, and the mechanism of interaction between the plasma and glass surface is discussed. It is found that a layer of hydrophobic coating is formed on the glass surface through DBCD treatment, and the improvement of hydrophobicity depends on the plasma dose of the DBCD. It seems that there is an optimum plasma dose for the surface treatment. The test results of thermal ageing and chemical ageing show that the hydrophobic layer has quite stable characteristics

Surface treatment of a titanium implant using low temperature atmospheric pressure plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hyun-Young; Tang, Tianyu; Ok, Jung-Woo; Kim, Dong-Hyun; Lee, Ho-Jun; Lee, Hae June

2015-09-01

During the last two decades, atmospheric pressure plasmas(APP) are widely used in diverse fields of biomedical applications, reduction of pollutants, and surface treatment of materials. Applications of APP to titanium surface of dental implants is steadily increasing as it renders surfaces wettability and modifies the oxide layer of titanium that hinders the interaction with cells and proteins. In this study, we have treated the titanium surfaces of screw-shaped implant samples using a plasma jet which is composed of a ceramic coaxial tube of dielectrics, a stainless steel inner electrode, and a coper tube outer electrode. The plasma ignition occurred with Ar gas flow between two coaxial metal electrodes and a sinusoidal bias voltage of 3 kV with a frequency of 20 kHz. Titanium materials used in this study are screw-shaped implants of which diameter and length are 5 mm and 13 mm, respectively. Samples were mounted at a distance of 5 mm below the plasma source, and the plasma treatment time was set to 3 min. The wettability of titanium surface was measured by the moving speed of water on its surface, which is enhanced by plasma treatment. The surface roughness was also measured by atomic force microscopy. The optimal condition for wettability change is discussed.

Surface modification of polyimide (PI) film using water cathode atmospheric pressure glow discharge plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Peichao; Liu Keming; Wang Jinmei; Dai Yu; Yu Bin; Zhou Xianju; Hao Honggang; Luo Yuan

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Equipment called water cathode atmospheric pressure glow discharge was used to improve the hydrophilicity of polyimide films. ► The data shows good homogeneity and the variation trends of contact angles are different for polar and non-polar testing liquids. ► The thickness of liquid layer plays an important role in plasma processing and directly affects the treatment effect. ► Surface hydrophilicity after plasma treatment is improved partly due to the increase in the roughness. ► The hydrophilicity of polyimide films is still better than untreated ones after long-term storage. - Abstract: The industrial use of polyimide film is limited because of undesirable properties such as poor wettability. In the present paper, a new kind of equipment called water cathode atmospheric pressure glow discharge was used to improve the surface properties of polyimide films and made them useful to technical applications. The changes in hydrophilicity of modified polyimide film surfaces were investigated by contact angle, surface energy and water content measurements as a function of treatment time. The results obtained show good treatment homogeneity and that the variation trends of contact angles are different for polar and non-polar testing liquids, while surface energy and water content are significantly enhanced with the increase of treatment time until they achieve saturated values after 60 s plasma treatment. Also, the thickness of liquid layer plays an important role in plasma processing and directly affects the treatment effect. Changes in morphology of polyimide films were analyzed by atomic force microscope and the results indicate that surface hydrophilicity after plasma treatment are improved partly due to the increase in the roughness. In addition, polyimide films treated by plasma are subjected to an ageing process to determine the durability of plasma treatment. It is found that the hydrophilicity is still better than untreated ones though the

The New Horizons Radio Science Experiment: Performance and Measurements of Pluto's Atmospheric Structure, Surface Pressure, and Surface Temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Linscott, I.; Hinson, D. P.; Bird, M. K.; Stern, A.; Weaver, H. A., Jr.; Olkin, C.; Young, L. A.; Ennico Smith, K.

2015-12-01

The New Horizons (NH) spacecraft payload contained the Radio Science Experiment (REX) for determining key characteristics of Pluto and Charon during the July 14, 2015, flyby of the Pluto/Charon system. The REX flight equipment augments the NH X-band radio transceiver by providing a high precision, narrow band recording of high power uplink transmissions from Earth stations, as well as a record of broadband radiometric power. This presentation will review the performance and initial results of two high- priority observations. First, REX received two pair of 20-kW signals, one pair per polarization, transmitted from the DSN at 4.2-cm wavelength during a diametric radio occultation by Pluto. REX recorded these uplink signals and determined precise measurement of the surface pressure, the temperature structure of the lower atmosphere, and the surface radius of Pluto. The ingress portion of one polarization was played back from the spacecraft in July and processed to obtain the pressure and temperature structure of Pluto's atmosphere. Second, REX measured the thermal emission from Pluto at 4.2- cm wavelength during two linear scans across the disk at close range when both the dayside and the night side are visible. Both scans extend from limb to limb with a resolution of one-tenth Pluto's disk and temperature resolution of 0.1 K. Occultation and radiometric temperature results presented here will encompass additional data scheduled for playback in September.

Surface diffuse discharge mechanism of well-aligned atmospheric pressure microplasma arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Ren-Wu; Li Jiang-Wei; Chen Mao-Dong; Zhang Xian-Hui; Liu Dong-Ping; Yang Si-Ze; Zhou Ru-Sen; Zhuang Jin-Xing; Ostrikov, Kostya

2016-01-01

A stable and homogeneous well-aligned air microplasma device for application at atmospheric pressure is designed and its electrical and optical characteristics are investigated. Current-voltage measurements and intensified charge coupled device (ICCD) images show that the well-aligned air microplasma device is able to generate a large-area and homogeneous discharge at the applied voltages ranging from 12 kV to 14 kV, with a repetition frequency of 5 kHz, which is attributed to the diffusion effect of plasma on dielectric surface. Moreover, this well-aligned microplasma device may result in the uniform and large-area surface modification of heat-sensitive PET polymers without damage, such as optimization in hydrophobicity and biocompatibility. In the biomedical field, the utility of this well-aligned microplasma device is further testified. It proves to be very efficient for the large-area and uniform inactivation of E. coli cells with a density of 10 3 /cm 2 on LB agar plate culture medium, and inactivation efficiency can reach up to 99% for 2-min treatment. (paper)

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Induced Sterilization and Chemical Neutralization

Science.gov (United States)

Garate, Eusebio; Evans, Kirk; Gornostaeva, Olga; Alexeff, Igor; Lock Kang, Weng; Wood, Thomas K.

1998-11-01

We are studying chemical neutralization and surface decontamination using atmospheric pressure plasma discharges. The plasma is produced by corona discharge from an array of pins and a ground plane. The array is constructed so that various gases, like argon or helium, can be flowed past the pins where the discharge is initiated. The pin array can be biased using either DC, AC or pulsed discharges. Results indicate that the atmospheric plasma is effective in sterilizing surfaces with biological contaminants like E-coli and bacillus subtilus cells. Exposure times of less than four minutes in an air plasma result in a decrease in live colony counts by six orders of magnitude. Greater exposure times result in a decrease of live colony counts of up to ten orders of magnitude. The atmospheric pressure discharge is also effective in decomposing organic phosphate compounds that are simulants for chemical warfare agents. Details of the decomposition chemistry, by-product formation, and electrical energy consumption of the system will be discussed.

Martian Atmospheric Pressure Static Charge Elimination Tool

Science.gov (United States)

Johansen, Michael R.

2014-01-01

A Martian pressure static charge elimination tool is currently in development in the Electrostatics and Surface Physics Laboratory (ESPL) at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. In standard Earth atmosphere conditions, static charge can be neutralized from an insulating surface using air ionizers. These air ionizers generate ions through corona breakdown. The Martian atmosphere is 7 Torr of mostly carbon dioxide, which makes it inherently difficult to use similar methods as those used for standard atmosphere static elimination tools. An initial prototype has been developed to show feasibility of static charge elimination at low pressure, using corona discharge. A needle point and thin wire loop are used as the corona generating electrodes. A photo of the test apparatus is shown below. Positive and negative high voltage pulses are sent to the needle point. This creates positive and negative ions that can be used for static charge neutralization. In a preliminary test, a floating metal plate was charged to approximately 600 volts under Martian atmospheric conditions. The static elimination tool was enabled and the voltage on the metal plate dropped rapidly to -100 volts. This test data is displayed below. Optimization is necessary to improve the electrostatic balance of the static elimination tool.

Diagnostics of plasma-biological surface interactions in low pressure and atmospheric pressure plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishikawa, Kenji; Hori, Masaru

2014-01-01

Mechanisms of plasma-surface interaction are required to understand in order to control the reactions precisely. Recent progress in atmospheric pressure plasma provides to apply as a tool of sterilization of contaminated foodstuffs. To use the plasma with safety and optimization, the real time in situ detection of free radicals - in particular dangling bonds by using the electron-spin-resonance (ESR) technique has been developed because the free radical plays important roles for dominantly biological reactions. First, the kinetic analysis of free radicals on biological specimens such as fungal spores of Penicillium digitatum interacted with atomic oxygen generated plasma electric discharge. We have obtained information that the in situ real time ESR signal from the spores was observed and assignable to semiquinone radical with a g-value of around 2.004 and a line width of approximately 5G. The decay of the signal was correlated with a link to the inactivation of the fungal spore. Second, we have studied to detect chemical modification of edible meat after the irradiation. Using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF-MS) and ESR, signals give qualification results for chemical changes on edible liver meat. The in situ real-time measurements have proven to be a useful method to elucidate plasma-induced surface reactions on biological specimens. (author)

Atmospheric-pressure-plasma-enhanced fabrication of nonfouling nanocoatings for 316 stainless steel biomaterial interfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chun; Lin, Jin-He; Li, Chi-Heng; Yu, I.-Chun; Chen, Ting-Lun

2018-03-01

Atmospheric-pressure plasma, which was generated with electrical RF power, was fed to a tetramethyldisiloxane/argon gas mixture to prepare bioinert organosilicon coatings for 316 stainless steel. The surface characteristics of atmospheric-pressure-plasma-deposited nanocoatings were evaluated as a function of RF plasma power, precursor gas flow, and plasma working distance. After surface deposition, the chemical features, elemental compositions, and surface morphologies of the organosilicon nanocoatings were examined. It was found that RF plasma power and plasma working distance are the essential factors that affect the formation of plasma-deposited nanocoatings. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectra indicate that the atmospheric-pressure-plasma-deposited nanocoatings formed showed inorganic features. Atomic force microscopy analysis showed the surface roughness variation of the plasma-deposited nanocoating at different RF plasma powers and plasma working distances during surface treatment. From these surface analyses, it was found that the plasma-deposited organosilicon nanocoatings under specific operational conditions have relatively hydrophobic and inorganic characteristics, which are essential for producing an anti-biofouling interface on 316 stainless steel. The experimental results also show that atmospheric-pressure-plasma-deposited nanocoatings have potential use as a cell-resistant layer on 316 stainless steel.

A Study on Decontamination Process Using Atmospheric Pressure Plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Yong Soo; Jeon, Sang Hwan; Jin, Dong Sik; Park, Dong Min

2010-05-01

Radioactive decontamination process using atmospheric pressure plasma which can be operated parallel with low vacuum cold plasma processing is studied. Two types of cold plasma torches were designed and manufactured. One of them is the cylindrical type applicable to the treatment of three-dimensional surfaces. The other is the rectangular type for the treatment of flat and large surface areas. Ar palsam was unstable but using He as a carrier gas, discharge condition was improved. Besides filtering module using pre, medium, charcoal, and HEPA filter was designed and manufactured. More intensive study for developing filtering system will be followed. Atmospheric pressure plasma decontamination process can be used to the equipment and facility wall decontamination

Atmospheric pressure plasma jets in Helium – the electric field and the charge delivered to a dielectric surface

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sobota, A.; Slikboer, E.T.; Guaitella, O.Y.N.

2015-01-01

The family of non-thermal atmospheric pressure discharges has been the focus of intense research of a large number of research groups in the last fifteen years, as they are easy and cheap to assemble and run, and exhibit properties that can be used in surface treatment or biological applications. In

Physico-chemical characteristics of high performance polymer modified by low and atmospheric pressure plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhatnagar, Nitu; Sangeeta, Jha; Bhowmik, Shantanu; Gupta, Govind; Moon, J.B.; Kim, C.G.

2012-01-01

In this work, the effect of low pressure plasma and atmospheric p ressure plasma treatment on surface properties and adhesion characteristics of high performance polymer, Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK) are investigated in terms of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The experimental results show that the PEEK surface treated by atmospheric pressure plasma lead to an increase in the polar component of the surface energy, resulting in improving the adhesion characteristics of the PEEK/Epoxy adhesive system. Also, the roughness of the treated surfaces is largely increased as confirmed by AFM observation. These results can be explained by the fact that the atmospheric pressure plasma treatment of PEEK surface yields several oxygen functionalities on hydrophobic surface, which play an important role in increasing the surface polarity, wettability, and the adhesion characteristics of the PEEK/Epoxy adhesive system. (authors)

Aluminum metal surface cleaning and activation by atmospheric-pressure remote plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muñoz, J., E-mail: jmespadero@uco.es; Bravo, J.A.; Calzada, M.D.

2017-06-15

Highlights: • Atmospheric-pressure postdischarges have been applied on aluminium surfaces. • The outer hydrocarbon layer is reduced by the action of the postdischarge. • The treatment promotes the appearance of hydrophilic OH radicals in the surface. • Effectivity for distances up to 5 cm allows for treating irregular surfaces. • Ageing in air due to the disappearance of OH radicals has been reported. - Abstract: The use of the remote plasma (postdischarge) of argon and argon-nitrogen microwave plasmas for cleaning and activating the surface of metallic commercial aluminum samples has been studied. The influence of the nitrogen content and the distance between the treated samples and the end of the discharge on the hydrophilicity and the surface energy has been analyzed by means of the sessile drop technique and the Owens-Wendt method. A significant increase in the hydrophilicity has been noted in the treated samples, together with an increase in the surface energy from values around 37 mJ/m{sup 2} to 77 mJ/m{sup 2}. Such increase weakly depends on the nitrogen content of the discharge, and the effectivity of the treatment extends to distances up to 5 cm from the end of the discharge, much longer than those reported in other plasma-based treatments. The analysis of the treated samples using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that such increase in the surface energy takes place due to a reduction of the carbon content and an increase in the amount of OH radicals in the surface. These radicals tend to disappear within 24–48 h after the treatment when the samples are stored in contact with ambient air, resulting in the ageing of the treated surface and a partial retrieval of the hydrophobicity of the surface.

Surface pretreatment of plastics with an atmospheric pressure plasma jet - Influence of generator power and kinematics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moritzer, E.; Leister, C.

2014-01-01

The industrial use of atmospheric pressure plasmas in the plastics processing industry has increased significantly in recent years. Users of this treatment process have the possibility to influence the target values (e.g. bond strength or surface energy) with the help of kinematic and electrical parameters. Until now, systematic procedures have been used with which the parameters can be adapted to the process or product requirements but only by very time-consuming methods. For this reason, the relationship between influencing values and target values will be examined based on the example of a pretreatment in the bonding process with the help of statistical experimental design. Because of the large number of parameters involved, the analysis is restricted to the kinematic and electrical parameters. In the experimental tests, the following factors are taken as parameters: gap between nozzle and substrate, treatment velocity (kinematic data), voltage and duty cycle (electrical data). The statistical evaluation shows significant relationships between the parameters and surface energy in the case of polypropylene. An increase in the voltage and duty cycle increases the polar proportion of the surface energy, while a larger gap and higher velocity leads to lower energy levels. The bond strength of the overlapping bond is also significantly influenced by the voltage, velocity and gap. The direction of their effects is identical with those of the surface energy. In addition to the kinematic influences of the motion of an atmospheric pressure plasma jet, it is therefore especially important that the parameters for the plasma production are taken into account when designing the pretreatment processes

Modeling Turbulence Generation in the Atmospheric Surface and Boundary Layers

Science.gov (United States)

2015-10-01

hydrostatic equation: dP dz = −ρa g −→ ∫ ZI 0 ρa dz = − 1 g ∫ dP = + 1 g [P (0)− P (ZI)]. (6.14) The pressure at the surface is... surface pressure is estimated, we can compute a vertical pressure profile using the hydrostatic equation and a selected temperature profile based on dP... surface -layer atmosphere. By surface layer what is intended is a layer of foliage plus the surface itself. That is, a flat ground surface that

Simultaneous and long-lasting hydrophilization of inner and outer wall surfaces of polytetrafluoroethylene tubes by transferring atmospheric pressure plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Faze; Song, Jinlong; Huang, Shuai; Xu, Wenji; Sun, Jing; Liu, Xin; Xu, Sihao; Xia, Guangqing; Yang, Dezheng

2016-01-01

Plasma hydrophilization is a general method to increase the surface free energy of materials. However, only a few works about plasma modification focus on the hydrophilization of tube inner and outer walls. In this paper, we realize simultaneous and long-lasting plasma hydrophilization on the inner and outer walls of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) tubes by atmospheric pressure plasmas (APPs). Specifically, an Ar atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) is used to modify the PTFE tube’s outer wall and meanwhile to induce transferred He APP inside the PTFE tube to modify its inner wall surface. The optical emission spectrum (OES) shows that the plasmas contain many chemically active species, which are known as enablers for various applications. Water contact angle (WCA) measurements, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) are used to characterize the plasma hydrophilization. Results demonstrate that the wettability of the tube walls are well improved due to the replacement of the surface fluorine by oxygen and the change of surface roughness. The obtained hydrophilicity decreases slowly during more than 180 d aging, indicating a long-lasting hydrophilization. The results presented here clearly demonstrate the great potential of transferring APPs for surface modification of the tube’s inner and outer walls simultaneously. (paper)

Surface processing and ageing behavior of silk fabrics treated with atmospheric-pressure plasma for pigment-based ink-jet printing

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Chunming; Wang, Libing; Yu, Miao; Qu, Lijun; Men, Yajing; Zhang, Xiangwu

2018-03-01

Pigment inkjet printing has highlighted the advantages of cost-effective, short production cycle and environment-friendly. However, patterns directly printed with pigment inks usually have low color yields and blurry images which are caused by bleeding phenomenon. This work presents an atmospheric-pressure plasma method for improving the pigment-based ink-jet printing performance of silk fabrics. The effects of surface changes induced are discussed, with data derived from morphological study by atomic force microscopy (AFM), chemical analysis using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurement. Ink-jet printing experiments were conducted to study the influence of measured changes on anti-bleeding property and color strength of treated and original samples. The ageing experiment indicates that the modified silk fabrics should be printed within 24 h after plasma processing for maximum color yields. This study explores an effective approach for the atmospheric-pressure plasma, which can provide its significant use in improving the surface properties and ink-jet printing performance of fabrics.

Surface treatment of aramid fiber by air dielectric barrier discharge plasma at atmospheric pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia Caixia; Chen Ping; Liu Wei; Li Bin; Wang Qian

2011-01-01

Aramid fiber samples are treated by air dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma at atmospheric pressure; the plasma treatment time is investigated as the major parameter. The effects of this treatment on the fiber surface physical and chemical properties are studied by using surface characterization techniques. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is performed to determine the surface morphology changes, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is analyzed to reveal the surface chemical composition variations and dynamic contact angle analysis (DCAA) is used to examine the changes of the fiber surface wettability. In addition, the wetting behavior of a kind of thermoplastic resin, poly(phthalazinone ether sulfone ketone) (PPESK), on aramid fiber surface is also observed by SEM photos. The study shows that there seems to be an optimum treatment condition for surface modification of aramid fiber by the air DBD plasma. In this paper, after the 12 s, 27.6 W/cm 3 plasma treatment the aramid fiber surface roughness is significantly improved, some new oxygen-containing groups such as C-O, C=O and O=C-O are generated on the fiber surface and the fiber surface wettability is greatly enhanced, which results in the better wetting behavior of PPESK resin on the plasma-treated aramid fiber.

Study on the reforming of alcohols in a surface wave discharge (SWD) at atmospheric pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jimenez, M; Yubero, C; Calzada, M D

2008-01-01

Surface wave plasma at atmospheric pressure has been used to produce the decomposition of the alcohol molecules introduced into it, in order to obtain hydrogen. Four alcohols, methanol, ethanol, propanol and butanol, have been used for this purpose. Optical emission spectroscopy was the tool used to analyse the radiation emitted by the plasma. Hydrogen atoms and other species such as C 2 and CH in alcohols have been detected but no CO molecular bands. Also, a mass spectrometer has been used in order to detect molecular hydrogen production in methanol decomposition

Surface Modification of Polyethylene Films using Atmospheric

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dr A.B.Ahmed

An atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (APPJ) is used to increase the wettability of ... contact angle between the water droplet and the polymer surface. The polymer films used in this ... W of RF power from the generator. The distance between ...

Infrared laser ablation atmospheric pressure photoionization mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaikkinen, Anu; Shrestha, Bindesh; Kauppila, Tiina J; Vertes, Akos; Kostiainen, Risto

2012-02-07

In this paper we introduce laser ablation atmospheric pressure photoionization (LAAPPI), a novel atmospheric pressure ion source for mass spectrometry. In LAAPPI the analytes are ablated from water-rich solid samples or from aqueous solutions with an infrared (IR) laser running at 2.94 μm wavelength. Approximately 12 mm above the sample surface, the ablation plume is intercepted with an orthogonal hot solvent (e.g., toluene or anisole) jet, which is generated by a heated nebulizer microchip and directed toward the mass spectrometer inlet. The ablated analytes are desolvated and ionized in the gas-phase by atmospheric pressure photoionization using a 10 eV vacuum ultraviolet krypton discharge lamp. The effect of operational parameters and spray solvent on the performance of LAAPPI is studied. LAAPPI offers ~300 μm lateral resolution comparable to, e.g., matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization. In addition to polar compounds, LAAPPI efficiently ionizes neutral and nonpolar compounds. The bioanalytical application of the method is demonstrated by the direct LAAPPI analysis of rat brain tissue sections and sour orange (Citrus aurantium) leaves. © 2012 American Chemical Society

Production of atmospheric pressure microwave plasma with dielectric half-mirror resonator and its application to polymer surface treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Sasai, Kensuke; Keyamura, Kazuki; Suzuki, Haruka; Toyoda, Hirotaka

2018-06-01

For the surface treatment of a polymer tube, a ring-shaped atmospheric pressure microwave plasma (APMP) using a coaxial waveguide is studied. In this APMP, a dielectric plate is used not only as a partial mirror for cavity resonation but also for the precise alignment of the discharge gap for ring-shaped plasma production. The optimum position of the dielectric plate is investigated by electromagnetic wave simulation. On the basis of simulation results, a ring-shaped plasma with good uniformity along the ring is produced. The coaxial APMP is applied to the surface treatment of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene. A very fast surface modification within 3 s is observed.

Atmospheric pressure plasma polymerization of 1,3-butadiene for hydrophobic finishing of textile substrates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samanta, Kartick K; Jassal, Manjeet; Agrawal, Ashwini K

2010-01-01

Atmospheric pressure plasma processing of textile has both ecological and economical advantages over the wet-chemical processing. However, reaction in atmospheric pressure plasma has important challenges to be overcome before it can be successfully used for finishing applications in textile. These challenges are (i) generating stable glow plasma in presence liquid/gaseous monomer, and (ii) keeping the generated radicals active in the presence of contaminants such as oxygen and air. In this study, a stable glow plasma was generated at atmospheric pressure in the mixture of gaseous reactive monomer-1,3-butadiene and He and was made to react with cellulosic textile substrate. After 12 min of plasma treatment, the hydrophilic surface of the cellulosic substrate turned into highly hydrophobic surface. The hydrophobic finish was found to be durable to soap washing. After soap washing, a water drop of 37 μl took around 250 s to get absorbed in the treated sample compared to 0 . Both top and bottom sides of the fabric showed similar hydrophobic results in terms of water absorbency and contact angle. The results may be attributed to chemical reaction of butadiene with the cellulosic textile substrate. The surface characterization of the plasma modified samples under SEM and AFM revealed modification of the surface under <100 nm. The results showed that atmospheric pressure plasma can be successfully used for carrying out reaction of 1,3-butadiene with cellulosic textile substrates for producing hydrophobic surface finish.

Surface conductivity dependent dynamic behaviour of an ultrafine atmospheric pressure plasma jet for microscale surface processing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abuzairi, Tomy [Graduate School of Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, Hamamatsu 432-8561 (Japan); Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia, Depok 16424 (Indonesia); Okada, Mitsuru [Department of Engineering, Shizuoka University, Hamamatsu 432-8561 (Japan); Bhattacharjee, Sudeep [Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur 208016 (India); Nagatsu, Masaaki, E-mail: nagatsu.masaaki@shizuoka.ac.jp [Graduate School of Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, Hamamatsu 432-8561 (Japan); Department of Engineering, Shizuoka University, Hamamatsu 432-8561 (Japan); Research Institute of Electronics, Shizuoka University, Hamamatsu 432-8561 (Japan)

2016-12-30

Highlights: • Spatio-temporal behaviors of capillary APPJs are studied for various substrates. • Plasma irradiation area depended on the substrate conductivity and permittivity. • Surface irradiation area was significantly broadened in polymer-like substrate. • Effect of applying a substrate bias on the APPJ irradiation area was investigated. - Abstract: An experimental study on the dynamic behaviour of microcapillary atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs) with 5 μm tip size for surfaces of different conductivity is reported. Electrical and spatio-temporal characteristics of the APPJs are monitored using high voltage probe, current monitor and high speed intensified charge couple device camera. From these experimental results, we presented a simple model to understand the electrical discharge characteristics of the capillary APPJs with double electrodes, and estimated the velocity of the ionization fronts in the jet and the electron density to be 3.5–4.2 km/s and 2–7 × 10{sup 17} m{sup −3}. By analyzing the dynamics of the microcapillary APPJs for different substrate materials, it was found that the surface irradiation area strongly depended on the substrate conductivity and permittivity, especially in the case of polymer-like substrate, surface irradiation area was significantly broadened probably due to the repelling behaviour of the plasma jets from the accumulated electrical charges on the polymer surface. The effect of applying a substrate bias in the range from −900 V to +900 V on the plasma irradiation onto the substrates was also investigated. From the knowledge of the present results, it is helpful for choosing the substrate materials for microscale surface modification.

Surface conductivity dependent dynamic behaviour of an ultrafine atmospheric pressure plasma jet for microscale surface processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abuzairi, Tomy; Okada, Mitsuru; Bhattacharjee, Sudeep; Nagatsu, Masaaki

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Spatio-temporal behaviors of capillary APPJs are studied for various substrates. • Plasma irradiation area depended on the substrate conductivity and permittivity. • Surface irradiation area was significantly broadened in polymer-like substrate. • Effect of applying a substrate bias on the APPJ irradiation area was investigated. - Abstract: An experimental study on the dynamic behaviour of microcapillary atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs) with 5 μm tip size for surfaces of different conductivity is reported. Electrical and spatio-temporal characteristics of the APPJs are monitored using high voltage probe, current monitor and high speed intensified charge couple device camera. From these experimental results, we presented a simple model to understand the electrical discharge characteristics of the capillary APPJs with double electrodes, and estimated the velocity of the ionization fronts in the jet and the electron density to be 3.5–4.2 km/s and 2–7 × 10"1"7 m"−"3. By analyzing the dynamics of the microcapillary APPJs for different substrate materials, it was found that the surface irradiation area strongly depended on the substrate conductivity and permittivity, especially in the case of polymer-like substrate, surface irradiation area was significantly broadened probably due to the repelling behaviour of the plasma jets from the accumulated electrical charges on the polymer surface. The effect of applying a substrate bias in the range from −900 V to +900 V on the plasma irradiation onto the substrates was also investigated. From the knowledge of the present results, it is helpful for choosing the substrate materials for microscale surface modification.

Maskless Surface Modification of Polyurethane Films by an Atmospheric Pressure He/O2 Plasma Microjet for Gelatin Immobilization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Man Zhang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available A localized maskless modification method of polyurethane (PU films through an atmospheric pressure He/O2 plasma microjet (APPμJ was proposed. The APPμJ system combines an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ with a microfabricated silicon micronozzle with dimension of 30 μm, which has advantages of simple structure and low cost. The possibility of APPμJ in functionalizing PU films with hydroxyl (–OH groups and covalent grafting of gelatin for improving its biocompatibility was demonstrated. The morphologies and chemical compositions of the modified surface were analyzed by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS. The fluorescent images show the modified surface can be divided into four areas with different fluorescence intensity from the center to the outside domain. The distribution of the rings could be controlled by plasma process parameters, such as the treatment time and the flow rate of O2. When the treatment time is 4 to 5 min with the oxygen percentage of 0.6%, the PU film can be effectively local functionalized with the diameter of 170 μm. In addition, the modification mechanism of PU films by the APPμJ is investigated. The localized polymer modified by APPμJ has potential applications in the field of tissue engineering.

Surface kinetics for catalytic combustion of hydrogen-air mixtures on platinum at atmospheric pressure in stagnation flows

Science.gov (United States)

Ikeda, H.; Sato, J.; Williams, F. A.

1995-03-01

Experimental studies of the combustion of premixed hydrogen-air mixtures impinging on the surface of a heated platinum plate at normal atmospheric pressure were performed and employed to draw inferences concerning surface reaction mechanisms and rate parameters applicable under practical conditions of catalytic combustion. Plate and gas temperatures were measured by thermocouples, and concentration profiles of major stable species in the gas were measured by gas-chromatographic analyses of samples withdrawn by quartz probes. In addition, ignition and extinction phenomena were recorded and interpreted with the aid of a heat balance at the surface and a previous flow-field analysis of the stagnation-point boundary layer. From the experimental and theoretical results, conclusions were drawn concerning the surface chemical-kinetic mechanisms and values of the elementary rate parameters that are consistent with the observations. In particular, the activation energy for the surface oxidation step H + OH → H 2O is found to be appreciably less at these high surface coverages than in the low-coverage limit.

Atmospheric pressure does not influence acute diverticular disease

OpenAIRE

Velayos Jiménez, Benito; Pons Renedo, Fernando; Feranández Salazar, Luis; Muñoz, María Fe; Olmo, Lourdes del; Almaraz Gómez, Ana; Beltrán de Heredia, Juan; Hernández González, José Manuel

2013-01-01

Producción Científica The article offers information on a study which examines the influence of atmospheric pressure on the development of acute diverticular disease. The value of atmospheric pressure and its daily trends in 2012 was collected to prove whether atmospheric pressure influence this disease by raising intra-diverticular pressure in days with higher atmospheric pressure. The study involved patients with acute diverticulitis who underwent computed tomography.

Surface modification of epoxy resin using He/CF{sub 4} atmospheric pressure plasma jet for flashover withstanding characteristics improvement in vacuum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Sile; Wang, Shuai; Wang, Yibo; Guo, Baohong; Li, Guoqiang; Chang, Zhengshi; Zhang, Guan-Jun, E-mail: gjzhang@xjtu.edu.cn

2017-08-31

Highlights: • Epoxy resin (EP) samples are treated by atmospheric pressures plasma jet (APPJ). • Flashover withstanding characteristics of epoxy resin samples are improved a lot after APPJ treatment. • Appropriate treatment conditions are important to modify EP samples by APPJ. • Both physical and chemical effects lead to the enhancement of flashover strength. - Abstract: For enhancing the surface electric withstanding strength of insulating materials, epoxy resin (EP) samples are treated by atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) with different time interval from 0 to 300s. Helium (He) and tetrafluoromethane (CF{sub 4}) mixtures are used as working gases with the concentration of CF{sub 4} ranging 0%-5%, and when CF{sub 4} is ∼3%, the APPJ exhibits an optimal steady state. The flashover withstanding characteristics of modified EP in vacuum are greatly improved under appropriate APPJ treatment conditions. The surface properties of EP samples are evaluated by surface roughness, scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and water contact angle. It is considered that both physical and chemical effects lead to the enhancement of flashover strength. The physical effect is reflected in the increase of surface roughness, while the chemical effect is reflected in the graft of fluorine groups.

Atmospheric-pressure plasma jet

Science.gov (United States)

Selwyn, Gary S.

1999-01-01

Atmospheric-pressure plasma jet. A .gamma.-mode, resonant-cavity plasma discharge that can be operated at atmospheric pressure and near room temperature using 13.56 MHz rf power is described. Unlike plasma torches, the discharge produces a gas-phase effluent no hotter than 250.degree. C. at an applied power of about 300 W, and shows distinct non-thermal characteristics. In the simplest design, two concentric cylindrical electrodes are employed to generate a plasma in the annular region therebetween. A "jet" of long-lived metastable and reactive species that are capable of rapidly cleaning or etching metals and other materials is generated which extends up to 8 in. beyond the open end of the electrodes. Films and coatings may also be removed by these species. Arcing is prevented in the apparatus by using gas mixtures containing He, which limits ionization, by using high flow velocities, and by properly shaping the rf-powered electrode. Because of the atmospheric pressure operation, no ions survive for a sufficiently long distance beyond the active plasma discharge to bombard a workpiece, unlike low-pressure plasma sources and conventional plasma processing methods.

Atmospheric pressure plasma polymerization of 1,3-butadiene for hydrophobic finishing of textile substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samanta, Kartick K; Jassal, Manjeet; Agrawal, Ashwini K, E-mail: ashwini@smita-iitd.co, E-mail: manjeet.jassal@smita-iitd.co [Smart and Innovative Textile Materials Group (SMITA), Department of Textile Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz Khas, New Delhi-110016 (India)

2010-02-01

Atmospheric pressure plasma processing of textile has both ecological and economical advantages over the wet-chemical processing. However, reaction in atmospheric pressure plasma has important challenges to be overcome before it can be successfully used for finishing applications in textile. These challenges are (i) generating stable glow plasma in presence liquid/gaseous monomer, and (ii) keeping the generated radicals active in the presence of contaminants such as oxygen and air. In this study, a stable glow plasma was generated at atmospheric pressure in the mixture of gaseous reactive monomer-1,3-butadiene and He and was made to react with cellulosic textile substrate. After 12 min of plasma treatment, the hydrophilic surface of the cellulosic substrate turned into highly hydrophobic surface. The hydrophobic finish was found to be durable to soap washing. After soap washing, a water drop of 37 {mu}l took around 250 s to get absorbed in the treated sample compared to < 1 s in the untreated samples. The plasma modified samples showed water contact angle of around 134{sup 0}. Both top and bottom sides of the fabric showed similar hydrophobic results in terms of water absorbency and contact angle. The results may be attributed to chemical reaction of butadiene with the cellulosic textile substrate. The surface characterization of the plasma modified samples under SEM and AFM revealed modification of the surface under <100 nm. The results showed that atmospheric pressure plasma can be successfully used for carrying out reaction of 1,3-butadiene with cellulosic textile substrates for producing hydrophobic surface finish.

Cold atmospheric pressure plasma treatment of ready-to-eat meat

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Röd, Sara Katrine Solhøj; Hansen, Flemming; Leipold, Frank

Sliced ready-to-eat (RTE) meat products are susceptible to growth of the foodborne pathogenic bacterium, Listeria monocytogenes. Cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) may be applicable for surface decontamination in sealed bags thus avoiding recontamination. Plasmas (Fig. 1), created in neutral...

Atmospheric pressure variations and abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Killeen, S D

2012-02-03

BACKGROUND: Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (RAAA) presents with increased frequency in the winter and spring months. Seasonal changes in atmospheric pressure mirrors this pattern. AIM: To establish if there was a seasonal variation in the occurrence of RAAA and to determine if there was any association with atmospheric pressure changes. METHODS: A retrospective cohort-based study was performed. Daily atmospheric pressure readings for the region were obtained. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant monthly variation in RAAA presentation with 107 cases (52.5%) occurring from November to March. The monthly number of RAAA and the mean atmospheric pressure in the previous month were inversely related (r = -0.752, r (2) = 0.566, P = 0.03), and there was significantly greater daily atmospheric pressure variability on days when patients with RAAA were admitted. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest a relationship between atmospheric pressure and RAAA.

Apparatus and method for atmospheric pressure reactive atom plasma processing for shaping of damage free surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Carr,; Jeffrey, W [Livermore, CA

2009-03-31

Fabrication apparatus and methods are disclosed for shaping and finishing difficult materials with no subsurface damage. The apparatus and methods use an atmospheric pressure mixed gas plasma discharge as a sub-aperture polisher of, for example, fused silica and single crystal silicon, silicon carbide and other materials. In one example, workpiece material is removed at the atomic level through reaction with fluorine atoms. In this example, these reactive species are produced by a noble gas plasma from trace constituent fluorocarbons or other fluorine containing gases added to the host argon matrix. The products of the reaction are gas phase compounds that flow from the surface of the workpiece, exposing fresh material to the etchant without condensation and redeposition on the newly created surface. The discharge provides a stable and predictable distribution of reactive species permitting the generation of a predetermined surface by translating the plasma across the workpiece along a calculated path.

Surface acoustic wave oxygen pressure sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Oglesby, Donald M. (Inventor); Upchurch, Billy T. (Inventor); Leighty, Bradley D. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

A transducer for the measurement of absolute gas-state oxygen pressure from pressures of less than 100 Pa to atmospheric pressure (1.01 x 10(exp 5) Pa) is based on a standard surface acoustic wave (SAW) device. The piezoelectric material of the SAW device is coated with a compound which will selectively and reversibly bind oxygen. When oxygen is bound by the coating, the mass of the coating increases by an amount equal to the mass of the bound oxygen. Such an increase in the mass of the coating causes a corresponding decrease in the resonant frequency of the SAW device.

Surface modification of polyethylene films using atmospheric ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (APPJ) is used to increase the wettability of polyethylene polymer films. Reduction in contact angle from 94.32 to 58.33 degrees was measured for treatment times of 1 - 5 seconds. Contact angle reductions of PE as a function of treatment time with APPJ and PE surface at various oxygen ...

Influence of the voltage polarity on the properties of a nanosecond surface barrier discharge in atmospheric-pressure air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nudnova, M. M.; Aleksandrov, N. L.; Starikovskii, A. Yu.

2010-01-01

The properties of a surface barrier discharge in atmospheric-pressure air at different polarities of applied voltage were studied experimentally. The influence of the voltage polarity on the spatial structure of the discharge and the electric field in the discharge plasma was determined by means of spectroscopic measurements. It is found that the energy deposited in the discharge does not depend on the voltage polarity and that discharges of positive polarity are more homogenous and the electric fields in them are higher.

Cell treatment and surface functionalization using a miniature atmospheric pressure glow discharge plasma torch

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yonson, S; Coulombe, S; Leveille, V; Leask, R L

2006-01-01

A miniature atmospheric pressure glow discharge plasma torch was used to detach cells from a polystyrene Petri dish. The detached cells were successfully transplanted to a second dish and a proliferation assay showed the transplanted cells continued to grow. Propidium iodide diffused into the cells, suggesting that the cell membrane had been permeabilized, yet the cells remained viable 24 h after treatment. In separate experiments, hydrophobic, bacteriological grade polystyrene Petri dishes were functionalized. The plasma treatment reduced the contact angle from 93 0 to 35 0 , and promoted cell adhesion. Two different torch nozzles, 500 μm and 150 μm in internal diameter, were used in the surface functionalization experiments. The width of the tracks functionalized by the torch, as visualized by cell adhesion, was approximately twice the inside diameter of the nozzle. These results indicate that the miniature plasma torch could be used in biological micropatterning, as it does not use chemicals like the present photolithographic techniques. Due to its small size and manouvrability, the torch also has the ability to pattern complex 3D surfaces

Atmospheric pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy apparatus: Bridging the pressure gap

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Velasco-Vélez, J. J., E-mail: velasco@fhi-berlin.mpg.de, E-mail: mh@fhi-berlin.mpg.de; Schlögl, R. [Department of Heterogeneous Reactions, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Mülheim an der Ruhr 45470 (Germany); Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Berlin 14195 (Germany); Pfeifer, V.; Algara-Siller, G.; Stotz, E.; Teschner, D.; Kube, P.; Knop-Gericke, A. [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Berlin 14195 (Germany); Hävecker, M., E-mail: velasco@fhi-berlin.mpg.de, E-mail: mh@fhi-berlin.mpg.de; Skorupska, K. [Department of Heterogeneous Reactions, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, Mülheim an der Ruhr 45470 (Germany); Wang, R.; Braeuninger-Weimer, P.; Hofmann, S. [Engineering Department, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FA (United Kingdom); Centeno, A.; Zurutuza, A. [Graphenea, San Sebastian 20018 (Spain)

2016-05-15

One of the main goals in catalysis is the characterization of solid/gas interfaces in a reaction environment. The electronic structure and chemical composition of surfaces become heavily influenced by the surrounding environment. However, the lack of surface sensitive techniques that are able to monitor these modifications under high pressure conditions hinders the understanding of such processes. This limitation is known throughout the community as the “pressure gap.” We have developed a novel experimental setup that provides chemical information on a molecular level under atmospheric pressure and in presence of reactive gases and at elevated temperatures. This approach is based on separating the vacuum environment from the high-pressure environment by a silicon nitride grid—that contains an array of micrometer-sized holes—coated with a bilayer of graphene. Using this configuration, we have investigated the local electronic structure of catalysts by means of photoelectron spectroscopy and in presence of gases at 1 atm. The reaction products were monitored online by mass spectrometry and gas chromatography. The successful operation of this setup was demonstrated with three different examples: the oxidation/reduction reaction of iridium (noble metal) and copper (transition metal) nanoparticles and with the hydrogenation of propyne on Pd black catalyst (powder).

Examination of fluctuations in atmospheric pressure related to migraine.

Science.gov (United States)

Okuma, Hirohisa; Okuma, Yumiko; Kitagawa, Yasuhisa

2015-01-01

Japan has four seasons and many chances of low atmospheric pressure or approaches of typhoon, therefore it has been empirically known that the fluctuation of weather induces migraine in people. Generally, its mechanism has been interpreted as follows: physical loading, attributed by atmospheric pressure to human bodies, compresses or dilates human blood vessels, which leads to abnormality in blood flow and induces migraine. We report our examination of the stage in which migraine tends to be induced focusing on the variation of atmospheric pressure. Subjects were 34 patients with migraine, who were treated in our hospital. The patients included 31 females and three males, whose mean age was 32 ± 6.7. 22 patients had migraine with aura and 12 patients had migraine without aura. All of patients with migraine maintained a headache diary to record atmospheric pressures when they developed a migraine. The standard atmospheric pressure was defined as 1013 hPa, and with this value as the criterion, we investigated slight fluctuations in the atmospheric pressure when they developed a migraine. It was found that the atmospheric pressure when the patients developed a migraine was within 1003-1007 hPa in the approach of low atmospheric pressure and that the patients developed a migraine when the atmospheric pressure decreased by 6-10 hPa, slightly less than the standard atmospheric pressure. Small decreases of 6-10 hPa relative to the standard atmospheric pressure of 1013 hPa induced migraine attacks most frequently in patients with migraine.

Atmospheric pressure loading parameters from very long baseline interferometry observations

Science.gov (United States)

Macmillan, D. S.; Gipson, John M.

1994-01-01

Atmospheric mass loading produces a primarily vertical displacement of the Earth's crust. This displacement is correlated with surface pressure and is large enough to be detected by very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) measurements. Using the measured surface pressure at VLBI stations, we have estimated the atmospheric loading term for each station location directly from VLBI data acquired from 1979 to 1992. Our estimates of the vertical sensitivity to change in pressure range from 0 to -0.6 mm/mbar depending on the station. These estimates agree with inverted barometer model calculations (Manabe et al., 1991; vanDam and Herring, 1994) of the vertical displacement sensitivity computed by convolving actual pressure distributions with loading Green's functions. The pressure sensitivity tends to be smaller for stations near the coast, which is consistent with the inverted barometer hypothesis. Applying this estimated pressure loading correction in standard VLBI geodetic analysis improves the repeatability of estimated lengths of 25 out of 37 baselines that were measured at least 50 times. In a root-sum-square (rss) sense, the improvement generally increases with baseline length at a rate of about 0.3 to 0.6 ppb depending on whether the baseline stations are close to the coast. For the 5998-km baseline from Westford, Massachusetts, to Wettzell, Germany, the rss improvement is about 3.6 mm out of 11.0 mm. The average rss reduction of the vertical scatter for inland stations ranges from 2.7 to 5.4 mm.

Atmospheric and surface properties of Mars obtained by infrared spectroscopy on Mariner 9

Science.gov (United States)

Conrath, B.; Curran, R.; Hanel, R.; Kunde, V.; Maguire, W.; Pearl, J.; Pirraglia, J.; Welker, J.; Burke, T.

1973-01-01

The infrared spectroscopy experiment on Mariner 9 obtained data over much of Mars. Interpretation of the thermal emission of Mars in terms of atmospheric temperatures, wind fields and dynamics, surface temperatures, surface pressure and topography, mineral composition, and minor atmospheric constituents including isotopic ratios, as well as a search for unexpected phenomena are reported.

Marangoni flows induced by atmospheric-pressure plasma jets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berendsen, C W J; Van Veldhuizen, E M; Kroesen, G M W; Darhuber, A A

2015-01-01

We studied the interaction of atmospheric-pressure plasma jets of Ar or air with liquid films of an aliphatic hydrocarbon on moving solid substrates. The hydrodynamic jet-liquid interaction induces a track of lower film thickness. The chemical plasma-surface interaction oxidizes the liquid, leading to a local increase of the surface tension and a self-organized redistribution of the liquid film. We developed a numerical model that qualitatively reproduces the formation, instability and coarsening of the flow patterns observed in the experiments. Monitoring the liquid flow has potential as an in-situ, spatially and temporally resolved, diagnostic tool for the plasma-liquid surface interaction. (paper)

Non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma possible application in wound healing.

Science.gov (United States)

Haertel, Beate; von Woedtke, Thomas; Weltmann, Klaus-Dieter; Lindequist, Ulrike

2014-11-01

Non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma, also named cold plasma, is defined as a partly ionized gas. Therefore, it cannot be equated with plasma from blood; it is not biological in nature. Non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma is a new innovative approach in medicine not only for the treatment of wounds, but with a wide-range of other applications, as e.g. topical treatment of other skin diseases with microbial involvement or treatment of cancer diseases. This review emphasizes plasma effects on wound healing. Non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma can support wound healing by its antiseptic effects, by stimulation of proliferation and migration of wound relating skin cells, by activation or inhibition of integrin receptors on the cell surface or by its pro-angiogenic effect. We summarize the effects of plasma on eukaryotic cells, especially on keratinocytes in terms of viability, proliferation, DNA, adhesion molecules and angiogenesis together with the role of reactive oxygen species and other components of plasma. The outcome of first clinical trials regarding wound healing is pointed out.

An Atmospheric Pressure Ping-Pong "Ballometer"

Science.gov (United States)

Kazachkov, Alexander; Kryuchkov, Dmitriy; Willis, Courtney; Moore, John C.

2006-01-01

Classroom experiments on atmospheric pressure focus largely on demonstrating its existence, often in a most impressive way. A series of amusing physics demonstrations is widely known and practiced by educators teaching the topic. However, measuring the value of atmospheric pressure(P[subscript atm]) is generally done in a rather mundane way,…

Impact of plasma treatment under atmospheric pressure on surface chemistry and surface morphology of extruded and injection-molded wood-polymer composites (WPC)

Science.gov (United States)

Hünnekens, Benedikt; Avramidis, Georg; Ohms, Gisela; Krause, Andreas; Viöl, Wolfgang; Militz, Holger

2018-05-01

The influence of plasma treatment performed at atmospheric pressure and ambient air as process gas by a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) on the morphological and chemical surface characteristics of wood-polymer composites (WPC) was investigated by applying several surface-sensitive analytical methods. The surface free energy showed a distinct increase after plasma treatment for all tested materials. The analyzing methods for surface topography-laser scanning microscopy (LSM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM)-revealed a roughening induced by the treatment which is likely due to a degradation of the polymeric surface. This was accompanied by the formation of low-molecular-weight oxidized materials (LMWOMs), appearing as small globular structures. With increasing discharge time, the nodules increase in size and the material degradation proceeds. The surface degradation seems to be more serious for injection-molded samples, whereas the formation of nodules became more apparent and were evenly distributed on extruded surfaces. These phenomena could also be confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, differences between extruded and injection-molded surfaces could be observed. Besides the morphological changes, the chemical composition of the substrates' surfaces was affected by the plasma discharge. Infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicated the formation of new oxygen containing polar groups on the modified surfaces.

Planetary Surface-Atmosphere Interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Merrison, J. P.; Bak, E.; Finster, K.; Gunnlaugsson, H. P.; Holstein-Rathlou, C.; Knak Jensen, S.; Nørnberg, P.

2013-09-01

Planetary bodies having an accessible solid surface and significant atmosphere, such as Earth, Mars, Venus, Titan, share common phenomenology. Specifically wind induced transport of surface materials, subsequent erosion, the generation and transport of solid aerosols which leads both to chemical and electrostatic interaction with the atmosphere. How these processes affect the evolution of the atmosphere and surface will be discussed in the context of general planetology and the latest laboratory studies will be presented.

Atmospheric pressure microwave plasma system with ring waveguide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Liang; Zhang Guixin; Zhu Zhijie; Luo Chengmu

2007-01-01

Some scientists used waveguide as the cavity to produce a plasma jet, while large volume microwave plasma was relatively hard to get in atmospheric pressure. However, a few research institutes have already developed devices to generate large volume of atmospheric pressure microwave plasma, such as CYRANNUS and SLAN series, which can be widely applied. In this paper, present a microwave plasma system with ring waveguide to excite large volume of atmospheric pressure microwave plasma, plot curves on theoretical disruption electric field of some working gases, emulate the cavity through software, measure the power density to validate and show the appearance of microwave plasma. At present, large volume of argon and helium plasma have already been generated steadily by atmospheric pressure microwave plasma system. This research can build a theoretical basis of microwave plasma excitation under atmospheric pressure and will be useful in study of the device. (authors)

Effect of Atmospheric Pressure Plasma and Subsequent Enzymatic Treatment on Flax Fabrics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhong Shaofeng; Yang Bin; Ou Qiongrong

2015-01-01

The objective is to investigate the effect of atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (APDBD) plasma and subsequent cellulase enzyme treatment on the properties of flax fabrics. The changes of surface morphology and structure, physico-mechanical properties, hydrophilicity, bending properties, whiteness, and dyeing properties of the treated substrate were investigated. The results indicated that atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge plasma pre-treatment and subsequent cellulase enzyme treatment could diminish the hairiness of flax fabrics, endowing the flax fabrics with good bending properties, water uptake and fiber accessibility while keeping their good mechanical properties compared with those treated with cellulase enzyme alone. (paper)

High-frequency pressure variations in the vicinity of a surface CO2 flux chamber

Science.gov (United States)

Eugene S. Takle; James R. Brandle; R. A. Schmidt; Rick Garcia; Irina V. Litvina; William J. Massman; Xinhua Zhou; Geoffrey Doyle; Charles W. Rice

2003-01-01

We report measurements of 2Hz pressure fluctuations at and below the soil surface in the vicinity of a surface-based CO2 flux chamber. These measurements were part of a field experiment to examine the possible role of pressure pumping due to atmospheric pressure fluctuations on measurements of surface fluxes of CO2. Under the moderate wind speeds, warm temperatures,...

Study on the characteristics of barrier free surface discharge driven by repetitive nanosecond pulses at atmospheric pressure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lei, Pang; Qiaogen, Zhang [State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Kun, He [China Electric Power Research Institute, Beijing 100192 (China); Chunliang, Liu [State Key Laboratory for Physical Electronics and Devices, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China)

2016-05-15

Nanosecond pulsed plasma has an enormous potential in many applications. In this paper, the characteristics of barrier free nanosecond pulsed surface discharge are investigated by the use of an actuator with a strip-strip film electrode configuration, including the effect of electrode width and the gap distance on the plasma morphology and electrical characteristics at atmospheric pressure. It was found that it is relative easier to generate a quasi uniform discharge with a thinner electrode width and a smaller gap distance. The underlying physical mechanism was also discussed. Besides that, the influence of airflow on repetitive pulsed surface discharge was examined. By comparing to the discharge produced by two different pulse waveforms in airflows, we found that the discharge driven by a faster pulse behaves more stable. Finally, a model was developed to analyze the interaction of the airflow and the discharge channels.

Fundamental Studies of Transient, Atmospheric-Pressure, Small-Scale Plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-23

C. Jiang, R. Heller, J. Lane, and K. H. Schoenbach, " Ozone -free nitric oxide production using an atmospheric pressure surface discharge – a way to...Electrostatic modeling and energy-dependent studies showed that the direct and indirect electron-induced processes in the pulsed plasma jet are responsible for...Coupled sliding discharges : a scalable nonthermal plasma system utilizing positive and negative streamers on DISTRIBUTION A: Distribution

Atmospheric pressure and temperature profiling using near IR differential absorption lidar

Science.gov (United States)

Korb, C. L.; Schwemmer, G. K.; Dombrowski, M.; Weng, C. Y.

1983-01-01

The present investigation is concerned with differential absorption lidar techniques for remotely measuring the atmospheric temperature and pressure profile, surface pressure, and cloud top pressure-height. The procedure used in determining the pressure is based on the conduction of high-resolution measurements of absorption in the wings of lines in the oxygen A band. Absorption with respect to these areas is highly pressure sensitive in connection with the mechanism of collisional line broadening. The method of temperature measurement utilizes a determination of the absorption at the center of a selected line in the oxygen A band which originates from a quantum state with high ground state energy.

Discharge physics and chemistry of a novel atmospheric pressure plasma source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, J.; Henins, I.; Hermann, J.W.; Selwyn, G.S.; Jeong, J.Y.; Hickis, R.

1999-07-01

The atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) is a unique plasma source operating at atmospheric pressure. The APPJ operates with RF power and produces a stable non-thermal discharge in capacitively-coupled configuration. The discharge is spatially and temporally homogeneous and provides a unique gas phase chemistry that is well suited for various applications including etching, film deposition, surface treatment and decontamination of chemical and biological warfare (CBW) agents. A theoretical model shows electron densities of 0.2--2 x 10{sup 11} cm{sup {minus}3} for a helium discharge at a power level of 3--30 W cm{sup {minus}3}. The APPJ also produces a large flux, equivalent of up to 10,000 monolayer s{sup {minus}1}, of chemically-active, atomic and metastable molecular species which can impinge surfaces several cm downstream of the confined source. In addition, the efforts are in progress to measure the electron density using microwave diagnostics and to benchmark the gas phase chemical model by using LIF and titration.

Study on the surface oxidation of uranium in different gaseous atmospheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Xiaoling; Fu Yibei; Xie Renshou

1996-03-01

The studying for the surface oxidation of uranium and oxide by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), and the surface oxidation of uranium in different gaseous atmospheres such as O 2 , H 2 , CO, CO 2 , H 2 O(v) and air were reviewed. The surface oxidation of uranium is greatly influenced by a number of parameters including atmospheric temperature, pressure, diffusion of adsorbed gas atoms through the oxide layer, surface and interface chemical component, and defect structure and electron nature of the oxide layer. The initial oxidation mechanism and kinetics have been discussed. Suggestions for future work have also been presented. (32 refs., 7 figs., 5 tabs.)

High-power laser-metal interactions in pressurized gaseous atmospheres

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bitelli, G. [ENEA, Centro Ricerche Frascati, Rome (Italy). Dip. Innovazione; Lugomer, S.; Furic, K.; Ivanda, M. [Ruder Boskovic Institute, Zagreb (Croatia); Stipancic, M. [Electrotechnical faculty, Osijek (Croatia); Stubicar, M. [Faculty of natural sciences and mathematics, Zagreb (Croatia); Gamulin, O. [School of medicine, Univ. of Zagreb, Zagreb (Croatia)

1996-09-01

Metal surfaces were irradiated in pressurized gaseous atmospheres by a CO{sub 2} laser beam. The gaseous pressures ranged from 2 atm to 6 atm, the energy density of the light beam was about 20-50 J/cm{sup 2} with a power density {approx} 10{sup 9} W/cm{sup 2} and a pulse duration p 150 ns. In the above conditions some new effects were observed. The laser-material interaction occurred in a highly absorptive plasma regime, meaning that the metal surface was effectively screened from the beam. The interaction ended either with plasma adiabatic expansion, in the case of Mo (in O{sub 2}), Te (in N{sub 2}) and T{sub i} (in N{sub 2}), or with plasma explosion, in the case of T{sub i} (in O{sub 2}). The metal surface properties were studied by means of optical analysis, microhardness tests, X-ray diffraction and Raman backscattering.

Atmospheric pressure loading effects on Global Positioning System coordinate determinations

Science.gov (United States)

Vandam, Tonie M.; Blewitt, Geoffrey; Heflin, Michael B.

1994-01-01

Earth deformation signals caused by atmospheric pressure loading are detected in vertical position estimates at Global Positioning System (GPS) stations. Surface displacements due to changes in atmospheric pressure account for up to 24% of the total variance in the GPS height estimates. The detected loading signals are larger at higher latitudes where pressure variations are greatest; the largest effect is observed at Fairbanks, Alaska (latitude 65 deg), with a signal root mean square (RMS) of 5 mm. Out of 19 continuously operating GPS sites (with a mean of 281 daily solutions per site), 18 show a positive correlation between the GPS vertical estimates and the modeled loading displacements. Accounting for loading reduces the variance of the vertical station positions on 12 of the 19 sites investigated. Removing the modeled pressure loading from GPS determinations of baseline length for baselines longer than 6000 km reduces the variance on 73 of the 117 baselines investigated. The slight increase in variance for some of the sites and baselines is consistent with expected statistical fluctuations. The results from most stations are consistent with approximately 65% of the modeled pressure load being found in the GPS vertical position measurements. Removing an annual signal from both the measured heights and the modeled load time series leaves this value unchanged. The source of the remaining discrepancy between the modeled and observed loading signal may be the result of (1) anisotropic effects in the Earth's loading response, (2) errors in GPS estimates of tropospheric delay, (3) errors in the surface pressure data, or (4) annual signals in the time series of loading and station heights. In addition, we find that using site dependent coefficients, determined by fitting local pressure to the modeled radial displacements, reduces the variance of the measured station heights as well as or better than using the global convolution sum.

Temperature diagnostics of a non-thermal plasma jet at atmospheric pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Schäfer, Jan

2013-09-01

The study reflects the concept of the temperature as a physical quantity resulting from the second thermodynamic law. The reliability of different approaches of the temperature diagnostics of open non-equilibrium systems is discussed using examples of low temperature atmospheric pressure discharges. The focus of this work is a miniaturized non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet for local surface treatment at ambient atmosphere. The micro-discharge is driven with a capacitively coupled radio frequency electric field at 27.12 MHz and fed with argon at rates of about 1 slm through the capillary with an inner diameter of 4 mm. The discharge consists of several contracted filaments with diameter around 300 μm which are rotating azimuthally in the capillary in a self-organized manner. While the measured temperatures of the filament core exceed 700 K, the heat impact on a target below the plasma jet remains limited leading to target temperatures below 400 K. Different kinds of temperatures and energy transport processes are proposed and experimentally investigated. Nevertheless, a reliable and detailed temperature diagnostics is a challenge. We report on a novel diagnostics approach for the spatially and temporally resolved measurement of the gas temperature based on the optical properties of the plasma. Laser Schlieren Deflectometry is adapted to explore temperature profiles of filaments and their behaviour. In parallel, the method demonstrates a fundamental Fermat's principle of minimal energy. Information acquired with this method plays an important role for the optimization of local thin film deposition and surface functionalization by means of the atmospheric pressure plasma jet. The work was supported in part by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft within SFB-TR 24.

Influence of atmospheric pressure low-temperature plasma treatment on the shear bond strength between zirconia and resin cement.

Science.gov (United States)

Ito, Yuki; Okawa, Takahisa; Fukumoto, Takahiro; Tsurumi, Akiko; Tatsuta, Mitsuhiro; Fujii, Takamasa; Tanaka, Junko; Tanaka, Masahiro

2016-10-01

Zirconia exhibits excellent strength and high biocompatibility in technological applications and it is has therefore been investigated for clinical applications and research. Before setting prostheses, a crown prosthesis inner surface is sandblasted with alumina to remove contaminants and form small cavities. This alumina sandblasting causes stress-induced phase transition of zirconia. Atmospheric-pressure low-temperature plasma has been applied in the dental industry, particularly for adhesives, as a surface treatment to activate the surface energy and remove contaminants. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of atmospheric-pressure low-temperature plasma treatment on the shear bond strength between zirconia and adhesive resin cement. The surface treatment method was classified into three groups: untreated (Cont group), alumina sandblast treatment (Sb group), and atmospheric-pressure low-temperature plasma treatment (Ps group). Adhesive resin cement was applied to stainless steel and bonded to zirconia. Shear adhesion tests were performed after complete hardening of the cement. Multiple comparisons were performed using a one-way analysis of variance and the Bonferroni method. X-ray diffractometry was used to examine the change in zirconia crystal structure. Statistically significant differences were noted between the control and Sb groups and between the control and Ps groups. In contrast, no statistically significant differences were noted for the Ps and Sb bond strength. Atmospheric-pressure low-temperature plasma treatment did not affect the zirconia crystal structure. Atmospheric-pressure low-temperature plasma treatment improves the bonding strength of adhesive resin cement as effectively as alumina sandblasting, and does not alter the zirconia crystal structure. Copyright © 2016 Japan Prosthodontic Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Graphene Membranes for Atmospheric Pressure Photoelectron Spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Weatherup, Robert S; Eren, Baran; Hao, Yibo; Bluhm, Hendrik; Salmeron, Miquel B

2016-05-05

Atmospheric pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is demonstrated using single-layer graphene membranes as photoelectron-transparent barriers that sustain pressure differences in excess of 6 orders of magnitude. The graphene serves as a support for catalyst nanoparticles under atmospheric pressure reaction conditions (up to 1.5 bar), where XPS allows the oxidation state of Cu nanoparticles and gas phase species to be simultaneously probed. We thereby observe that the Cu(2+) oxidation state is stable in O2 (1 bar) but is spontaneously reduced under vacuum. We further demonstrate the detection of various gas-phase species (Ar, CO, CO2, N2, O2) in the pressure range 10-1500 mbar including species with low photoionization cross sections (He, H2). Pressure-dependent changes in the apparent binding energies of gas-phase species are observed, attributable to changes in work function of the metal-coated grids supporting the graphene. We expect atmospheric pressure XPS based on this graphene membrane approach to be a valuable tool for studying nanoparticle catalysis.

Controlling hydrophilicity of polymer film by altering gas flow rate in atmospheric-pressure homogeneous plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Woo Seok; Hur, Min; Lee, Jae-Ok; Song, Young-Hoon

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Controlling hydrophilicity of polymer film by varying gas flow rate is proposed in atmospheric-pressure homogeneous plasma treatment. • Without employing additional reactive gas, requiring more plasma power and longer treatment time, hydrophilicity of polyimide films was improved after the low-gas-flow plasma treatment. • The gas flow rate affects the hydrophilic properties of polymer surface by changing the discharge atmosphere in the particular geometry of the reactor developed. • Low-gas-flow induced wettability control suggests effective and economical plasma treatment. - Abstract: This paper reports on controlling the hydrophilicity of polyimide films using atmospheric-pressure homogeneous plasmas by changing only the gas flow rate. The gas flow changed the discharge atmosphere by mixing the feed gas with ambient air because of the particular geometry of the reactor developed for the study, and a low gas flow rate was found to be favorable because it generated abundant nitrogen or oxygen species that served as sources of hydrophilic functional groups over the polymer surface. After low-gas-flow plasma treatment, the polymer surface exhibited hydrophilic characteristics with increased surface roughness and enhanced chemical properties owing to the surface addition of functional groups. Without adding any reactive gases or requiring high plasma power and longer treatment time, the developed reactor with low-gas-flow operation offered effective and economical wettability control of polyimide films

N-2(A(3)Sigma(+)(u)) time evolution in N-2 atmospheric pressure surface dielectric barrier discharge driven by ac voltage under modulated regime

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ambrico, P. F.; Šimek, Milan; Dilecce, G.; De Benedictis, S.

2009-01-01

Roč. 94, č. 23 (2009), s. 231503-231503 ISSN 0003-6951 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA202/08/1106 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20430508 Keywords : Atmospheric pressure surface-DBD * Nitrogen metastable * LIF * Optical emission spectroscopy Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 3.554, year: 2009

Influence of atmospheric pressure on infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture.

Science.gov (United States)

Robert, Nicolas; Frank, Michael; Avenin, Laure; Hemery, Francois; Becquemin, Jean Pierre

2014-04-01

Meteorologic conditions have a significant impact on the occurrence of cardiovascular events. Previous studies have shown that abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture (AAAR) may be associated with atmospheric pressure, with conflicting results. Therefore, we aimed to further investigate the nature of the correlation between atmospheric pressure variations and AAAR. Hospital admissions related to AAAR between 2005-2009 were assessed in 19 districts of metropolitan France and correlated with geographically and date-matched mean atmospheric pressures. In parallel and from 2005-2009, all fatal AAARs as reported by death certificates were assessed nationwide and correlated to local atmospheric pressures at the time of aortic rupture. Four hundred ninety-four hospital admissions related to AAAR and 6,358 deaths nationwide by AAAR were identified between 2005-2009. Both in-hospital ruptures and aneurysm-related mortality had seasonal variations, with peak/trough incidences in January and June, respectively. Atmospheric pressure peaks occurred during winter. Univariate analysis revealed a significant association (P atmospheric pressure values and AAAR. After multivariate analysis, mean maximum 1-month prerupture atmospheric pressure had a persistent correlation with both in-hospital relative risk (1.05 [95% confidence interval: 1.03-1.06]; P atmospheric pressure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of atmospheric pressure and temperature effects on cosmic ray measurements

Science.gov (United States)

de MendonçA, R. R. S.; Raulin, J.-P.; Echer, E.; Makhmutov, V. S.; Fernandez, G.

2013-04-01

In this paper, we analyze atmospheric pressure and temperature effects on the records of the cosmic ray detector CARPET. This detector has monitored secondary cosmic ray intensity since 2006 at Complejo Astronómico El Leoncito (San Juan, Argentina, 31°S, 69°W, 2550 m over sea level) where the geomagnetic rigidity cutoff, Rc, is ~9.8 GV. From the correlation between atmospheric pressure deviations and relative cosmic ray variations, we obtain a barometric coefficient of -0.44 ± 0.01 %/hPa. Once the data are corrected for atmospheric pressure, they are used to analyze temperature effects using four methods. Three methods are based on the surface temperature and the temperature at the altitude of maximum production of secondary cosmic rays. The fourth method, the integral method, takes into account the temperature height profile between 14 and 111 km above Complejo Astronómico El Leoncito. The results obtained from these four methods are compared on different time scales from seasonal time variations to scales related to the solar activity cycle. Our conclusion is that the integral method leads to better results to remove the temperature effect of the cosmic ray intensity observed at ground level.

Optical Emission Spectroscopy of an Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet During Tooth Bleaching Gel Treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Šantak, Vedran; Zaplotnik, Rok; Tarle, Zrinka; Milošević, Slobodan

2015-11-01

Optical emission spectroscopy was performed during atmospheric pressure plasma needle helium jet treatment of various tooth-bleaching gels. When the gel sample was inserted under the plasma plume, the intensity of all the spectral features increased approximately two times near the plasma needle tip and up to two orders of magnitude near the sample surface. The color change of the hydroxylapatite pastille treated with bleaching gels in conjunction with the atmospheric pressure plasma jet was found to be in correlation with the intensity of OH emission band (309 nm). Using argon as an additive to helium flow (2 L/min), a linear increase (up to four times) of OH intensity and, consequently, whitening (up to 10%) of the pastilles was achieved. An atmospheric pressure plasma jet activates bleaching gel, accelerates OH production, and accelerates tooth bleaching (up to six times faster).

Surface modification of epoxy resin using He/CF4 atmospheric pressure plasma jet for flashover withstanding characteristics improvement in vacuum

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Sile; Wang, Shuai; Wang, Yibo; Guo, Baohong; Li, Guoqiang; Chang, Zhengshi; Zhang, Guan-Jun

2017-08-01

For enhancing the surface electric withstanding strength of insulating materials, epoxy resin (EP) samples are treated by atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) with different time interval from 0 to 300s. Helium (He) and tetrafluoromethane (CF4) mixtures are used as working gases with the concentration of CF4 ranging 0%-5%, and when CF4 is ∼3%, the APPJ exhibits an optimal steady state. The flashover withstanding characteristics of modified EP in vacuum are greatly improved under appropriate APPJ treatment conditions. The surface properties of EP samples are evaluated by surface roughness, scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and water contact angle. It is considered that both physical and chemical effects lead to the enhancement of flashover strength. The physical effect is reflected in the increase of surface roughness, while the chemical effect is reflected in the graft of fluorine groups.

Large area atmospheric-pressure plasma jet

Science.gov (United States)

Selwyn, Gary S.; Henins, Ivars; Babayan, Steve E.; Hicks, Robert F.

2001-01-01

Large area atmospheric-pressure plasma jet. A plasma discharge that can be operated at atmospheric pressure and near room temperature using 13.56 MHz rf power is described. Unlike plasma torches, the discharge produces a gas-phase effluent no hotter than 250.degree. C. at an applied power of about 300 W, and shows distinct non-thermal characteristics. In the simplest design, two planar, parallel electrodes are employed to generate a plasma in the volume therebetween. A "jet" of long-lived metastable and reactive species that are capable of rapidly cleaning or etching metals and other materials is generated which extends up to 8 in. beyond the open end of the electrodes. Films and coatings may also be removed by these species. Arcing is prevented in the apparatus by using gas mixtures containing He, which limits ionization, by using high flow velocities, and by properly spacing the rf-powered electrode. Because of the atmospheric pressure operation, there is a negligible density of ions surviving for a sufficiently long distance beyond the active plasma discharge to bombard a workpiece, unlike the situation for low-pressure plasma sources and conventional plasma processing methods.

Using dimers to measure biosignatures and atmospheric pressure for terrestrial exoplanets.

Science.gov (United States)

Misra, Amit; Meadows, Victoria; Claire, Mark; Crisp, Dave

2014-02-01

We present a new method to probe atmospheric pressure on Earth-like planets using (O2-O2) dimers in the near-infrared. We also show that dimer features could be the most readily detectable biosignatures for Earth-like atmospheres and may even be detectable in transit transmission with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The absorption by dimers changes more rapidly with pressure and density than that of monomers and can therefore provide additional information about atmospheric pressures. By comparing the absorption strengths of rotational and vibrational features to the absorption strengths of dimer features, we show that in some cases it may be possible to estimate the pressure at the reflecting surface of a planet. This method is demonstrated by using the O2 A band and the 1.06 μm dimer feature, either in transmission or reflected spectra. It works best for planets around M dwarfs with atmospheric pressures between 0.1 and 10 bar and for O2 volume mixing ratios above 50% of Earth's present-day level. Furthermore, unlike observations of Rayleigh scattering, this method can be used at wavelengths longer than 0.6 μm and is therefore potentially applicable, although challenging, to near-term planet characterization missions such as JWST. We also performed detectability studies for JWST transit transmission spectroscopy and found that the 1.06 and 1.27 μm dimer features could be detectable (SNR>3) for an Earth analogue orbiting an M5V star at a distance of 5 pc. The detection of these features could provide a constraint on the atmospheric pressure of an exoplanet and serve as biosignatures for oxygenic photosynthesis. We calculated the required signal-to-noise ratios to detect and characterize O2 monomer and dimer features in direct imaging-reflected spectra and found that signal-to-noise ratios greater than 10 at a spectral resolving power of R=100 would be required.

Unusual neurological syndrome induced by atmospheric pressure change.

Science.gov (United States)

Ptak, Judy A; Yazinski, Nancy A; Block, Clay A; Buckey, Jay C

2013-05-01

We describe a case of a 46-yr-old female who developed hypertension, tachycardia, dysarthria, and leg weakness provoked by pressure changes associated with flying. Typically during the landing phase of flight, she would feel dizzy and note that she had difficulty with speech and leg weakness. After the flight the leg weakness persisted for several days. The symptoms were mitigated when she took a combined alpha-beta blocker (labetalol) prior to the flight. To determine if these symptoms were related to atmospheric pressure change, she was referred for testing in a hyperbaric chamber. She was exposed to elevated atmospheric pressure (maximum 1.2 ATA) while her heart rate and blood pressure were monitored. Within 1 min she developed tachycardia and hypertension. She also quickly developed slurred speech, left arm and leg weakness, and sensory changes in her left leg. She was returned to sea level pressure and her symptoms gradually improved. A full neurological workup has revealed no explanation for these findings. She has no air collections, cysts, or other anatomic findings that could be sensitive to atmospheric pressure change. The pattern is most consistent with a vascular event stimulated by altitude exposure. This case suggests that atmospheric pressure change can produce neurological symptoms, although the mechanism is unknown.

Atmospheric Airborne Pressure Measurements Using the Oxygen A Band for the ASCENDS Mission

Science.gov (United States)

Riris, Haris; Rodriguez, Mike; Stephen, Mark; Hasselbrack, William; Allan, Graham; Mao, Jiamping,; Kawa, Stephan R.; Weaver, Clark J.

2011-01-01

We report on airborne atmospheric pressure measurements using new fiber-based laser technology and the oxygen A-band at 765 nm. Remote measurements of atmospheric temperature and pressure are required for a number of NASA Earth science missions and specifically for the Active Sensing of CO2 Emissions Over Nights, Days, and Seasons (ASCENDS) mission. Accurate measurements of tropospheric CO2 on a global scale are very important in order to better understand its sources and sinks and to improve predictions on any future climate change. The ultimate goal of a CO2 remote sensing mission, such as ASCENDS, is to derive the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere in terms of mole fraction in unit of parts-per-million (ppmv) with regard to dry air. Therefore, both CO2 and the dry air number of molecules in the atmosphere are needed in deriving this quantity. O2 is a stable molecule and uniformly mixed in the atmosphere. Measuring the O2 absorption in the atmosphere can thus be used to infer the dry air number of molecules and then used to calculate CO2 concentration. With the knowledge of atmospheric water vapor, we can then estimate the total surface pressure needed for CO2 retrievals. Our work, funded by the ESTO IIP program, uses fiber optic technology and non-linear optics to generate 765 nm laser radiation coincident with the Oxygen A-band. Our pulsed, time gated technique uses several on- and off-line wavelengths tuned to the O2 absorption line. The choice of wavelengths allows us to measure the pressure by using two adjacent O2 absorptions in the Oxygen A-band. Our retrieval algorithm fits the O2 lineshapes and derives the pressure. Our measurements compare favorably with a local weather monitor mounted outside our laboratory and a local weather station.

Hydrophilic film polymerized on the inner surface of PMMA tube by an atmospheric pressure plasma jet

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Mengmeng; Huang, Jun; Yu, Jinsong; Chen, Guangliang; Qu, Shanqing

2017-07-01

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) tube is widely used in biomedical and mechanical engineering fields. However, it is hampered for some special applications as the inner surface of PMMA tube exhibts a hydrophobic characteristic. The aim of this work is to explore the hydrophilic modification of the inner surface of the PMMA tubes using an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) system that incorporates the acylic acid monomer (AA). Polar groups were grafted onto the inner surface of PMMA tube via the reactive radicals (•OH, •H, •O) generated in the Ar/O2/AA plasma, which were observed by the optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The deposition of the PAA thin layer on the PMMA surface was verified through the ATR-FTIR spectra, which clearly showed the strengthened stretching vibration of the carbonyl group (C=O) at 1700 cm-1. The XPS data show that the carbon ratios of C-OH/R and COOH/R groups increased from 9.50% and 0.07% to 13.49% and 17.07% respectively when a discharge power of 50 W was used in the APPJ system. As a result, the static water contat angle (WCA) of the modified inner surface of PMMA tube decreased from 100° to 48°. Furthermore, the biocompatibility of the APP modified PMMA tubes was illustrated by the study of the adhesion of the cultured MC3T3-E1 osteocyte cells, which exhibted a significantly enhanced adhesion density.

Surface ozone concentrations in Europe: Links with the regional-scale atmospheric circulation

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, T. D.; Kelly, P. M.; Low, P. S.; Pierce, C. E.

1992-06-01

Daily surface ozone observations from 1978 (1976 for some analyses) to 1988 for Bottesford (United Kingdom), Cabauw, Kloosterburen (The Netherlands), Hohenpeissenberg, Neuglobsow, Hamburg, and Arkona (Germany) are used to analyze links between surface ozone variations and the atmospheric circulation. A daily Europe-wide synoptic classification highlights marked differences between surface ozone/meteorology relationships in summer and winter. These relationships are characterized by correlations between daily surface ozone concentrations at each station and a local subregional surface pressure gradient (a wind speed index). Although there are geographical variations, which are explicable in terms of regional climatology, there are distinct annual cycles. In summer, the surface ozone/wind speed relationship exhibits the expected negative sign; however, in winter, the relationship is, in the main, strongly positive, especially at those stations which are more influenced by the vigorous westerlies. Spring and autumn exhibit negative, positive, or transitional (between summer and winter) behavior, depending on geographical position. It is suggested that these relationships reflect the importance of vertical exchange from the free troposphere to the surface in the nonsummer months. Composite surface pressure patterns and surface pressure anomaly (from the long-term mean) patterns associated with high surface ozone concentrations on daily and seasonal time scales are consistent with the surface ozone/wind speed relationships. Moreover, they demonstrate that high surface ozone concentrations, in a climatological time frame, can be associated with mean surface pressure patterns which have a synoptic reality and are robust. Such an approach may be useful in interpreting past variations in surface ozone and may help to isolate the effect of human activity. It is also possible that assessments can be made of the effect of projected future changes in the atmospheric circulation

Seasonal emanation of radon at Ghuttu, northwest Himalaya: Differentiation of atmospheric temperature and pressure influences

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamra, Leena

2015-01-01

Continuous monitoring of radon along with meteorological parameters has been carried out in a seismically active area of Garhwal region, northwest Himalaya, within the frame work of earthquake precursory research. Radon measurements are carried out by using a gamma ray detector installed in the air column at a depth of 10 m in a 68 m deep borehole. The analysis of long time series for 2006–2012 shows strong seasonal variability masked by diurnal and multi-day variations. Isolation of a seasonal cycle by minimising short-time by 31 day running average shows a strong seasonal variation with unambiguous dependence on atmospheric temperature and pressure. The seasonal characteristics of radon concentrations are positively correlated to atmospheric temperature (R=0.95) and negatively correlated to atmospheric pressure (R=−0.82). The temperature and pressure variation in their annual progressions are negatively correlated. The calculations of partial correlation coefficient permit us to conclude that atmospheric temperature plays a dominant role in controlling the variability of radon in borehole, 71% of the variability in radon arises from the variation in atmospheric temperature and about 6% of the variability is contributed by atmospheric pressure. The influence of pressure variations in an annual cycle appears to be a pseudo-effect, resulting from the negative correlation between temperature and pressure variations. Incorporation of these results explains the varying and even contradictory claims regarding the influence of the pressure variability on radon changes in the published literature. Temperature dependence, facilitated by the temperature gradient in the borehole, controls the transportation of radon from the deep interior to the surface. - Highlights: • Seasonal variability of radon in borehole. • Influence of atmospheric temperature and pressure on radon variability. • Partial correlation coefficient.

Surface modification of polyester fabrics by atmospheric-pressure air/He plasma for color strength and adhesion enhancement

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Chunming, E-mail: zcm1229@126.com [College of Textiles and Clothing, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071 (China); Sunvim Grp Co Ltd, Gaomi 261500 (China); Zhao, Meihua; Wang, Libing; Qu, Lijun [College of Textiles and Clothing, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071 (China); Men, Yajing [Sunvim Grp Co Ltd, Gaomi 261500 (China)

2017-04-01

Highlights: • Air/He plasma gave hydrophilicity on polyester surface and decreased contact angle to 18°. • The roughness of polyester increased and pit-like structures appeared on the surface after plasma treatment. • XPS confirmed the generation of new functional groups on polyester fabric. • The improved pigment color yield and anti-bleeding performance were contributed by the alteration of pigment adhesion. • The air/He plasma was more effective than air plasma at the same treatment time. - Abstract: Surface properties of water-based pigmented inks for ink-jet printed polyester fabrics were modified with atmospheric-pressure air/He plasma to improve the color strength and pigment adhesion of the treated surfaces. The influence of various parameters, including the surface morphology, chemical compositions, surface energy and dynamic contact angles of the control and plasma treated samples was studied. Color strength and edge definition were used to evaluate the ink-jet printing performance of fabrics. The change in pigment adhesion to polyester fibers was analyzed by SEM (scanning electron microscopy). AFM (Atomic force microscope) and XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) analyses indicated the increase in surface roughness and the oxygen-containing polar groups(C=O, C−OH and COOH) reinforced the fixation of pigments on the fiber surface. The result from this study suggested that the improved pigment color yield was clearly affected by alteration of pigment adhesion enhanced by plasma surface modification. Polyester fabrics exhibited better surface property and ink-jet printing performance after the air/He mixture plasma treatment comparing with those after air plasma treatment.

Surface modification of polyester fabrics by atmospheric-pressure air/He plasma for color strength and adhesion enhancement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Chunming; Zhao, Meihua; Wang, Libing; Qu, Lijun; Men, Yajing

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Air/He plasma gave hydrophilicity on polyester surface and decreased contact angle to 18°. • The roughness of polyester increased and pit-like structures appeared on the surface after plasma treatment. • XPS confirmed the generation of new functional groups on polyester fabric. • The improved pigment color yield and anti-bleeding performance were contributed by the alteration of pigment adhesion. • The air/He plasma was more effective than air plasma at the same treatment time. - Abstract: Surface properties of water-based pigmented inks for ink-jet printed polyester fabrics were modified with atmospheric-pressure air/He plasma to improve the color strength and pigment adhesion of the treated surfaces. The influence of various parameters, including the surface morphology, chemical compositions, surface energy and dynamic contact angles of the control and plasma treated samples was studied. Color strength and edge definition were used to evaluate the ink-jet printing performance of fabrics. The change in pigment adhesion to polyester fibers was analyzed by SEM (scanning electron microscopy). AFM (Atomic force microscope) and XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) analyses indicated the increase in surface roughness and the oxygen-containing polar groups(C=O, C−OH and COOH) reinforced the fixation of pigments on the fiber surface. The result from this study suggested that the improved pigment color yield was clearly affected by alteration of pigment adhesion enhanced by plasma surface modification. Polyester fabrics exhibited better surface property and ink-jet printing performance after the air/He mixture plasma treatment comparing with those after air plasma treatment.

Atmospheric pressure photoionization using tunable VUV synchrotron radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giuliani, A.; Giorgetta, J.-L.; Ricaud, J.-P.; Jamme, F.; Rouam, V.; Wien, F.; Laprévote, O.; Réfrégiers, M.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Coupling of an atmospheric pressure photoionization source with a vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) beamline. ► The set up allows photoionization up to 20 eV. ► Compared to classical atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI), our set up offers spectral purity and tunability. ► Allows photoionization mass spectrometry on fragile and hard to vaporize molecules. - Abstract: We report here the first coupling of an atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) source with a synchrotron radiation beamline in the vacuum ultra-violet (VUV). A commercial APPI source of a QStar Pulsar i from AB Sciex was modified to receive photons from the DISCO beamline at the SOLEIL synchrotron radiation facility. Photons are delivered at atmospheric pressure in the 4–20 eV range. The advantages of this new set up, termed SR-APPI, over classical APPI are spectral purity and continuous tunability. The technique may also be used to perform tunable photoionization mass spectrometry on fragile compounds difficult to vaporize by classical methods.

Reduced Lung Cancer Mortality With Lower Atmospheric Pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Merrill, Ray M; Frutos, Aaron

2018-01-01

Research has shown that higher altitude is associated with lower risk of lung cancer and improved survival among patients. The current study assessed the influence of county-level atmospheric pressure (a measure reflecting both altitude and temperature) on age-adjusted lung cancer mortality rates in the contiguous United States, with 2 forms of spatial regression. Ordinary least squares regression and geographically weighted regression models were used to evaluate the impact of climate and other selected variables on lung cancer mortality, based on 2974 counties. Atmospheric pressure was significantly positively associated with lung cancer mortality, after controlling for sunlight, precipitation, PM2.5 (µg/m 3 ), current smoker, and other selected variables. Positive county-level β coefficient estimates ( P atmospheric pressure were observed throughout the United States, higher in the eastern half of the country. The spatial regression models showed that atmospheric pressure is positively associated with age-adjusted lung cancer mortality rates, after controlling for other selected variables.

Quantitative measurements of ground state atomic oxygen in atmospheric pressure surface micro-discharge array

Science.gov (United States)

Li, D.; Kong, M. G.; Britun, N.; Snyders, R.; Leys, C.; Nikiforov, A.

2017-06-01

The generation of atomic oxygen in an array of surface micro-discharge, working in atmospheric pressure He/O2 or Ar/O2 mixtures, is investigated. The absolute atomic oxygen density and its temporal and spatial dynamics are studied by means of two-photon absorption laser-induced fluorescence. A high density of atomic oxygen is detected in the He/O2 mixture with up to 10% O2 content in the feed gas, whereas the atomic oxygen concentration in the Ar/O2 mixture stays below the detection limit of 1013 cm-3. The measured O density near the electrode under the optimal conditions in He/1.75% O2 gas is 4.26  ×  1015 cm-3. The existence of the ground state O (2p 4 3 P) species has been proven in the discharge at a distance up to 12 mm away from the electrodes. Dissociative reactions of the singlet O2 with O3 and deep vacuum ultraviolet radiation, including the radiation of excimer \\text{He}2\\ast , are proposed to be responsible for O (2p 4 3 P) production in the far afterglow. A capability of the surface micro-discharge array delivering atomic oxygen to long distances over a large area is considered very interesting for various biomedical applications.

Atmospheric pressure plasma jet treatment of Salmonella Enteritidis inoculated eggshells.

Science.gov (United States)

Moritz, Maike; Wiacek, Claudia; Koethe, Martin; Braun, Peggy G

2017-03-20

Contamination of eggshells with Salmonella Enteritidis remains a food safety concern. In many cases human salmonellosis within the EU can be traced back to raw or undercooked eggs and egg products. Atmospheric pressure plasma is a novel decontamination method that can reduce a wide range of pathogens. The aim of this work was to evaluate the possibility of using an effective short time cold plasma treatment to inactivate Salmonella Enteritidis on the eggshell. Therefore, artificially contaminated eggshells were treated with an atmospheric pressure plasma jet under different experimental settings with various exposure times (15-300s), distances from the plasma jet nozzle to the eggshell surface (5, 8 or 12mm), feed gas compositions (Ar, Ar with 0.2, 0.5 or 1.0% O 2 ), gas flow rates (5 and 7slm) and different inoculations of Salmonella Enteritidis (10 1 -10 6 CFU/cm 2 ). Atmospheric pressure plasma could reduce Salmonella Enteritidis on eggshells significantly. Reduction factors ranged between 0.22 and 2.27 log CFU (colony-forming units). Exposure time and, particularly at 10 4 CFU/cm 2 inoculation, feed gas had a major impact on Salmonella reduction. Precisely, longer exposure times led to higher reductions and Ar as feed gas was more effective than ArO 2 mixtures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Diagnostics of atmospheric pressure air plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laux, C.O.; Kruger, C.H.; Zare, R.N.

2001-01-01

Atmospheric pressure air plasmas are often thought to be in Local Thermodynamics Equilibrium (LTE) owing to fast interspecies collisional exchanges at high pressure. As will be seen here, this assumption cannot be relied upon, particularly with respect to optical diagnostics. Large velocity gradients in flowing plasmas and/or elevated electron temperatures created by electrical discharges can result in large departures from chemical and thermal equilibrium. Diagnostic techniques based on optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CRDS) have been developed and applied at Stanford University to the investigation of atmospheric pressure plasmas under conditions ranging from thermal and chemical equilibrium to thermochemical nonequilibrium. This article presents a review of selected temperature and species concentration measurement techniques useful for the study of air and nitrogen plasmas

Surface Modification of Polypropylene Microporous Membrane by Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Immobilization of N,N-dimethylamino Ethyl Methacrylate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhong Shaofeng

2010-01-01

Surface modification of polypropylene microporous membrane (PPMM) was performed by atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge plasma immobilization of N,N-dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA). Structural and morphological changes on the membrane surface were characterized by attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR/ATR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). Water contact angles of the membrane surfaces were also measured by the sessile drop method. Results reveal that both the plasma-treating conditions and the adsorbed DMAEMA amount have remarkable effects on the immobilization degree of DMAEMA. Peroxide determination by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrvlhydrazyl (DPPH) method verifies the exsistence of radicals induced by plasma, which activize the immobilization reaction. Pure water contact angle on the membrane surface decreased with the increase of DMAEMA immobilization degree, which indicates an enhanced hydrophilicity for the modified membranes. The effects of immobilization degrees on pure water fluxes were also measured. It is shown that pure water fluxes first increased with immobilization degree and then decreased. Finally, permeation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and lysozyme solution were measured to evaluate the antifouling property of the DMAEMA-modified membranes, from which it is shown that both hydrophilicity and electrostatic repulsion are beneficial for membrane antifouling.

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Treatment for Grey Cotton Knitted Fabric

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chi-wai Kan

2018-01-01

Full Text Available 100% grey cotton knitted fabric contains impurities and yellowness and needs to be prepared for processing to make it suitable for coloration and finishing. Therefore, conventionally 100% grey cotton knitted fabric undergoes a process of scouring and bleaching, which involves the use of large amounts of water and chemicals, in order to remove impurities and yellowness. Due to increased environmental awareness, pursuing a reduction of water and chemicals is a current trend in textile processing. In this study, we explore the possibility of using atmospheric pressure plasma as a dry process to treat 100% grey cotton knitted fabric (single jersey and interlock before processing. Experimental results reveal that atmospheric pressure plasma treatment can effectively remove impurities from 100% grey cotton knitted fabrics and significantly improve its water absorption property. On the other hand, if 100% grey cotton knitted fabrics are pretreated with plasma and then undergo a normal scouring process, the treatment time is reduced. In addition, the surface morphological and chemical changes in plasma-treated fabrics were studied and compared with the conventionally treated fabrics using scanning electron microscope (SEM, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS. The decrease in carbon content, as shown in XPS, reveal the removal of surface impurities. The oxygen-to-carbon (O/C ratios of the plasma treated knitted fabrics reveal enhanced hydrophilicity.

The effect of meteorological data on atmospheric pressure loading corrections in VLBI data analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Balidakis, Kyriakos; Glaser, Susanne; Karbon, Maria; Soja, Benedikt; Nilsson, Tobias; Lu, Cuixian; Anderson, James; Liu, Li; Andres Mora-Diaz, Julian; Raposo-Pulido, Virginia; Xu, Minghui; Heinkelmann, Robert; Schuh, Harald

2015-04-01

Earth's crustal deformation is a manifestation of numerous geophysical processes, which entail the atmosphere and ocean general circulation and tidal attraction, climate change, and the hydrological circle. The present study deals with the elastic deformations induced by atmospheric pressure variations. At geodetic sites, APL (Atmospheric Pressure Loading) results in displacements covering a wide range of temporal scales which is undesirable when rigorous geodetic/geophysical analysis is intended. Hence, it is of paramount importance that the APL signal are removed at the observation level in the space geodetic data analysis. In this study, elastic non-tidal components of loading displacements were calculated in the local topocentric frame for all VLBI (Very Long Baseline Interferometry) stations with respect to the center-of-figure of the solid Earth surface and the center-of-mass of the total Earth system. The response of the Earth to the load variation at the surface was computed by convolving Farrell Green's function with the homogenized in situ surface pressure observations (in the time span 1979-2014) after the subtraction of the reference pressure and the S1, S2 and S3 thermal tidal signals. The reference pressure was calculated through a hypsometric adjustment of the absolute pressure level determined from World Meteorological Organization stations in the vicinity of each VLBI observatory. The tidal contribution was calculated following the 2010 International Earth Rotation and Reference Systems Service conventions. Afterwards, this approach was implemented into the VLBI software VieVS@GFZ and the entirety of available VLBI sessions was analyzed. We rationalize our new approach on the basis that the potential error budget is substantially reduced, since several common errors are not applicable in our approach, e.g. those due to the finite resolution of NWM (Numerical Weather Models), the accuracy of the orography model necessary for adjusting the former as

Diffuse plasma treatment of polyamide 66 fabric in atmospheric pressure air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Lee; Peng, Ming-yang; Teng, Yun; Gao, Guozhen

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A cylindrical-electrode nanosecond-pulse diffuse-discharge reactor is presented. • Large-scale non-thermal plasmas were generated steadily in atmospheric air. • Treated PA66 fabric is etched with oxygen-containing group increases. • The hydrophily of treated PA66 fabric improves effectively. • Extending the treatment time is a method to reduce the treatment frequency. - Abstract: The polyamide 66 (PA66) fabrics are hard to be colored or glued in industrial production due to the poor hydrophily. Diffuse plasma is a kind of non-thermal plasma generated at atmospheric pressure in air. This paper proposes that large-scale diffuse plasma generated between wire electrodes can be employed for improving the hydrophily of PA66 fabrics. A repetitive nanosecond-pulse diffuse-discharge reactor using a cylindrical wire electrode configuration is presented, which can generate large-scale non-thermal plasmas steadily at atmospheric pressure without any barrier dielectric. Then the reactor is used to treat PA66 fabrics in different discharge conditions. The hydrophilicity property of modified PA66 is measured by wicking test method. The modified PA66 is also analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to prove the surface changes in physical microstructure and chemical functional groups, respectively. What's more, the effects of treatment time and treatment frequency on surface modification are investigated and discussed.

Modification of surface layers of copper under the action of the volumetric discharge initiated by an avalanche electron beam in nitrogen and CO2 at atmospheric pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Shulepov, M. A.; Akhmadeev, Yu. Kh.; Tarasenko, V. F.; Kolubaeva, Yu. A.; Krysina, O. V.; Kostyrya, I. D.

2011-05-01

The results of experimental investigations of the action of the volumetric discharge initiated by an avalanche electron beam on the surface of copper specimens are presented. The volumetric (diffuse) discharge in nitrogen and CO2 at atmospheric pressure was initiated by applying high voltage pulses of nanosecond duration to a tubular foil cathode. It has been found that the treatment of a copper surface by this type of discharge increases the hardness of the surface layer due to oxidation.

Time and space variability of spectral estimates of atmospheric pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Canavero, Flavio G.; Einaudi, Franco

1987-01-01

The temporal and spatial behaviors of atmospheric pressure spectra over the northern Italy and the Alpine massif were analyzed using data on surface pressure measurements carried out at two microbarograph stations in the Po Valley, one 50 km south of the Alps, the other in the foothills of the Dolomites. The first 15 days of the study overlapped with the Alpex Intensive Observation Period. The pressure records were found to be intrinsically nonstationary and were found to display substantial time variability, implying that the statistical moments depend on time. The shape and the energy content of spectra depended on different time segments. In addition, important differences existed between spectra obtained at the two stations, indicating a substantial effect of topography, particularly for periods less than 40 min.

Optical diagnostics of atmospheric pressure air plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laux, C O; Spence, T G; Kruger, C H; Zare, R N

2003-01-01

Atmospheric pressure air plasmas are often thought to be in local thermodynamic equilibrium owing to fast interspecies collisional exchange at high pressure. This assumption cannot be relied upon, particularly with respect to optical diagnostics. Velocity gradients in flowing plasmas and/or elevated electron temperatures created by electrical discharges can result in large departures from chemical and thermal equilibrium. This paper reviews diagnostic techniques based on optical emission spectroscopy and cavity ring-down spectroscopy that we have found useful for making temperature and concentration measurements in atmospheric pressure plasmas under conditions ranging from thermal and chemical equilibrium to thermochemical nonequilibrium

Super-atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry and its application to ultrafast online protein digestion analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Lee Chuin; Ninomiya, Satoshi; Hiraoka, Kenzo

2016-06-01

Ion source pressure plays a significant role in the process of ionization and the subsequent ion transmission inside a mass spectrometer. Pressurizing the ion source to a gas pressure greater than atmospheric pressure is a relatively new approach that aims to further improve the performance of atmospheric pressure ionization sources. For example, under a super-atmospheric pressure environment, a stable electrospray can be sustained for liquid with high surface tension such as pure water, because of the suppression of electric discharge. Even for nano-electrospray ionization (nano-ESI), which is known to work with aqueous solution, its stability and sensitivity can also be enhanced, particularly in the negative mode when the ion source is pressurized. A brief review on the development of super-atmospheric pressure ion sources, including high-pressure electrospray, field desorption and superheated ESI, and the strategies to interface these ion sources to a mass spectrometer will be given. Using a recent ESI prototype with an operating temperature at 220 °C under 27 atm, we also demonstrate that it is possible to achieve an online Asp-specific protein digestion analysis in which the whole processes of digestion, ionization and MS acquisition could be completed on the order of a few seconds. This method is fast, and the reaction can even be monitored on a near-real-time basis. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Propagation of atmospheric-pressure ionization waves along the tapered tube

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Yang; Wang, Wenchun; Liu, Dongping; Yan, Wen; Bi, Zhenhua; Ji, Longfei; Niu, Jinhai; Zhao, Yao

2018-02-01

Gas discharge in a small radius dielectric tube may result in atmospheric pressure plasma jets with high energy and density of electrons. In this study, the atmospheric pressure ionization waves (IWs) were generated inside a tapered tube. The propagation behaviors of IWs inside the tube were studied by using a spatially and temporally resolved optical detection system. Our measurements show that both the intensity and velocity of the IWs decrease dramatically when they propagate to the tapered region. After the taper, the velocity, intensity, and electron density of the IWs are improved with the tube inner diameter decreasing from 4.0 to 0.5 mm. Our analysis indicates that the local gas conductivity and surface charges may play a role in the propagation of the IWs under such a geometrical constraint, and the difference in the dynamics of the IWs after the taper can be related to the restriction in the size of IWs.

Seasonal emanation of radon at Ghuttu, northwest Himalaya: Differentiation of atmospheric temperature and pressure influences.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamra, Leena

2015-11-01

Continuous monitoring of radon along with meteorological parameters has been carried out in a seismically active area of Garhwal region, northwest Himalaya, within the frame work of earthquake precursory research. Radon measurements are carried out by using a gamma ray detector installed in the air column at a depth of 10m in a 68m deep borehole. The analysis of long time series for 2006-2012 shows strong seasonal variability masked by diurnal and multi-day variations. Isolation of a seasonal cycle by minimising short-time by 31 day running average shows a strong seasonal variation with unambiguous dependence on atmospheric temperature and pressure. The seasonal characteristics of radon concentrations are positively correlated to atmospheric temperature (R=0.95) and negatively correlated to atmospheric pressure (R=-0.82). The temperature and pressure variation in their annual progressions are negatively correlated. The calculations of partial correlation coefficient permit us to conclude that atmospheric temperature plays a dominant role in controlling the variability of radon in borehole, 71% of the variability in radon arises from the variation in atmospheric temperature and about 6% of the variability is contributed by atmospheric pressure. The influence of pressure variations in an annual cycle appears to be a pseudo-effect, resulting from the negative correlation between temperature and pressure variations. Incorporation of these results explains the varying and even contradictory claims regarding the influence of the pressure variability on radon changes in the published literature. Temperature dependence, facilitated by the temperature gradient in the borehole, controls the transportation of radon from the deep interior to the surface. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Causes of plasma column contraction in surface-wave-driven discharges in argon at atmospheric pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Ridenti, Marco Antonio; de Amorim, Jayr; Dal Pino, Arnaldo; Guerra, Vasco; Petrov, George

2018-01-01

In this work we compute the main features of a surface-wave-driven plasma in argon at atmospheric pressure in view of a better understanding of the contraction phenomenon. We include the detailed chemical kinetics dynamics of Ar and solve the mass conservation equations of the relevant neutral excited and charged species. The gas temperature radial profile is calculated by means of the thermal diffusion equation. The electric field radial profile is calculated directly from the numerical solution of the Maxwell equations assuming the surface wave to be propagating in the TM00 mode. The problem is considered to be radially symmetrical, the axial variations are neglected, and the equations are solved in a self-consistent fashion. We probe the model results considering three scenarios: (i) the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) is calculated by means of the Boltzmann equation; (ii) the EEDF is considered to be Maxwellian; (iii) the dissociative recombination is excluded from the chemical kinetics dynamics, but the nonequilibrium EEDF is preserved. From this analysis, the dissociative recombination is shown to be the leading mechanism in the constriction of surface-wave plasmas. The results are compared with mass spectrometry measurements of the radial density profile of the ions Ar+ and Ar2+. An explanation is proposed for the trends seen by Thomson scattering diagnostics that shows a substantial increase of electron temperature towards the plasma borders where the electron density is small.

Foundations of atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Bruggeman, Peter J.; Iza, Felipe; Brandenburg, Ronny

2017-12-01

Non-equilibrium plasmas have been intensively studied over the past century in the context of material processing, environmental remediation, ozone generation, excimer lamps and plasma display panels. Research on atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium plasmas intensified over the last two decades leading to a large variety of plasma sources that have been developed for an extended application range including chemical conversion, medicine, chemical analysis and disinfection. The fundamental understanding of these discharges is emerging but there remain a lot of unexplained phenomena in these intrinsically complex plasmas. The properties of non-equilibrium plasmas at atmospheric pressure span over a huge range of electron densities as well as heavy particle and electron temperatures. This paper provides an overview of the key underlying processes that are important for the generation and stabilization of atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium plasmas. The unique physical and chemical properties of theses discharges are also summarized.

Seed disinfection effect of atmospheric pressure plasma and low pressure plasma on Rhizoctonia solani.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishioka, Terumi; Takai, Yuichiro; Kawaradani, Mitsuo; Okada, Kiyotsugu; Tanimoto, Hideo; Misawa, Tatsuya; Kusakari, Shinichi

2014-01-01

Gas plasma generated and applied under two different systems, atmospheric pressure plasma and low pressure plasma, was used to investigate the inactivation efficacy on the seedborne pathogenic fungus, Rhizoctonia solani, which had been artificially introduced to brassicaceous seeds. Treatment with atmospheric plasma for 10 min markedly reduced the R. solani survival rate from 100% to 3% but delayed seed germination. The low pressure plasma treatment reduced the fungal survival rate from 83% to 1.7% after 10 min and the inactivation effect was dependent on the treatment time. The seed germination rate after treatment with the low pressure plasma was not significantly different from that of untreated seeds. The air temperature around the seeds in the low pressure system was lower than that of the atmospheric system. These results suggested that gas plasma treatment under low pressure could be effective in disinfecting the seeds without damaging them.

THE HABITABLE ZONE OF EARTH-LIKE PLANETS WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vladilo, Giovanni; Murante, Giuseppe; Silva, Laura [INAF-Trieste Astronomical Observatory, Trieste (Italy); Provenzale, Antonello [Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate-CNR, Torino (Italy); Ferri, Gaia; Ragazzini, Gregorio, E-mail: vladilo@oats.inaf.it [Department of Physics, University of Trieste, Trieste (Italy)

2013-04-10

As a contribution to the study of the habitability of extrasolar planets, we implemented a one-dimensional energy balance model (EBM), the simplest seasonal model of planetary climate, with new prescriptions for most physical quantities. Here we apply our EBM to investigate the surface habitability of planets with an Earth-like atmospheric composition but different levels of surface pressure. The habitability, defined as the mean fraction of the planet's surface on which liquid water could exist, is estimated from the pressure-dependent liquid water temperature range, taking into account seasonal and latitudinal variations of surface temperature. By running several thousands of EBM simulations we generated a map of the habitable zone (HZ) in the plane of the orbital semi-major axis, a, and surface pressure, p, for planets in circular orbits around a Sun-like star. As pressure increases, the HZ becomes broader, with an increase of 0.25 AU in its radial extent from p = 1/3 to 3 bar. At low pressure, the habitability is low and varies with a; at high pressure, the habitability is high and relatively constant inside the HZ. We interpret these results in terms of the pressure dependence of the greenhouse effect, the efficiency of horizontal heat transport, and the extent of the liquid water temperature range. Within the limits discussed in the paper, the results can be extended to planets in eccentric orbits around non-solar-type stars. The main characteristics of the pressure-dependent HZ are modestly affected by variations of planetary properties, particularly at high pressure.

THE HABITABLE ZONE OF EARTH-LIKE PLANETS WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vladilo, Giovanni; Murante, Giuseppe; Silva, Laura; Provenzale, Antonello; Ferri, Gaia; Ragazzini, Gregorio

2013-01-01

As a contribution to the study of the habitability of extrasolar planets, we implemented a one-dimensional energy balance model (EBM), the simplest seasonal model of planetary climate, with new prescriptions for most physical quantities. Here we apply our EBM to investigate the surface habitability of planets with an Earth-like atmospheric composition but different levels of surface pressure. The habitability, defined as the mean fraction of the planet's surface on which liquid water could exist, is estimated from the pressure-dependent liquid water temperature range, taking into account seasonal and latitudinal variations of surface temperature. By running several thousands of EBM simulations we generated a map of the habitable zone (HZ) in the plane of the orbital semi-major axis, a, and surface pressure, p, for planets in circular orbits around a Sun-like star. As pressure increases, the HZ becomes broader, with an increase of 0.25 AU in its radial extent from p = 1/3 to 3 bar. At low pressure, the habitability is low and varies with a; at high pressure, the habitability is high and relatively constant inside the HZ. We interpret these results in terms of the pressure dependence of the greenhouse effect, the efficiency of horizontal heat transport, and the extent of the liquid water temperature range. Within the limits discussed in the paper, the results can be extended to planets in eccentric orbits around non-solar-type stars. The main characteristics of the pressure-dependent HZ are modestly affected by variations of planetary properties, particularly at high pressure.

The Relationship of the MOLA Topography of Mars to the Mean Atmospheric Pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, David E.; Zuber, Maria T.

1999-01-01

The MOLA topography of Mars is based on a new mean radius of the planet and new equipotential surface for the areoid. The mean atmospheric pressure surface of 6.1mbars that has been used in the past as a reference level for topography does not apply to the zero level of MOLA elevations. The MOLA mean radius of the planet is 3389508 meters and the mean equatorial radius is 339600 meters. The areoid of the zero level of the MOLA altimetry is defined to be the potential surface with the same potential as the mean equatorial radius. The MOLA topography differs from the USGS digital elevation data by approximately 1.6 km, with MOLA higher. The average pressure on the MOLA reference surface for Ls =0 is approximately 5.1 mbars and has been derived from occultation data obtained from the tracking of Viking, Mariner, and MGS spacecraft and interpolated with the aid of the Ames Mars GCM. The new topography and the new occultation data are providing a more reliable relationship between elevation and surface pressure.

Adhesion improvement of fibres by continuous plasma treatment at atmospheric pressure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kusano, Y.; Andersen, Tom L.; Soerensen, B.F.; Toftegaard, H.L.; Teodoru, S. [Technical Univ. of Denmark. DTU Wind Energy, Risoe Campus, Roskilde (Denmark); Hansen, Charles M. [Hoersholm (Denmark)

2013-09-01

Carbon fibres and ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibres were continuously treated by a dielectric barrier discharge plasma at atmospheric pressure for adhesion improvement with epoxy resins. The plasma treatment improved wettability, increased the oxygen containing polar functional groups at the surface, and subsequently improved adhesion to the epoxy and fracture resistance of epoxy composites. Hansen solubility parameters (HSP), quantitatively describing physical interactions among molecules, were measured for the UHMWPE fibre surfaces. The result identifies two distinct types of surfaces in both the plasma treated and the untreated fibres. One type is typical of polyethylene polymers while the other is characteristic of the oxygenated surface at much higher values of HSP. (Author)

On OH production in water containing atmospheric pressure plasmas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bruggeman, P.J.; Schram, D.C.

2010-01-01

In this paper radical production in atmospheric pressure water containing plasmas is discussed. As OH is often an important radical in these discharges the paper focuses on OH production. Besides nanosecond pulsed coronas and diffusive glow discharges, several other atmospheric pressure plasmas

Atmospheric pressure DBD gun and its application in ink printability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Qiang; Zhang Yuefei; Han Erli; Ge Yuanjing

2005-01-01

In this paper, a plasma source discharging at atmospheric pressure and its characterization diagnosed by a Langmuir probe and a digital camera are presented. As an application the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) gun modifying an ultraviolet cured resin surface for ink printability is reported. The results from the digital camera indicate the uniformity and homogeneity of the plasma generated from the gun in the downstream but depending on the input power, diameter of electrodes, gas flow rates and the distance between the substrates and the nozzle. The contact angle measurement proves the efficiency of gun during the surface modification. The ink printability following DBD gun processing described here was significantly improved. The performed surface analysis using Fourier transform infrared indicates that the polarity of surface grafted in plasma is responsible for the film printability

The New Horizons Radio Science Experiment: Expected Performance in Measurements of Pluto's Atmospheric Structure, Surface Pressure, and Surface Temperature

Science.gov (United States)

Hinson, D. P.; Linscott, I.; Woods, W. W.; Tyler, G. L.; Bird, M. K.; Paetzold, M.; Strobel, D. F.

2014-12-01

The New Horizons (NH) payload includes a Radio Science Experiment (REX) for investigating key characteristics of Pluto and Charon during the upcoming flyby in July 2015. REX flight equipment augments the NH radio transceiver used for spacecraft communications and tracking. The REX hardware implementation requires 1.6 W and 160 g. This presentation will focus on the final design and the predicted performance of two high-priority observations. First, REX will receive signals from a pair of 70-m antennas on Earth - each transmitting 20 kW at 4.2-cm wavelength - during a diametric radio occultation by Pluto. The data recorded by REX will reveal the surface pressure, the temperature structure of the lower atmosphere, and the surface radius. Second, REX will measure the thermal emission from Pluto at 4.2-cm wavelength during two linear scans across the disk at close range when both the dayside and the nightside are visible, allowing the surface temperature and its spatial variations to be determined. Both scans extend from limb to limb with a resolution of about 10 pixels; one bisects Pluto whereas the second crosses the winter pole. We will illustrate the capabilities of REX by reviewing the method of analysis and the precision achieved in a lunar occultation observed by New Horizons in May 2011. Re-analysis of radio occultation measurements by Voyager 2 at Triton is also under way. More generally, REX objectives include a radio occultation search for Pluto's ionosphere; examination of Charon through both radio occultation and radiometry; a search for a radar echo from Pluto's surface; and improved knowledge of the Pluto system mass and the Pluto-Charon mass ratio from a combination of two-way and one-way Doppler frequency measurements.

Inverting Coseismic TEC Disturbances for Neutral Atmosphere Pressure Wave

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, R. F.; Mikesell, D.; Rolland, L.

2017-12-01

Research from the past 20 years has shown that we can detect coseismic disturbances in the total electron content (TEC) using global navigation space systems (GNSS). In the near field, TEC disturbances are created by the direct wave from rupture on the surface. This pressure wave travels through the neutral atmosphere to the ionosphere within about 10 minutes. This provides the opportunity to almost immediately characterize the source of the acoustic disturbance on the surface using methods from seismology. In populated areas, this could provide valuable information to first responders. To retrieve the surface motion amplitude information we must account for changes in the waveform caused by the geomagnetic field, motion of the satellites and the geometry of the satellites and receivers. One method is to use a transfer function to invert for the neutral atmosphere pressure wave. Gómez et al (2015) first employed an analytical model to invert for acoustic waves produced by Rayleigh waves propagating along the Earth's surface. Here, we examine the same model in the near field using the TEC disturbances from the direct wave produced by rupture at the surface. We compare results from the forward model against a numerical model that has been shown to be in good agreement with observations from the 2011 Van (Turkey) earthquake. We show the forward model predictions using both methods for the Van earthquake. We then analyze results for hypothetical events at different latitudes and discuss the reliability of the analytical model in each scenario. Gómez, D., R. Jr. Smalley, C. A. Langston, T. J. Wilson, M. Bevis, I. W. D. Dalziel, E. C. Kendrick, S. A. Konfal, M. J. Willis, D. A. Piñón, et al. (2015), Virtual array beamforming of GPS TEC observations of coseismic ionospheric disturbances near the Geomagnetic South Pole triggered by teleseismic megathrusts, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 120, 9087-9101, doi:10.1002/2015JA021725.

Atmospheric pressure plasma vapour coatings

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sanden, van de M.C.M.; Starostine, S.; Premkumar, P.A.; Creatore, M.; Vries, de H.W.; Kondruweit, S.; Szyszka, B.; Pütz, J.

2010-01-01

The dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is recognized as a promising tool of thin films deposition on various substrates at atmospheric pressure. Emerging applications including encapsulation of flexible solar cells and flexible displays require large scale low costs production cif transparent

Improving Hydrophobicity of Glass Surface Using Dielectric Barrier Discharge Treatment in Atmospheric Air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang Zhi; Qiu Yuchang; Wang Hui; Kuffel, E

2007-01-01

Non-thermal plasmas under atmospheric pressure are of great interest in industrial applications, especially in material surface treatment. In this paper, the treatment of a glass surface for improving hydrophobicity using the non-thermal plasma generated by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) at atmospheric pressure in ambient air is conducted, and the surface properties of the glass before and after the DBD treatment are studied by using contact angle measurement, surface resistance measurement and wet flashover voltage tests. The effects of the applied voltage and time duration of DBD on the surface modification are studied, and the optimal conditions for the treatment are obtained. It is found that a layer of hydrophobic coating is formed on the glass surface after spraying a thin layer of silicone oil and undergoing the DBD treatment, and the improvement of hydrophobicity depends on DBD voltage and treating time. It seems that there exists an optimum treating time for a certain applied voltage of DBD during the surface treatment. The test results of thermal aging and chemical aging show that the hydrophobic layer has quite stable characteristics. The interaction mechanism between the DBD plasma and the glass surface is discussed. It is concluded that CH 3 and large molecule radicals can react with the radicals in the glass surface to replace OH, and the hydrophobicity of the glass surface is improved accordingly

Temperature-independent fiber-Bragg-grating-based atmospheric pressure sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zhiguo; Shen, Chunyan; Li, Luming

2018-03-01

Atmospheric pressure is an important way to achieve a high degree of measurement for modern aircrafts, moreover, it is also an indispensable parameter in the meteorological telemetry system. With the development of society, people are increasingly concerned about the weather. Accurate and convenient atmospheric pressure parameters can provide strong support for meteorological analysis. However, electronic atmospheric pressure sensors currently in application suffer from several shortcomings. After an analysis and discussion, we propose an innovative structural design, in which a vacuum membrane box and a temperature-independent strain sensor based on an equal strength cantilever beam structure and fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors are used. We provide experimental verification of that the atmospheric pressure sensor device has the characteristics of a simple structure, lack of an external power supply, automatic temperature compensation, and high sensitivity. The sensor system has good sensitivity, which can be up to 100 nm/MPa, and repeatability. In addition, the device exhibits desired hysteresis.

Oxygen Plasma Treatment of Rubber Surface by the Atmospheric Pressure Cold Plasma Torch

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lee, Bong-ju; Kusano, Yukihiro; Kato, Nobuko

1997-01-01

adhesive. The adhesion property was improved by treatment of the rubber compound with plasma containing oxygen radicals. Physical and chemical changes of the rubber surface as a result of the plasma treatment were analyzed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and fourier transform......A new application of the atmospheric cold plasma torch has been investigated. Namely, the surface treatment of an air-exposed vulcanized rubber compound. The effect of plasma treatment was evaluated by the bondability of the treated rubber compound with another rubber compound using a polyurethane...

Evaluation of the impact of atmospheric pressure in different seasons on blood pressure in patients with arterial hypertension.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamiński, Marek; Cieślik-Guerra, Urszula I; Kotas, Rafał; Mazur, Piotr; Marańda, Witold; Piotrowicz, Maciej; Sakowicz, Bartosz; Napieralski, Andrzej; Trzos, Ewa; Uznańska-Loch, Barbara; Rechciński, Tomasz; Kurpesa, Małgorzata

2016-01-01

Atmospheric pressure is the most objective weather factor because regardless of if outdoors or indoors it affects all objects in the same way. The majority of previous studies have used the average daily values of atmospheric pressure in a bioclimatic analysis and have found no correlation with blood pressure changes. The main objective of our research was to assess the relationship between atmospheric pressure recorded with a frequency of 1 measurement per minute and the results of 24-h blood pressure monitoring in patients with treated hypertension in different seasons in the moderate climate of the City of Łódź (Poland). The study group consisted of 1662 patients, divided into 2 equal groups (due to a lower and higher average value of atmospheric pressure). Comparisons between blood pressure values in the 2 groups were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. We observed a significant difference in blood pressure recorded during the lower and higher range of atmospheric pressure: on the days of the spring months systolic (p = 0.043) and diastolic (p = 0.005) blood pressure, and at nights of the winter months systolic blood pressure (p = 0.013). A significant inverse relationship between atmospheric pressure and blood pressure during the spring days and, only for systolic blood pressure, during winter nights was observed. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2016;29(5):783-792. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

Where do winds come from? A new theory on how water vapor condensation influences atmospheric pressure and dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Makarieva, A. M.; Gorshkov, V. G.; Sheil, D.; Nobre, A. D.; Li, B.-L.

2013-01-01

Phase transitions of atmospheric water play a ubiquitous role in the Earth's climate system, but their direct impact on atmospheric dynamics has escaped wide attention. Here we examine and advance a theory as to how condensation influences atmospheric pressure through the mass removal of water from the gas phase with a simultaneous account of the latent heat release. Building from fundamental physical principles we show that condensation is associated with a decline in air pressure in the lower atmosphere. This decline occurs up to a certain height, which ranges from 3 to 4 km for surface temperatures from 10 to 30 °C. We then estimate the horizontal pressure differences associated with water vapor condensation and find that these are comparable in magnitude with the pressure differences driving observed circulation patterns. The water vapor delivered to the atmosphere via evaporation represents a store of potential energy available to accelerate air and thus drive winds. Our estimates suggest that the global mean power at which this potential energy is released by condensation is around one per cent of the global solar power - this is similar to the known stationary dissipative power of general atmospheric circulation. We conclude that condensation and evaporation merit attention as major, if previously overlooked, factors in driving atmospheric dynamics.

Fluoropolymer coated alanine films treated by atmospheric pressure plasmas − In comparison with gamma irradiation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kusano, Yukihiro; Bardenshtein, Alexander; Morgen, Per

2018-01-01

Fluoropolymer coated alanine films are treated by a dielectric barrier discharge and a gliding arc at atmospheric pressure as well as with gamma irradiation. The film surfaces and the underlying bulk materials are characterized before and after each treatment. The fluorine content decreases...

Atmospheric-pressure guided streamers for liposomal membrane disruption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Svarnas, P.; Aleiferis, Sp.; Matrali, S. H.; Gazeli, K.; Clément, F.; Antimisiaris, S. G.

2012-01-01

The potential to use liposomes (LIPs) as a cellular model in order to study interactions of cold atmospheric-pressure plasma with cells is herein investigated. Cold atmospheric-pressure plasma is formed by a dielectric-barrier discharge reactor. Large multilamellar vesicle liposomes, consisted of phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol, are prepared by the thin film hydration technique, to encapsulate a small hydrophilic dye, i.e., calcein. The plasma-induced release of calcein from liposomes is then used as a measure of liposome membrane integrity and, consequently, interaction between the cold atmospheric plasma and lipid bilayers. Physical mechanisms leading to membrane disruption are suggested, based on the plasma characterization including gas temperature calculation.

Surface roughening of ground fused silica processed by atmospheric inductively coupled plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xin, Qiang; Li, Na; Wang, Jun; Wang, Bo; Li, Guo; Ding, Fei; Jin, Huiliang

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The morphology evolution of ground fused silica, processed by atmospheric plasma, was investigated experimentally. • The roughness development results from opening and coalescing of the plasma-etched cracks. • The shapes of grain-like etched pits are the results of the adjacent cracks coalescing with one another. • The descent of the pits density is due to some smaller etched pits that are swallowed up by larger pits. • Leading role in surface smoothing is laterally etching away the side walls of the intersecting pits. - Abstract: Subsurface damage (SSD) is a defect that is inevitably induced during mechanical processes, such as grinding and polishing. This defect dramatically reduces the mechanical strength and the laser damage thresholds of optical elements. Compared with traditional mechanical machining, atmospheric pressure plasma processing (APPP) is a relatively novel technology that induces almost no SSD during the processing of silica-based optical materials. In this paper, a form of APPP, inductively coupled plasma (ICP), is used to process fused silica substrates with fluorocarbon precursor under atmospheric pressure. The surface morphology evolution of ICP-processed substrates was observed and characterized by confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM), field emission scanning electron microscope (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results show that the roughness evolves with the etching depth, and the roughness evolution is a single-peaked curve. This curve results from the opening and the coalescing of surface cracks and fractures. The coalescence procedure of these microstructures was simulated with two common etched pits on a polished fused silica surface. Understanding the roughness evolution of plasma-processed surface might be helpful in optimizing the optical fabrication chain that contains APPP

Surface roughening of ground fused silica processed by atmospheric inductively coupled plasma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xin, Qiang; Li, Na; Wang, Jun; Wang, Bo, E-mail: bradywang@hit.edu.cn; Li, Guo; Ding, Fei; Jin, Huiliang

2015-06-30

Highlights: • The morphology evolution of ground fused silica, processed by atmospheric plasma, was investigated experimentally. • The roughness development results from opening and coalescing of the plasma-etched cracks. • The shapes of grain-like etched pits are the results of the adjacent cracks coalescing with one another. • The descent of the pits density is due to some smaller etched pits that are swallowed up by larger pits. • Leading role in surface smoothing is laterally etching away the side walls of the intersecting pits. - Abstract: Subsurface damage (SSD) is a defect that is inevitably induced during mechanical processes, such as grinding and polishing. This defect dramatically reduces the mechanical strength and the laser damage thresholds of optical elements. Compared with traditional mechanical machining, atmospheric pressure plasma processing (APPP) is a relatively novel technology that induces almost no SSD during the processing of silica-based optical materials. In this paper, a form of APPP, inductively coupled plasma (ICP), is used to process fused silica substrates with fluorocarbon precursor under atmospheric pressure. The surface morphology evolution of ICP-processed substrates was observed and characterized by confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM), field emission scanning electron microscope (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results show that the roughness evolves with the etching depth, and the roughness evolution is a single-peaked curve. This curve results from the opening and the coalescing of surface cracks and fractures. The coalescence procedure of these microstructures was simulated with two common etched pits on a polished fused silica surface. Understanding the roughness evolution of plasma-processed surface might be helpful in optimizing the optical fabrication chain that contains APPP.

Bacterial attachment on titanium surfaces is dependent on topography and chemical changes induced by nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeong, Won-Seok; Kwon, Jae-Sung; Lee, Jung-Hwan; Uhm, Soo-Hyuk; Ha Choi, Eun; Kim, Kwang-Mahn

2017-07-26

Here, we investigated the antibacterial effects of chemical changes induced by nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NTAPP) on smooth and rough Ti. The morphologies of smooth and rough surfaces of Ti were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both Ti specimens were then treated for 10 min by NTAPP with nitrogen gas. The surface roughness, chemistry, and wettability were examined by optical profilometry, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and water contact angle analysis, respectively. Bacterial attachment was measured by determining the number of colony forming units and by SEM analysis. The rough Ti showed irregular micropits, whereas smooth Ti had a relatively regular pattern on the surface. There were no differences in morphology between samples before and after NTAPP treatment. NTAPP treatment resulted in changes from hydrophobic to hydrophilic properties on rough and smooth Ti; rough Ti showed relatively higher hydrophilicity. Before NTAPP treatment, Streptococcus sanguinis (S. sanguinis) showed greater attachment on rough Ti, and after NTAPP treatment, there was a significant reduction in bacterial attachment. Moreover, the bacterial attachment rate was significantly lower on rough Ti, and the structure of S. sanguinis colonies were significantly changed on NTAPP-treated Ti. NTAPP treatment inhibited bacterial attachment surrounding titanium implants, regardless of surface topography. Therefore, NTAPP treatment on Ti is a next-generation tool for antibacterial applications in the orthopaedic and dental fields.

Hydrophobic treatment on polymethylmethacrylate surface by nanosecond-pulse DBDs in CF4 at atmospheric pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Cheng; Zhou, Yang; Shao, Tao; Xie, Qing; Xu, Jiayu; Yang, Wenjin

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Increase in hydrophobicity on PMMA is achieved after the DBD treatment in CF 4 , and the water contact angle can increase from 68° to 100° after treatment. • Nanosecond-pulse DBD is used for the surface treatment and the power density is about 114.8 mW/cm 2 . • The effects of applied voltage, CF 4 flow, and time on plasma treatment are investigated. • Plasma treatment causes morphological change, significantly increases the roughness of the surface, and introduces fluorine-containing groups into the polymethylmethacrylate surface. • Hydrophobic behavior of the treated PMMA surface is slightly affected by the aging effect. - Abstract: Nanosecond-pulse dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) can provide non-thermal plasmas with extremely high energy and high density, which can result in a series of complicated physical and chemical reactions in the surface treatment of polymers. Therefore, in this paper, hydrophobic treatment of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) surface is conducted by nanosecond-pulse DBD in carbon tetrafluoride (CF 4 ) at atmospheric pressure. Investigations on surface morphology and chemical composition before and after the DBD treatment in CF 4 are conducted with the contact angle measurement, atomic force microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectrometer. The effects of the applied voltage, CF 4 flow rate, and treatment time on the hydrophobic modification are studied. Results show that the contact angles of the treated PMMA surface increases with the applied voltage, and it could be greatly affected by the CF 4 flow rate and the treatment time. The water contact angle can increase from 68° to 100° after the treatment. Furthermore, both surface morphology and chemical composition of the PMMA samples are changed. Both the increase of the surface roughness and the occurrence of fluorine-containing functional groups on the PMMA surface treated by DBD in CF 4 lead to the hydrophobicity

Reconstructing sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity and partial pressure of carbon dioxide in atmosphere in the Okinawa Trough during the Holocene and their paleoclimatic implications

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

MENGXianwei; LIUYanguang; LlUZhenxia; DUDewen; HUANGQiyu; Y.Saito

2003-01-01

The sediment core DGKS9603 collected from the Okinawa Trough was used as research target. By use of unsaturated index U37k of long-chain alkenone, δ13C of POC and of planktonic foraminifera (G sacculifer), the evolutions of sea surface temperature and partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere during the Holocene were reconstructed in the Okinawa Trough. And in combination of δ18O of planktonic foraminifera, the relative difference of sea surface salinity during the Holocene was also reconstructed.Consequently, three cooling events (E1-E3) were identified,each of which occurred at 1.7-1.6, 5.1-4.8 and 8.1-7.4kaBP (cal), respectively. Of the three events, E2 and E3 are globally comparable, their occurrence mechanism would be that the main stream of the Kuroshio Current shifted eastward due to the enhanced circulation of the northeastern Pacific Ocean, which was driven in turn by amplified intensity of sunshine and subsequent enhancement of subtropical high pressure; E1 corresponds to the Small Ice-Age Event occurring between 1550 and 1850AD in China. In the Okinawa Trough, E1 might be also related to the eastward shift of main stream of the Kuroshio current driven by powerful Asia winter monsoon.

Increased adhesion of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to acrylic adhesive tape for medical use by surface treatment with an atmospheric pressure rotating plasma jet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jofre-Reche, José Antonio; Martín-Martínez, José Miguel; Pulpytel, Jérôme; Arefi-Khonsari, Farzaneh

2016-01-01

The surface properties of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were modified by treatment with an atmospheric pressure rotating plasma jet (APPJ) and the surface modifications were studied to assess its hydrophilicity and adhesion to acrylic adhesive tape intended for medical applications. Furthermore, the extent of hydrophobic recovery under different storage conditions was studied. The surface treatment of PDMS with the APPJ under optimal conditions noticeably increased the oxygen content and most of the surface silicon species were fully oxidized. A brittle silica-like layer on the outermost surface was created showing changes in topography due to the formation of grooves and cracks. A huge improvement in T-peel and the shear adhesive strength of the APPJ-treated PDMS surface/acrylic tape joints was obtained. On the other hand, the hydrophilicity of the PDMS surface increased noticeably after the APPJ treatment, but 24 h after treatment almost 80% hydrophobicity was recovered and the adhesive strength was markedly reduced with time after the APPJ treatment. However, the application of an acrylic adhesive layer on the just-APPJ-treated PDMS surface retained the adhesive strength, limiting the extent of hydrophobic recovery. (paper)

Sterilization and Decontamination of Surfaces Contaminated With Biological and Chemical Warfare Agents Using Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Discharges

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Garate, Eusebio

1999-01-01

... based on the application of an atmospheric pressure plasma. We used both a DC corona and dielectric barrier discharge for the sterilization tests which were conducted on a variety of substrates including metals and chemically resistant fabrics...

Deposition of SiOx on Metal Surface with a DBD Plasma Gun at Atmospheric Pressure for Corrosion Prevention

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han Erli; Chen Qiang; Zhang Yuefei; Chen Fei; Ge Yuanjing

2007-01-01

In this study, SiO x films were deposited by a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma gun at an atmospheric pressure. The relationship of the film structures with plasma powers was investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). It was shown that an uniform and cross-linking structure film was formed by the DBD gun. As an application, the SiO x films were deposited on a carbon steel surface for the anti-corrosion purpose. The experiment was carried out in a 0.1 M NaCl solution. It was found that a very good anti-corrosive property was obtained, i.e., the corrosion rate was decreased c.a. 15 times in 5% NaCl solution compared to the non-SiO x coated steel, as detected by the potentiodynamic polarization measurement

Effect of near atmospheric pressure nitrogen plasma treatment on Pt/ZnO interface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagata, Takahiro; Haemori, Masamitsu; Chikyow, Toyohiro; Yamashita, Yoshiyuki; Yoshikawa, Hideki; Kobayashi, Keisuke; Uehara, Tsuyoshi

2012-01-01

The effect of near atmospheric pressure nitrogen plasma (NAP) treatment of platinum (Pt)/zinc oxide (ZnO) interface was investigated. NAP can nitride the ZnO surface at even room temperature. Hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that NAP treatment reduced the surface electron accumulation at the ZnO surface and inhibited the Zn diffusion into the Pt electrode, which are critical issues affecting the Schottky barrier height and the ideality factor of the Pt/ZnO structure. After NAP treatment, the Pt Schottky contact indicated an improvement of electrical properties. NAP treatment is effective for the surface passivation and the Schottky contact formation of ZnO.

Evaluation of mechanism of cold atmospheric pressure plasma assisted polymerization of acrylic acid on low density polyethylene (LDPE) film surfaces: Influence of various gaseous plasma pretreatment

Science.gov (United States)

Ramkumar, M. C.; Pandiyaraj, K. Navaneetha; Arun Kumar, A.; Padmanabhan, P. V. A.; Uday Kumar, S.; Gopinath, P.; Bendavid, A.; Cools, P.; De Geyter, N.; Morent, R.; Deshmukh, R. R.

2018-05-01

Owing to its exceptional physiochemical properties, low density poly ethylene (LDPE) has wide range of tissue engineering applications. Conversely, its inadequate surface properties make LDPE an ineffectual candidate for cell compatible applications. Consequently, plasma-assisted polymerization with a selected precursor is a good choice for enhancing its biocompatibility. The present investigation studies the efficiency of plasma polymerization of acrylic acid (AAC) on various gaseous plasma pretreated LDPE films by cold atmospheric pressure plasma, to enhance its cytocompatibility. The change in chemical composition and surface topography of various gaseous plasma pretreated and acrylic deposited LDPE films has been assessed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The changes in hydrophilic nature of surface modified LDPE films were studied by contact angle (CA) analysis. Cytocompatibility of the AAC/LDPE films was also studied in vitro, using RIN-5F cells. The results acquired by the XPS and AFM analysis clearly proved that cold atmospheric pressure (CAP) plasma assisted polymerization of AAC enhances various surface properties including carboxylic acid functional group density and increased surface roughness on various gaseous plasma treated AAC/LDPE film surfaces. Moreover, contact angle analysis clearly showed that the plasma polymerized samples were hydrophilic in nature. In vitro cytocompatibility analysis undoubtedly validates that the AAC polymerized various plasma pretreated LDPE films surfaces stimulate cell distribution and proliferation compared to pristine LDPE films. Similarly, cytotoxicity analysis indicates that the AAC deposited various gaseous plasma pretreated LDPE film can be considered as non-toxic as well as stimulating cell viability significantly. The cytocompatible properties of AAC polymerized Ar + O2 plasma pretreated LDPE films were found to be more pronounced compared to the other plasma pretreated

Hydrophilic property of 316L stainless steel after treatment by atmospheric pressure corona streamer plasma using surface-sensitive analyses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al-Hamarneh, Ibrahim, E-mail: hamarnehibrahim@yahoo.com [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Al-Balqa Applied University, Salt 19117 (Jordan); Pedrow, Patrick [School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164 (United States); Eskhan, Asma; Abu-Lail, Nehal [Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164 (United States)

2012-10-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Surface hydrophilic property of surgical-grade 316L stainless steel was enhanced by Ar-O{sub 2} corona streamer plasma treatment. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Hydrophilicity, surface morphology, roughness, and chemical composition before and after plasma treatment were evaluated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Contact angle measurements and surface-sensitive analyses techniques, including XPS and AFM, were carried out. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Optimum plasma treatment conditions of the SS 316L surface were determined. - Abstract: Surgical-grade 316L stainless steel (SS 316L) had its surface hydrophilic property enhanced by processing in a corona streamer plasma reactor using O{sub 2} gas mixed with Ar at atmospheric pressure. Reactor excitation was 60 Hz ac high-voltage (0-10 kV{sub RMS}) applied to a multi-needle-to-grounded screen electrode configuration. The treated surface was characterized with a contact angle tester. Surface free energy (SFE) for the treated stainless steel increased measurably compared to the untreated surface. The Ar-O{sub 2} plasma was more effective in enhancing the SFE than Ar-only plasma. Optimum conditions for the plasma treatment system used in this study were obtained. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization of the chemical composition of the treated surfaces confirms the existence of new oxygen-containing functional groups contributing to the change in the hydrophilic nature of the surface. These new functional groups were generated by surface reactions caused by reactive oxidation of substrate species. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images were generated to investigate morphological and roughness changes on the plasma treated surfaces. The aging effect in air after treatment was also studied.

Atmospheric pressure plasma-assisted femtosecond laser engraving of aluminium

Science.gov (United States)

Gerhard, Christoph; Gimpel, Thomas; Tasche, Daniel; Koch née Hoffmeister, Jennifer; Brückner, Stephan; Flachenecker, Günter; Wieneke, Stephan; Schade, Wolfgang; Viöl, Wolfgang

2018-05-01

In this contribution, we report on the impact of direct dielectric barrier discharge argon plasma at atmospheric pressure on femtosecond laser engraving of aluminium. It is shown that the assisting plasma strongly affects the surface geometry and formation of spikes of both laser-engraved single lines and patterns of adjacent lines with an appropriate overlap. Further, it was observed that the overall ablation depth is significantly increased in case of large-scale patterning whereas no notable differences in ablation depth are found for single lines. Several possible mechanisms and underlying effects of this behaviour are suggested. The increase in ablation depth is supposed to be due to a plasma-induced removal of debris particles from the cutting point via charging and oxidation as supported by EDX analysis of the re-solidified debris. Furthermore, the impact of a higher degree of surface wrinkling as well as direct interactions of plasma species with the aluminium surface on the ablation process are discussed.

Separated Type Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Microjets Array for Maskless Microscale Etching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yichuan Dai

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Maskless etching approaches such as microdischarges and atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs have been studied recently. Nonetheless, a simple, long lifetime, and efficient maskless etching method is still a challenge. In this work, a separated type maskless etching system based on atmospheric pressure He/O2 plasma jet and microfabricated Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS nozzle have been developed with advantages of simple-structure, flexibility, and parallel processing capacity. The plasma was generated in the glass tube, forming the micron level plasma jet between the nozzle and the surface of polymer. The plasma microjet was capable of removing photoresist without masks since it contains oxygen reactive species verified by spectra measurement. The experimental results illustrated that different features of microholes etched by plasma microjet could be achieved by controlling the distance between the nozzle and the substrate, additive oxygen ratio, and etch time, the result of which is consistent with the analysis result of plasma spectra. In addition, a parallel etching process was also realized by plasma microjets array.

Blow-out limits of nonpremixed turbulent jet flames in a cross flow at atmospheric and sub-atmospheric pressures

KAUST Repository

Wang, Qiang

2015-07-22

The blow-out limits of nonpremixed turbulent jet flames in cross flows were studied, especially concerning the effect of ambient pressure, by conducting experiments at atmospheric and sub-atmospheric pressures. The combined effects of air flow and pressure were investigated by a series of experiments conducted in an especially built wind tunnel in Lhasa, a city on the Tibetan plateau where the altitude is 3650 m and the atmospheric pressure condition is naturally low (64 kPa). These results were compared with results obtained from a wind tunnel at standard atmospheric pressure (100 kPa) in Hefei city (altitude 50 m). The size of the fuel nozzles used in the experiments ranged from 3 to 8 mm in diameter and propane was used as the fuel. It was found that the blow-out limit of the air speed of the cross flow first increased (“cross flow dominant” regime) and then decreased (“fuel jet dominant” regime) as the fuel jet velocity increased in both pressures; however, the blow-out limit of the air speed of the cross flow was much lower at sub-atmospheric pressure than that at standard atmospheric pressure whereas the domain of the blow-out limit curve (in a plot of the air speed of the cross flow versus the fuel jet velocity) shrank as the pressure decreased. A theoretical model was developed to characterize the blow-out limit of nonpremixed jet flames in a cross flow based on a Damköhler number, defined as the ratio between the mixing time and the characteristic reaction time. A satisfactory correlation was obtained at relative strong cross flow conditions (“cross flow dominant” regime) that included the effects of the air speed of the cross flow, fuel jet velocity, nozzle diameter and pressure.

Treatment of poly(ethylene terephthalate) foils by atmospheric pressure air dielectric barrier discharge and its influence on cell growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuzminova, Anna [Department of Macromolecular Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, V Holešovickách 2, 180 00 Praha 8 (Czech Republic); Vandrovcová, Marta [Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague 4 (Czech Republic); Shelemin, Artem [Department of Macromolecular Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, V Holešovickách 2, 180 00 Praha 8 (Czech Republic); Kylián, Ondřej, E-mail: ondrej.kylian@gmail.com [Department of Macromolecular Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, V Holešovickách 2, 180 00 Praha 8 (Czech Republic); Choukourov, Andrei; Hanuš, Jan [Department of Macromolecular Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, V Holešovickách 2, 180 00 Praha 8 (Czech Republic); Bačáková, Lucie [Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague 4 (Czech Republic); Slavínská, Danka; Biederman, Hynek [Department of Macromolecular Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, V Holešovickách 2, 180 00 Praha 8 (Czech Republic)

2015-12-01

Highlights: • Effect of atmospheric pressure DBD plasma on PET foils was investigated. • DBD treatment causes increase in surface density of O-containing functional groups. • DBD plasma causes increase of wettability, roughness and complex modulus of PET. • DBD treatment positively influences cells growth on PET. • Enhancement of cell growth on treated PET depends on the cell type. - Abstract: In this contribution an effect of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) sustained in air at atmospheric pressure on surface properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) foils is studied. It is found that exposure of PET to DBD plasma leads to rapid changes of surface chemical composition, wettability, surface morphology as well as mechanical properties of PET surface. In addition, based on biological tests that were performed using two cell types (Saos-2 human osteoblast-like cells and HUVEC human umbilical vein endothelial cells), it may be concluded that DBD plasma treatment positively influences cell growth on PET. This effect was found to be connected predominantly with increased surface energy and oxygen content of the surface of treated PET foils.

Assessment of Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Treatment for Implant Osseointegration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalie R. Danna

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This study assessed the osseointegrative effects of atmospheric pressure plasma (APP surface treatment for implants in a canine model. Control surfaces were untreated textured titanium (Ti and calcium phosphate (CaP. Experimental surfaces were their 80-second air-based APP-treated counterparts. Physicochemical characterization was performed to assess topography, surface energy, and chemical composition. One implant from each control and experimental group (four in total was placed in one radius of each of the seven male beagles for three weeks, and one implant from each group was placed in the contralateral radius for six weeks. After sacrifice, bone-to-implant contact (BIC and bone area fraction occupancy (BAFO were assessed. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed decreased surface levels of carbon and increased Ti and oxygen, and calcium and oxygen, posttreatment for Ti and CaP surfaces, respectively. There was a significant (P<0.001 increase in BIC for APP-treated textured Ti surfaces at six weeks but not at three weeks or for CaP surfaces. There were no significant (P=0.57 differences for BAFO between treated and untreated surfaces for either material at either time point. This suggests that air-based APP surface treatment may improve osseointegration of textured Ti surfaces but not CaP surfaces. Studies optimizing APP parameters and applications are warranted.

Blow-out limits of nonpremixed turbulent jet flames in a cross flow at atmospheric and sub-atmospheric pressures

KAUST Repository

Wang, Qiang; Hu, Longhua; Yoon, Sung Hwan; Lu, Shouxiang; Delichatsios, Michael; Chung, Suk-Ho

2015-01-01

The blow-out limits of nonpremixed turbulent jet flames in cross flows were studied, especially concerning the effect of ambient pressure, by conducting experiments at atmospheric and sub-atmospheric pressures. The combined effects of air flow

An Alternative to Annealing TiO2 Nanotubes for Morphology Preservation: Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet Treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Sang-Hee; Uhm, Soo-Hyuk; Kwon, Jae-Sung; Choi, Eun Ha; Kim, Kwang-Mahn; Kim, Kyoung-Nam

2015-03-01

Titanium oxide nanotube layer formed by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) is known to be excellent in biomaterial applications. However, the annealing process which is commonly performed on the TiO2 nanotubes cause defects in the nanotubular structure. The purpose of this work was to apply a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet on diameter-controlled TiO2 nanotubes to mimic the effects of annealing while maintaining the tubular structure for use as biomaterial. Diameter-controlled nanotube samples fabricated by plasma electrolytic oxidation were dried and prepared under three different conditions: untreated, annealed at 450 °C for 1 h in air with a heating rate of 10 °C/min, and treated with an air-based non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet for 5 minutes. The contact angle measurement was investigated to confirm the enhanced hydrophilicity of the TiO2 nanotubes. The chemical composition of the surface was studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and the morphology of TiO2 nanotubes was examined by field emission scanning electron microscopy. For the viability of the cell, the attachment of the osteoblastic cell line MC3T3-E1 was determined using the water-soluble tetrazolium salt assay. We found that there are no morphological changes in the TiO2 nanotubular structure after the plasma treatment. Also, we investigated a change in the chemical composition and enhanced hydrophilicity which result in improved cell behavior. The results of this study indicated that the non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet results in osteoblast functionality that is comparable to annealed samples while maintaining the tubular structure of the TiO2 nanotubes. Therefore, this study concluded that the use of a non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet on nanotube surfaces may replace the annealing process following plasma electrolytic oxidation.

Origin of fluctuations in atmospheric pressure arc plasma devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghorui, S.; Das, A.K.

2004-01-01

Fluctuations in arc plasma devices are extremely important for any technological application in thermal plasma. The origin of such fluctuations remains unexplained. This paper presents a theory for observed fluctuations in atmospheric pressure arc plasma devices. A qualitative explanation for observed behavior on atmospheric pressure arc plasma fluctuations, reported in the literature, can be obtained from the theory. The potential of the theory is demonstrated through comparison of theoretical predictions with reported experimental observations

The impact of relative humidity and atmospheric pressure on mortality in Guangzhou, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Ou, Chun Quan; Yang, Jun; Ou, Qiao Qun; Liu, Hua Zhang; Lin, Guo Zhen; Chen, Ping Yan; Qian, Jun; Guo, Yu Ming

2014-12-01

Although many studies have examined the effects of ambient temperatures on mortality, little evidence is on health impacts of atmospheric pressure and relative humidity. This study aimed to assess the impacts of atmospheric pressure and relative humidity on mortality in Guangzhou, China. This study included 213,737 registered deaths during 2003-2011 in Guangzhou, China. A quasi-Poisson regression with a distributed lag non-linear model was used to assess the effects of atmospheric pressure/relative humidity. We found significant effect of low atmospheric pressure/relative humidity on mortality. There was a 1.79% (95% confidence interval: 0.38%-3.22%) increase in non-accidental mortality and a 2.27% (0.07%-4.51%) increase in cardiovascular mortality comparing the 5th and 25th percentile of atmospheric pressure. A 3.97% (0.67%-7.39%) increase in cardiovascular mortality was also observed comparing the 5th and 25th percentile of relative humidity. Women were more vulnerable to decrease in atmospheric pressure and relative humidity than men. Age and education attainment were also potential effect modifiers. Furthermore, low atmospheric pressure and relative humidity increased temperature-related mortality. Both low atmospheric pressure and relative humidity are important risk factors of mortality. Our findings would be helpful to develop health risk assessment and climate policy interventions that would better protect vulnerable subgroups of the population. Copyright © 2014 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.

On the permanent hip-stabilizing effect of atmospheric pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Prietzel, Torsten; Hammer, Niels; Schleifenbaum, Stefan; Kaßebaum, Eric; Farag, Mohamed; von Salis-Soglio, Georg

2014-08-22

Hip joint dislocations related to total hip arthroplasty (THA) are a common complication especially in the early postoperative course. The surgical approach, the alignment of the prosthetic components, the range of motion and the muscle tone are known factors influencing the risk of dislocation. A further factor that is discussed until today is atmospheric pressure which is not taken into account in the present THA concepts. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of atmospheric pressure on hip joint stability. Five joint models (Ø 28-44 mm), consisting of THA components were hermetically sealed with a rubber capsule, filled with a defined amount of fluid and exposed to varying ambient pressure. Displacement and pressure sensors were used to record the extent of dislocation related to intraarticular and ambient pressure. In 200 experiments spontaneous dislocations of the different sized joint models were reliably observed once the ambient pressure was lower than 6.0 kPa. Increasing the ambient pressure above 6.0 kPa immediately and persistently reduced the joint models until the ambient pressure was lowered again. Displacement always exceeded half the diameter of the joint model and was independent of gravity effects. This experimental study gives strong evidence that the hip joint is permanently stabilized by atmospheric pressure, confirming the theories of Weber and Weber (1836). On basis of these findings the use of larger prosthetic heads, capsular repair and the deployment of an intracapsular Redon drain are proposed to substantially decrease the risk of dislocation after THA. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of atmospheric pressure plasma on polyethylene for increased prosthesis adhesion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Vrekhem, S., E-mail: stijn.vanvrekhem@ugent.be [Research Unit Plasma Technology (RUPT), Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41 B4, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Cools, P. [Research Unit Plasma Technology (RUPT), Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41 B4, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Declercq, H. [Research Unit Plasma Technology (RUPT), Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41 B4, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Tissue Engineering Group, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185 6B3, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Van Tongel, A. [Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185 13K12, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); Vercruysse, C.; Cornelissen, M. [Tissue Engineering Group, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, De Pintelaan 185 6B3, 9000 Ghent (Belgium); De Geyter, N.; Morent, R. [Research Unit Plasma Technology (RUPT), Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41 B4, 9000 Ghent (Belgium)

2015-12-01

Biopolymers are often subjected to surface modification in order to improve their surface characteristics. The goal of this study is to show the use of plasma technology to enhance the adhesion of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) shoulder prostheses. Two different plasma techniques (low pressure plasma activation and atmospheric pressure plasma polymerization) are performed on UHMWPE to increase the adhesion between (1) the polymer and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement and (2) the polymer and osteoblast cells. Both techniques are performed using a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). A previous paper showed that low pressure plasma activation of UHMWPE results in the incorporation of oxygen-containing functional groups, which leads to an increased surface wettability. Atmospheric pressure plasma polymerization of methylmethacrylate (MMA) on UHMWPE results in a PMMA-like coating, which could be deposited with a high degree of control of chemical composition and layer thickness. The thin film also proved to be relatively stable upon incubation in a phosphate buffer solution (PBS). This paper discusses the next stage of the study, which includes testing the adhesion of the plasma-activated and plasma-polymerized samples to bone cement through pull-out tests and testing the cell adhesion and proliferation on the samples. In order to perform the pull-out tests, all samples were cut to standard dimensions and fixed in bone cement in a reproducible way with a sample holder specially designed for this purpose. The cell adhesion and proliferation were tested by means of an MTS assay and live/dead staining after culturing MC3T3 osteoblast cells on UHMWPE samples. The results show that both plasma activation and plasma polymerization significantly improve the adhesion to bone cement and enhance cell adhesion and proliferation. In conclusion, it can be stated that the use of plasma technology can lead to an implant with improved quality and a subsequent

Is atmospheric pressure change an Independent risk factor for hemoptysis?

Science.gov (United States)

Araz, Omer; Ucar, Elif Yilmazel; Akgun, Metin; Aydin, Yener; Meral, Mehmet; Saglam, Leyla; Kaynar, Hasan; Gorguner, Ali Metin

2014-05-01

Hemoptysis is one of the most important and challenging symptoms in pulmonary medicine. Because of the increased number of patients with hemoptysis in certain periods of the year, we aimed to investigate whether atmospheric changes have an effect on the development of hemoptysis with or without a secondary cause. The data of patients presenting with hemoptysis between January 2006 and December 2011 were analyzed. Data on the daily atmospheric pressure (hectopascal, hPa), relative humidity (%), and temperature ((o) C) during that time were obtained. A total of 232 patients with hemoptysis, 145 male (62.5%) and 87 female (37.5%) with an average age of 48.1(±17.6), were admitted to our hospital between 2006 and 2011. The highest admission rates were in the spring season, the highest in May (n=37, 15.9%), and the lowest admission rates were in December (n=10, 4.3%). A statistically significant negative correlation was found between the number of hemoptysis cases and mean atmospheric pressure but no relative humidity or outdoor temperature. Hemoptysis is very much influenced by weather factors; in particular, low atmospheric pressures significantly affect the development of hemoptysis. Fluctuations in atmospheric pressure may also play a role in hemoptysis.

Hydrophobic treatment on polymethylmethacrylate surface by nanosecond-pulse DBDs in CF{sub 4} at atmospheric pressure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Cheng [Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Key Laboratory of Power Electronics and Electric Drive, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Zhou, Yang [Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Shao, Tao, E-mail: st@mail.iee.ac.cn [Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Key Laboratory of Power Electronics and Electric Drive, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Xie, Qing [State Key Laboratory of Alternate Electrical Power System with Renewable Energy Sources, North China Electric Power University, Baoding 071003 (China); Xu, Jiayu [Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Yang, Wenjin [Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Key Laboratory of Power Electronics and Electric Drive, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)

2014-08-30

Highlights: • Increase in hydrophobicity on PMMA is achieved after the DBD treatment in CF{sub 4}, and the water contact angle can increase from 68° to 100° after treatment. • Nanosecond-pulse DBD is used for the surface treatment and the power density is about 114.8 mW/cm{sup 2}. • The effects of applied voltage, CF{sub 4} flow, and time on plasma treatment are investigated. • Plasma treatment causes morphological change, significantly increases the roughness of the surface, and introduces fluorine-containing groups into the polymethylmethacrylate surface. • Hydrophobic behavior of the treated PMMA surface is slightly affected by the aging effect. - Abstract: Nanosecond-pulse dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) can provide non-thermal plasmas with extremely high energy and high density, which can result in a series of complicated physical and chemical reactions in the surface treatment of polymers. Therefore, in this paper, hydrophobic treatment of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) surface is conducted by nanosecond-pulse DBD in carbon tetrafluoride (CF{sub 4}) at atmospheric pressure. Investigations on surface morphology and chemical composition before and after the DBD treatment in CF{sub 4} are conducted with the contact angle measurement, atomic force microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectrometer. The effects of the applied voltage, CF{sub 4} flow rate, and treatment time on the hydrophobic modification are studied. Results show that the contact angles of the treated PMMA surface increases with the applied voltage, and it could be greatly affected by the CF{sub 4} flow rate and the treatment time. The water contact angle can increase from 68° to 100° after the treatment. Furthermore, both surface morphology and chemical composition of the PMMA samples are changed. Both the increase of the surface roughness and the occurrence of fluorine-containing functional groups on the PMMA surface treated by DBD in CF

Gas chromatography coupled to atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry (GC-API-MS): review.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Du-Xin; Gan, Lin; Bronja, Amela; Schmitz, Oliver J

2015-09-03

Although the coupling of GC/MS with atmospheric pressure ionization (API) has been reported in 1970s, the interest in coupling GC with atmospheric pressure ion source was expanded in the last decade. The demand of a "soft" ion source for preserving highly diagnostic molecular ion is desirable, as compared to the "hard" ionization technique such as electron ionization (EI) in traditional GC/MS, which fragments the molecule in an extensive way. These API sources include atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI), atmospheric pressure laser ionization (APLI), electrospray ionization (ESI) and low temperature plasma (LTP). This review discusses the advantages and drawbacks of this analytical platform. After an introduction in atmospheric pressure ionization the review gives an overview about the history and explains the mechanisms of various atmospheric pressure ionization techniques used in combination with GC such as APCI, APPI, APLI, ESI and LTP. Also new developments made in ion source geometry, ion source miniaturization and multipurpose ion source constructions are discussed and a comparison between GC-FID, GC-EI-MS and GC-API-MS shows the advantages and drawbacks of these techniques. The review ends with an overview of applications realized with GC-API-MS. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Atmospheric pressure plasma assisted calcination by the preparation of TiO2 fibers in submicron scale

Science.gov (United States)

Medvecká, Veronika; Kováčik, Dušan; Zahoranová, Anna; Černák, Mirko

2018-01-01

Atmospheric pressure plasma assisted calcination by the preparation of TiO2 submicron fibers as a low-temperature alternative to the conventional thermal annealing was studied. A special type of dielectric barrier discharge was used for plasma treatment of hybrid titanium butoxide/polyvinylpyrrolidone (Ti(Bu)/PVP) fibers prepared by forcespinning to decompose and oxidize the base polymer and precursor. The obtained fibers were characterized by changes in chemical bonds on the surface using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), chemical composition by using Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The morphology of fibers was investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). A significant decrease of organic components was reached by short plasma exposure times less than 1 h. The obtained fibers exhibit a high surface porosity without degradation of the fibrous structure. The results obtained indicate that atmospheric pressure plasma assisted calcination can be a viable low-temperature, energy- and time-saving alternative or pre-treatment method for the conventional high-temperature thermal calcination.

Atmospheric pressure argon surface discharges propagated in long tubes: physical characterization and application to bio-decontamination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovalova, Zuzana; Leroy, Magali; Jacobs, Carolyn; Kirkpatrick, Michael J; Odic, Emmanuel; Machala, Zdenko; Lopes, Filipa; Laux, Christophe O; DuBow, Michael S

2015-01-01

Pulsed corona discharges propagated in argon (or in argon with added water vapor) at atmospheric pressure on the interior surface of a 49 cm long quartz tube were investigated for the application of surface bio-decontamination. H 2 O molecule dissociation in the argon plasma generated reactive species (i.e. OH in ground and excited states) and UV emission, which both directly affected bacterial cells. In order to facilitate the evaluation of the contribution of UV radiation, a DNA damage repair defective bacterial strain, Escherichia coli DH-1, was used. Discharge characteristics, including propagation velocity and plasma temperature, were measured. Up to ∼5.5 and ∼5 log 10 reductions were observed for E. coli DH-1 bacteria (from 10 6 initial load) exposed 2 cm and 44 cm away from the charged electrode, respectively, for a 20 min plasma treatment. The factors contributing to the observed bactericidal effect include desiccation, reactive oxygen species (OH) plus H 2 O 2 accumulation in the liquid phase, and UV-B (and possibly VUV) emission in dry argon. The steady state temperature measured on the quartz tube wall did not exceeded 29 °C; the contribution of heating, along with that of H 2 O 2 accumulation, was estimated to be low. The effect of UV-B emission alone or in combination with the other stress factors of the plasma process was examined for different operating conditions. (paper)

Atmospheric pressure ionization-tandem mass spectrometry of the phenicol drug family.

Science.gov (United States)

Alechaga, Élida; Moyano, Encarnación; Galceran, M Teresa

2013-11-01

In this work, the mass spectrometry behaviour of the veterinary drug family of phenicols, including chloramphenicol (CAP) and its related compounds thiamphenicol (TAP), florfenicol (FF) and FF amine (FFA), was studied. Several atmospheric pressure ionization sources, electrospray (ESI), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization and atmospheric pressure photoionization were compared. In all atmospheric pressure ionization sources, CAP, TAP and FF were ionized in both positive and negative modes; while for the metabolite FFA, only positive ionization was possible. In general, in positive mode, [M + H](+) dominated the mass spectrum for FFA, while the other compounds, CAP, TAP and FF, with lower proton affinity showed intense adducts with species present in the mobile phase. In negative mode, ESI and atmospheric pressure photoionization showed the deprotonated molecule [M-H](-), while atmospheric pressure chemical ionization provided the radical molecular ion by electron capture. All these ions were characterized by tandem mass spectrometry using the combined information obtained by multistage mass spectrometry and high-resolution mass spectrometry in a quadrupole-Orbitrap instrument. In general, the fragmentation occurred via cyclization and losses or fragmentation of the N-(alkyl)acetamide group, and common fragmentation pathways were established for this family of compounds. A new chemical structure for the product ion at m/z 257 for CAP, on the basis of the MS(3) and MS(4) spectra is proposed. Thermally assisted ESI and selected reaction monitoring are proposed for the determination of these compounds by ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry, achieving instrumental detection limits down to 0.1 pg. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Gas chromatography coupled to atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry (GC-API-MS): Review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Du-Xin; Gan, Lin; Bronja, Amela; Schmitz, Oliver J.

2015-01-01

Although the coupling of GC/MS with atmospheric pressure ionization (API) has been reported in 1970s, the interest in coupling GC with atmospheric pressure ion source was expanded in the last decade. The demand of a “soft” ion source for preserving highly diagnostic molecular ion is desirable, as compared to the “hard” ionization technique such as electron ionization (EI) in traditional GC/MS, which fragments the molecule in an extensive way. These API sources include atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI), atmospheric pressure laser ionization (APLI), electrospray ionization (ESI) and low temperature plasma (LTP). This review discusses the advantages and drawbacks of this analytical platform. After an introduction in atmospheric pressure ionization the review gives an overview about the history and explains the mechanisms of various atmospheric pressure ionization techniques used in combination with GC such as APCI, APPI, APLI, ESI and LTP. Also new developments made in ion source geometry, ion source miniaturization and multipurpose ion source constructions are discussed and a comparison between GC-FID, GC-EI-MS and GC-API-MS shows the advantages and drawbacks of these techniques. The review ends with an overview of applications realized with GC-API-MS. - Highlights: • Atmospheric pressure ion sources (APCI, ESI, APPI, APLC etc) enable the coupling of LC-based high-end MS to GC. • APIs show advantages in selectivity and sensitivity compared with EI in GC-MS. • Accurate mass database in GC-APCI/MS is emerging as an alternative to GC-EI/MS database.

Gas chromatography coupled to atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometry (GC-API-MS): Review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Du-Xin; Gan, Lin; Bronja, Amela [University of Duisburg-Essen, Applied Analytical Chemistry, Universitaetsstr. 5-7, 45141 Essen (Germany); Schmitz, Oliver J., E-mail: oliver.schmitz@uni-due.de [University of Duisburg-Essen, Applied Analytical Chemistry, Universitaetsstr. 5-7, 45141 Essen (Germany)

2015-09-03

Although the coupling of GC/MS with atmospheric pressure ionization (API) has been reported in 1970s, the interest in coupling GC with atmospheric pressure ion source was expanded in the last decade. The demand of a “soft” ion source for preserving highly diagnostic molecular ion is desirable, as compared to the “hard” ionization technique such as electron ionization (EI) in traditional GC/MS, which fragments the molecule in an extensive way. These API sources include atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI), atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI), atmospheric pressure laser ionization (APLI), electrospray ionization (ESI) and low temperature plasma (LTP). This review discusses the advantages and drawbacks of this analytical platform. After an introduction in atmospheric pressure ionization the review gives an overview about the history and explains the mechanisms of various atmospheric pressure ionization techniques used in combination with GC such as APCI, APPI, APLI, ESI and LTP. Also new developments made in ion source geometry, ion source miniaturization and multipurpose ion source constructions are discussed and a comparison between GC-FID, GC-EI-MS and GC-API-MS shows the advantages and drawbacks of these techniques. The review ends with an overview of applications realized with GC-API-MS. - Highlights: • Atmospheric pressure ion sources (APCI, ESI, APPI, APLC etc) enable the coupling of LC-based high-end MS to GC. • APIs show advantages in selectivity and sensitivity compared with EI in GC-MS. • Accurate mass database in GC-APCI/MS is emerging as an alternative to GC-EI/MS database.

Atmospheric-pressure plasma decontamination/sterilization chamber

Science.gov (United States)

Herrmann, Hans W.; Selwyn, Gary S.

2001-01-01

An atmospheric-pressure plasma decontamination/sterilization chamber is described. The apparatus is useful for decontaminating sensitive equipment and materials, such as electronics, optics and national treasures, which have been contaminated with chemical and/or biological warfare agents, such as anthrax, mustard blistering agent, VX nerve gas, and the like. There is currently no acceptable procedure for decontaminating such equipment. The apparatus may also be used for sterilization in the medical and food industries. Items to be decontaminated or sterilized are supported inside the chamber. Reactive gases containing atomic and metastable oxygen species are generated by an atmospheric-pressure plasma discharge in a He/O.sub.2 mixture and directed into the region of these items resulting in chemical reaction between the reactive species and organic substances. This reaction typically kills and/or neutralizes the contamination without damaging most equipment and materials. The plasma gases are recirculated through a closed-loop system to minimize the loss of helium and the possibility of escape of aerosolized harmful substances.

Innovative UVC light (185 nm) and radio-frequency-plasma pretreatment of Nylon surfaces at atmospheric pressure and their implications in photocatalytic processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Mejía, M I; Marín, J M; Restrepo, G; Pulgarín, C; Mielczarski, E; Mielczarski, J; Stolitchnov, I; Kiwi, J

2009-10-01

Innovative pretreatment by UVC light (185 nm) and by radio-frequency (RF) plasma at atmospheric pressure to functionalize the Nylon surface, increasing its bondability toward TiO(2), is reported in this study. In the case of UVC light pretreatment in air, the molar absorption coefficient of O(2)/N(2) at 185 nm is very low and the air in the chamber absorbs very little light from the UVC source before reaching the Nylon sample. Nylon fabrics under RF plasma were also functionalized at atmospheric pressure because of the marked heating effect introduced in the Nylon by the RF plasma. This effect leads to intermolecular bond breaking and oxygenated surface groups in the topmost Nylon layers. Both pretreatments enhanced significantly the photocatalytic discoloration of the red-wine stain in Nylon-TiO(2) compared with samples without pretreatment. The UVC and RF methods in the absence of vacuum imply a considerable cost reduction to functionalize textile surfaces, suggesting a potential industrial application. Red-wine-stain discoloration under simulated sunlight was monitored quantitatively by diffuse-reflectance spectroscopy and by CO(2) evolution. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to monitor the changes of the C, N, and S species on the Nylon topmost layers during the discoloration process. Significant changes in the XPS spectra of Ti 2p peaks were observed during discoloration of the wine spots. Wine stains attenuated the signal of the Ti 2p (458.4 eV) peak in the Nylon-TiO(2)-stained wine sample at time zero (from now on, the time before the discoloration process). Furthermore, a decrease of the wine-related O 1s signal at 529.7 eV and N 1s signal at 399.5 eV was observed during the discoloration process, indicating an efficient catalytic decomposition of the wine pigment on Nylon-TiO(2). X-ray diffraction detected the formation of anatase on the Nylon fibers. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy shows the formation of anatase particles

Mechanism of Runaway Electron Generation at Gas Pressures from a Few Atmospheres to Several Tens of Atmospheres

Science.gov (United States)

Zubarev, N. M.; Ivanov, S. N.

2018-04-01

The mechanism of runaway electron generation at gas pressures from a few atmospheres to several tens of atmospheres is proposed. According to this mechanism, the electrons pass into the runaway mode in the enhanced field zone that arises between a cathode micropoint—a source of field-emission electrons—and the region of the positive ion space charge accumulated near the cathode in the tails of the developing electron avalanches. As a result, volume gas ionization by runaway electrons begins with a time delay required for the formation of the enhanced field zone. This process determines the delay time of breakdown. The influence of the gas pressure on the formation dynamics of the space charge region is analyzed. At gas pressures of a few atmospheres, the space charge arises due to the avalanche multiplication of the very first field-emission electron, whereas at pressures of several tens of atmospheres, the space charge forms as a result of superposition of many electron avalanches with a relatively small number of charge carriers in each.

Influence of aramid fiber moisture regain during atmospheric plasma treatment on aging of treatment effects on surface wettability and bonding strength to epoxy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ren Yu; Wang Chunxia; Qiu Yiping

2007-01-01

One of the main differences between a low-pressure plasma treatment and an atmospheric pressure plasma treatment is that in atmosphere, the substrate material may absorb significant amount of water which may potentially influence the plasma treatment effects. This paper investigates how the moisture absorbed by aramid fibers during the atmospheric pressure plasma treatment influences the aging behavior of the modified surfaces. Kevlar 49 fibers with different moisture regains (MR) (0.5, 3.5 and 5.5%, respectively) are treated with atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) with helium as the carrier gas and oxygen as the treatment gas. Surface wettability and chemical compositions, and interfacial shear strengths (IFSS) to epoxy for the aramid fibers in all groups are determined using water contact angle measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and micro-bond pull out tests, respectively. Immediately after the plasma treatment, the treated fibers have substantially lower water contact angles, higher surface oxygen and nitrogen contents, and larger IFSS to epoxy than those of the control group. At the end of 30 day aging period, the fibers treated with 5.5% moisture regain had a lower water contact angle and more polar groups on the fiber surface, leading to 75% improvement of IFSS over the control fibers, while those for the 0.5 and 3.5% moisture regain groups were only 30%

Ions in carbon dioxide at an atmospheric pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikezoe, Yasumasa; Onuki, Kaoru; Shimizu, Saburo; Nakajima, Hayato; Sato, Shoichi; Matsuoka, Shingo; Nakamura, Hirone; Tamura, Takaaki

1985-01-01

The formation and the subsequent reactions of positive and negative ions were observed by a time resolved atmospheric pressure ionization mass spectrometer (TRAPI) in an atmospheric pressure carbon dioxide added with small amounts of carbon monoxide and oxygen. A relatively stable ion of (44 x n) + (n >= 2) having a different reactivity from that of (CO 2 ) + sub(n) was found to be one of major ionic species in this gas system. This species was tentatively assigned as [O 2 (CO) 2 ] + (CO 2 )sub(n-2). A new reaction sequence of positive ions is proposed which can be operative in the radiolysis of carbon dioxide at 1 atm. (author)

First experimental results on the kinetic processes in a surface-wave-sustained argon discharge at atmospheric pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Calzada, M.D.; Gamero, A.; Sola, A.

1995-01-01

This communication presents an advance of the results of an experimental study of the kinetic processes in a surface-wave-sustained argon discharge at atmospheric pressure. We utilize the study developed by Fujimoto on the population and depopulation processes of the excited levels of atoms and ions. This theory has been applied by S. Daviaud and A. Hirabayashi to explain the kinetic processes in helium plasma at low pressure. Fujimoto has studied the ionization and recombination mechanisms of the plasma under various conditions and its relation to the population density distributions. This study establishes, for an hydrogenic ion with a core charge z, different zones in the atomic system (level map). Each zone is characterized by the dominant mechanisms of the population and depopulation of their excited levels, A level is characterized for the effective principal quantum number p, where p = z (E H /|E p |) 1/2 , E H is the hydrogen ionization energy and |E p | is the energy required to ionize the atom from the level considered. The population of each level p can be expressed in terms of the parameter b(p) defined as n(p)/n SB (p), n(p) and n SB (p) being the actual population and the Saha-Boltzmann equilibrium population of the level, respectively. Figure I shows the population and depopulation processes of a level p, which are both collisional and radiative that are characterized by their respective coefficients

Plasma treatment of carbon fibres and glass-fibre-reinforced polyesters at atmospheric pressure for adhesion improvement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kusano, Yukihiro; Løgstrup Andersen, Tom; Toftegaard, Helmuth Langmaack

2014-01-01

Atmospheric pressure plasma treatment is useful for adhesion improvement, because cleaning, roughening and addition of polar functional groups can be expected at the surfaces. Its possible applications in the wind energy industry include plasma treatment of fibres and fibre-reinforced polymer...... composites before assembling them to build wind turbine blades. In the present work, unsized carbon fibres are continuously treated using a dielectric barrier discharge plasma in helium at atmospheric pressure, and carbon fibre reinforced epoxy composite plates are manufactured for the mechanical test....... The plasma treatment improved fracture toughness, indicating that adhesion between the fibres and the epoxy was enhanced by the treatment. In addition, glass-fibre-reinforced polyester plates are treated using a gliding arc and an ultrasound enhanced dielectric barrier discharge, improving the wettability...

Ambient pressure photoemission spectroscopy of metal surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baikie, Iain D., E-mail: iain@kptechnology.ltd.uk; Grain, Angela C.; Sutherland, James; Law, Jamie

2014-12-30

Highlights: • Ambient pressure photoemission spectroscopy of metals. • Rastered photon energy scan overcomes inelastic scattering. • Relationship between photoemission threshold and contact potential difference. - Abstract: We describe a novel photoemission technique utilizing a traditional Kelvin probe as a detector of electrons/atmospheric ions ejected from metallic surfaces (Au, Ag, Cu, Fe, Ni, Ti, Zn, Al) illuminated by a deep ultra-violet (DUV) source under ambient pressure. To surmount the limitation of electron scattering in air the incident photon energy is rastered rather than applying a variable retarding electric field as is used with UPS. This arrangement can be applied in several operational modes: using the DUV source to determine the photoemission threshold (Φ) with 30–50 meV resolution and also the Kelvin probe, under dark conditions, to measure contact potential difference (CPD) between the Kelvin probe tip and the metallic sample with an accuracy of 1–3 meV. We have studied the relationship between the photoelectric threshold and CPD of metal surfaces cleaned in ambient conditions. Inclusion of a second spectroscopic visible source was used to confirm a semiconducting oxide, possibly Cu{sub 2}O, via surface photovoltage measurements with the KP. This dual detection system can be easily extended to controlled gas conditions, relative humidity control and sample heating/cooling.

Generation of subnanosecond electron beams in air at atmospheric pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Kostyrya, I. D.; Tarasenko, V. F.; Baksht, E. Kh.; Burachenko, A. G.; Lomaev, M. I.; Rybka, D. V.

2009-11-01

Optimum conditions for the generation of runaway electron beams with maximum current amplitudes and densities in nanosecond pulsed discharges in air at atmospheric pressure are determined. A supershort avalanche electron beam (SAEB) with a current amplitude of ˜30 A, a current density of ˜20 A/cm2, and a pulse full width at half maximum (FWHM) of ˜100 ps has been observed behind the output foil of an air-filled diode. It is shown that the position of the SAEB current maximum relative to the voltage pulse front exhibits a time shift that varies when the small-size collector is moved over the foil surface.

Special issue: diagnostics of atmospheric pressure microplasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Bruggeman, Peter; Czarnetzki, Uwe; Tachibana, Kunihide

2013-11-01

In recent decades, a strong revival of non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma studies has developed in the form of microplasmas. Microplasmas have typical scales of 1 mm or less and offer a very exciting research direction in the field of plasma science and technology as the discharge physics can be considerably different due to high collisionality and the importance of plasma-surface interaction. These high-pressure small-scale plasmas have a diverse range of physical and chemical properties. This diversity coincides with various applications including light/UV sources [1], material processing [2], chemical analysis [3], material synthesis [4], electromagnetics [5], combustion [6] and even medicine [7]. At atmospheric pressure, large scale plasmas have the tendency to become unstable due to the high collision rates leading to enhanced heating and ionization compared to their low-pressure counterparts. As low-pressure plasmas typically operate in reactors with sizes of tens of centimetres, scaling up the pressure to atmospheric pressure the size of the plasma reduces to typical sizes below 1 mm. A natural approach of stabilizing atmospheric pressure plasmas is thus the use of microelectrode geometries. Traditionally microplasmas have been produced in confined geometries which allow one to stabilize dc excited discharges. This stabilization is intrinsically connected to the large surface-to-volume ratio which enhances heat transfer and losses of charged and excited species to the walls. Currently challenging boundaries are pushed by producing microcavity geometries with dimensions of the order of 1 µm [8]. The subject of this special issue, diagnostics of microplasmas, is motivated by the many challenges in microplasma diagnostics in view of the complex chemistry and strong spatial (and even temporal) gradients of species densities and plasma properties. Atmospheric pressure plasmas have a very long history dating back more than 100 years, with early work of

Low-temperature hydrogenation of diamond nanoparticles using diffuse coplanar surface barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kromka, Alexander; Čech, J.; Kozak, Halyna; Artemenko, Anna; Ižák, Tibor; Čermák, Jan; Rezek, Bohuslav; Černák, M.

2015-01-01

Roč. 252, č. 11 (2015), s. 2602-2607 ISSN 0370-1972 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GBP108/12/G108 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : atmospheric plasma * diamond nanoparticles * diffuse coplanar surface barrier discharge * FTIR * XPS Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 1.522, year: 2015

Study of surface atmospheric pressure glow discharge plasma based on ultrathin laminated electrodes in air

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Luxiang; Liu, Wenzheng; Li, Zhiyi; Ma, Chuanlong

2018-05-01

A method to generate large-area surface plasma in air by micro-discharge is proposed. Two ultrathin laminated electrode structures of non-insulating and insulating types were formed by using the nanoscale ITO conductive layer. The surface glow discharge in atmospheric air is realized in low discharge voltage by constructing the special electric field of two-dimensional unidirectional attenuation. In particular, the insulating electrode structure can avoid the loss of ITO electrodes so that the discharge stability can be increased, and the treated objects can be prevented from metal ion pollution caused by the electrode in the discharge. It has broad application prospects in the fields of aerodynamics and material surface treatment.

Atmospheric pressure reaction cell for operando sum frequency generation spectroscopy of ultrahigh vacuum grown model catalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Roiaz, Matteo; Pramhaas, Verena; Li, Xia; Rameshan, Christoph; Rupprechter, Günther

2018-04-01

A new custom-designed ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) chamber coupled to a UHV and atmospheric-pressure-compatible spectroscopic and catalytic reaction cell is described, which allows us to perform IR-vis sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy during catalytic (kinetic) measurements. SFG spectroscopy is an exceptional tool to study vibrational properties of surface adsorbates under operando conditions, close to those of technical catalysis. This versatile setup allows performing surface science, SFG spectroscopy, catalysis, and electrochemical investigations on model systems, including single crystals, thin films, and deposited metal nanoparticles, under well-controlled conditions of gas composition, pressure, temperature, and potential. The UHV chamber enables us to prepare the model catalysts and to analyze their surface structure and composition by low energy electron diffraction and Auger electron spectroscopy, respectively. Thereafter, a sample transfer mechanism moves samples under UHV to the spectroscopic cell, avoiding air exposure. In the catalytic cell, SFG spectroscopy and catalytic tests (reactant/product analysis by mass spectrometry or gas chromatography) are performed simultaneously. A dedicated sample manipulation stage allows the model catalysts to be examined from LN2 temperature to 1273 K, with gaseous reactants in a pressure range from UHV to atmospheric. For post-reaction analysis, the SFG cell is rapidly evacuated and samples are transferred back to the UHV chamber. The capabilities of this new setup are demonstrated by benchmark results of CO adsorption on Pt and Pd(111) single crystal surfaces and of CO adsorption and oxidation on a ZrO2 supported Pt nanoparticle model catalyst grown by atomic layer deposition.

Rapid Chemical Vapor Infiltration of Silicon Carbide Minicomposites at Atmospheric Pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Petroski, Kenneth; Poges, Shannon; Monteleone, Chris; Grady, Joseph; Bhatt, Ram; Suib, Steven L

2018-02-07

The chemical vapor infiltration technique is one of the most popular for the fabrication of the matrix portion of a ceramic matrix composite. This work focuses on tailoring an atmospheric pressure deposition of silicon carbide onto carbon fiber tows using the methyltrichlorosilane (CH 3 SiCl 3 ) and H 2 deposition system at atmospheric pressure to create minicomposites faster than low pressure systems. Adjustment of the flow rate of H 2 bubbled through CH 3 SiCl 3 will improve the uniformity of the deposition as well as infiltrate the substrate more completely as the flow rate is decreased. Low pressure depositions conducted at 50 Torr deposit SiC at a rate of approximately 200 nm*h -1 , while the atmospheric pressure system presented has a deposition rate ranging from 750 nm*h -1 to 3.88 μm*h -1 . The minicomposites fabricated in this study had approximate total porosities of 3 and 6% for 10 and 25 SCCM infiltrations, respectively.

Spectroscopy of reactive species produced by low-energy atmospheric-pressure plasma on conductive target material surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamada, Hiromasa; Sakakita, Hajime; Kato, Susumu; Kim, Jaeho; Kiyama, Satoru; Fujiwara, Masanori; Itagaki, Hirotomo; Ikehara, Yuzuru; Okazaki, Toshiya; Ikehara, Sanae; Nakanishi, Hayao; Shimizu, Nobuyuki

2016-01-01

A method for blood coagulation using low-energy atmospheric-pressure plasma (LEAPP) is confirmed as an alternative procedure to reduce tissue damage caused by heat. Blood coagulation using LEAPP behaves differently depending on working gas species; helium is more effective than argon in promoting fast coagulation. To analyse the difference in reactive species produced by helium and argon plasma, spectroscopic measurements were conducted without and with a target material. To compare emissions, blood coagulation experiments using LEAPP for both plasmas were performed under almost identical conditions. Although many kinds of reactive species such as hydroxyl radicals and excited nitrogen molecules were observed with similar intensity in both plasmas, intensities of nitrogen ion molecules and nitric oxide molecules were extremely strong in the helium plasma. It is considered that nitrogen ion molecules were mainly produced by penning ionization by helium metastable. Near the target, a significant increase in the emissions of reactive species is observed. There is a possibility that electron acceleration was induced in a local electric field formed on the surface. However, in argon plasma, emissions from nitrogen ion were not measured even near the target surface. These differences between the two plasmas may be producing the difference in blood coagulation behaviour. To control the surrounding gas of the plasma, a gas-component-controllable chamber was assembled. Filling the chamber with O 2 /He or N 2 /He gas mixtures selectively produces either reactive oxygen species or reactive nitrogen species. Through selective treatments, this chamber would be useful in studying the effects of specific reactive species on blood coagulation. (paper)

Spectroscopy of reactive species produced by low-energy atmospheric-pressure plasma on conductive target material surface

Science.gov (United States)

Yamada, Hiromasa; Sakakita, Hajime; Kato, Susumu; Kim, Jaeho; Kiyama, Satoru; Fujiwara, Masanori; Itagaki, Hirotomo; Okazaki, Toshiya; Ikehara, Sanae; Nakanishi, Hayao; Shimizu, Nobuyuki; Ikehara, Yuzuru

2016-10-01

A method for blood coagulation using low-energy atmospheric-pressure plasma (LEAPP) is confirmed as an alternative procedure to reduce tissue damage caused by heat. Blood coagulation using LEAPP behaves differently depending on working gas species; helium is more effective than argon in promoting fast coagulation. To analyse the difference in reactive species produced by helium and argon plasma, spectroscopic measurements were conducted without and with a target material. To compare emissions, blood coagulation experiments using LEAPP for both plasmas were performed under almost identical conditions. Although many kinds of reactive species such as hydroxyl radicals and excited nitrogen molecules were observed with similar intensity in both plasmas, intensities of nitrogen ion molecules and nitric oxide molecules were extremely strong in the helium plasma. It is considered that nitrogen ion molecules were mainly produced by penning ionization by helium metastable. Near the target, a significant increase in the emissions of reactive species is observed. There is a possibility that electron acceleration was induced in a local electric field formed on the surface. However, in argon plasma, emissions from nitrogen ion were not measured even near the target surface. These differences between the two plasmas may be producing the difference in blood coagulation behaviour. To control the surrounding gas of the plasma, a gas-component-controllable chamber was assembled. Filling the chamber with O2/He or N2/He gas mixtures selectively produces either reactive oxygen species or reactive nitrogen species. Through selective treatments, this chamber would be useful in studying the effects of specific reactive species on blood coagulation.

Spectroscopic characterisation of an atmospheric pressure glow discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomez, S.; Steen, P.G.; Morrow, T.; Graham, W.G.

2001-01-01

Recently there has been considerable interest in atmospheric discharges operating in a glow discharge mode i.e. with a spatial and sheath structure similar to that of low pressure glow discharges. Here spectroscopy has been used to characterise an atmospheric pressure glow discharge (APGD), operating with either dry air, argon or helium gas flowing through the inter-electrode space and with the inter-electrode gap either free or with woven polypropylene or polyester samples present. Emission spectroscopy is used to determine the rotational and vibrational temperature of the nitrogen gas, while electron temperatures are determined from the relative intensities of Ar emission lines. Ozone production is monitored by a simple absorption technique to evaluate its potential in process control

Plasma sterilization of polyethylene terephthalate bottles by pulsed corona discharge at atmospheric pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Masaoka, Satoshi

2007-06-01

A pulsed power supply was used to generate a corona discharge on a polyethylene terephthalate bottle, to conduct plasma sterilization at atmospheric pressure. Before generating such a discharge, minute quantities of water were attached to the inner surface of the bottle and to the surface of a high voltage (HV) electrode inserted into the bottle. Next, high-voltage pulses of electricity were discharged between electrodes for 6.0s, while rotating the bottle. The resulting spore log reduction values of Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus niger on the inner surface of the bottle were 5.5 and 6 or higher, respectively, and those on the HV electrode surface were each 6 or higher for both strains. The presence of the by-products gaseous ozone, hydrogen peroxide, and nitric ions resulting from the electrical discharge was confirmed.

Three distinct modes in a surface micro-discharge in atmospheric pressure He + N{sub 2} mixtures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Dong; Liu, Dingxin, E-mail: liudingxin@mail.xjtu.edu.cn; He, Tongtong; Li, Qiaosong; Wang, Xiaohua [State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Center for Plasma Biomedicine, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Kong, Michael G. [State Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Power Equipment, Center for Plasma Biomedicine, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Frank Reidy Center for Bioelectrics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 23508 (United States); Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 23529 (United States)

2015-12-15

A surface micro-discharge in atmospheric pressure He + N{sub 2} mixtures is studied in this paper with an emphasis on the discharge modes. With the N{sub 2} admixture increasing from 0.1% to 20%, the discharge evolves from a spatially diffuse mode to a filamentary mode during positive half-cycles of the applied voltage. However during the negative half-cycles, an additional patterned mode emerges between the diffuse and the filamentary modes, which has not been reported before to exist in surface micro-discharges. In the diffuse and patterned modes, the plasmas cover almost the entirety of the mesh area during one cycle after plasma ignition in all mesh elements, and the discharge power increases linearly with the applied voltage. In contrast, plasma coverage of the mesh area is only partial in the filamentary mode and the plasma is more unstable with the discharge power increasing exponentially with the applied voltage. As the surface micro-discharge evolves through the three modes, the density of excited species changes significantly, for instance, the density of N{sub 2}{sup +}(B) drops by ∼20-fold from [N{sub 2}] = 0.2% to 20%. The N{sub 2}{sup +}(B) is predicted to be generated mainly through successive processes of Penning ionization by helium metastables and electron-impact excitation of N{sub 2}{sup +}(X), the latter is most responsible for the density decrease of N{sub 2}{sup +}(B) because much more N{sub 2}{sup +}(X) is converted to N{sub 4}{sup +}(X) as the increase of N{sub 2} fraction. Also, the electron density and electron temperature decrease with the discharge mode transition.

Etching of polymers, proteins and bacterial spores by atmospheric pressure DBD plasma in air

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzminova, A.; Kretková, T.; Kylián, O.; Hanuš, J.; Khalakhan, I.; Prukner, V.; Doležalová, E.; Šimek, M.; Biederman, H.

2017-04-01

Many studies proved that non-equilibrium discharges generated at atmospheric pressure are highly effective for the bio-decontamination of surfaces of various materials. One of the key processes that leads to a desired result is plasma etching and thus the evaluation of etching rates of organic materials is of high importance. However, the comparison of reported results is rather difficult if impossible as different authors use diverse sources of atmospheric plasma that are operated at significantly different operational parameters. Therefore, we report here on the systematic study of the etching of nine different common polymers that mimic the different structures of more complicated biological systems, bovine serum albumin (BSA) selected as the model protein and spores of Bacillus subtilis taken as a representative of highly resistant micro-organisms. The treatment of these materials was performed by means of atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) sustained in open air at constant conditions. All tested polymers, BSA and spores, were readily etched by DBD plasma. However, the measured etching rates were found to be dependent on the chemical structure of treated materials, namely on the presence of oxygen in the structure of polymers.

Evaluation of Packed Distillation Columns I - Atmospheric Pressure

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Reynolds, Thaine

1951-01-01

.... Four column-packing combinations of the glass columns and four column-packing combinations of the steel columns were investigated at atmospheric pressure using a test mixture of methylcyclohexane...

Cold plasma brush generated at atmospheric pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duan Yixiang; Huang, C.; Yu, Q. S.

2007-01-01

A cold plasma brush is generated at atmospheric pressure with low power consumption in the level of several watts (as low as 4 W) up to tens of watts (up to 45 W). The plasma can be ignited and sustained in both continuous and pulsed modes with different plasma gases such as argon or helium, but argon was selected as a primary gas for use in this work. The brush-shaped plasma is formed and extended outside of the discharge chamber with typical dimension of 10-15 mm in width and less than 1.0 mm in thickness, which are adjustable by changing the discharge chamber design and operating conditions. The brush-shaped plasma provides some unique features and distinct nonequilibrium plasma characteristics. Temperature measurements using a thermocouple thermometer showed that the gas phase temperatures of the plasma brush are close to room temperature (as low as 42 deg. C) when running with a relatively high gas flow rate of about 3500 ml/min. For an argon plasma brush, the operating voltage from less than 500 V to about 2500 V was tested, with an argon gas flow rate varied from less than 1000 to 3500 ml/min. The cold plasma brush can most efficiently use the discharge power as well as the plasma gas for material and surface treatment. The very low power consumption of such an atmospheric argon plasma brush provides many unique advantages in practical applications including battery-powered operation and use in large-scale applications. Several polymer film samples were tested for surface treatment with the newly developed device, and successful changes of the wettability property from hydrophobic to hydrophilic were achieved within a few seconds

Research on atmospheric pressure plasma processing sewage

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Gui-cai; Na, Yan-xiang; Dong, Xiao-long; Sun, Xiao-liang

2013-08-01

The water pollution has become more and more serious with the industrial progress and social development, so it become a worldwide leading environmental management problem to human survival and personal health, therefore, countries are looking for the best solution. Generally speaking, in this paper the work has the following main achievements and innovation: (1) Developed a new plasma device--Plasma Water Bed. (2) At atmospheric pressure condition, use oxygen, nitrogen, argon and helium as work gas respectively, use fiber spectrometer to atmospheric pressure plasma discharge the emission spectrum of measurement, due to the different work gas producing active particle is different, so can understand discharge, different particle activity, in the treatment of wastewater, has the different degradation effects. (3) Methyl violet solution treatment by plasma water bed. Using plasma drafting make active particles and waste leachate role, observe the decolorization, measurement of ammonia nitrogen removal.

Sulphation of oil shale ash under atmospheric and pressurized combustion conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuelaots, I.; Yrjas, P.; Hupa, M.; Ots, A.

1995-01-01

One of the main problems in conventional combustion boilers firing pulverized oil shale is the corrosion and fouling of heating surfaces, which is caused by sulphur compounds. Another major problem, from the environmental point of view, are the high SO 2 emissions. Consequently, the amount of sulphur in flue gases must be reduced. One alternative to lower the SO 2 , concentration is the use of new technologies, such as pressurized fluidized bed combustion (PFBC). In FBC processes, the sulphur components are usually removed by the addition of limestone (CaCO 3 ) or dolomite (CaCO 3 x MgCO 3 ) into the bed. The calcium in these absorbents react with SO 2 , producing solid CaSO 4 . However, when burning oil shale, there would be no need to add limestone or dolomite into the bed, due to the initially high limestone content in the fuel (molar ratio Ca/S =10). The capture of sulphur by oil shale ashes has been studied using a pressurized thermogravimetric apparatus (PTGA). The chosen experimental conditions were typical for atmospheric and pressurized fluidized bed combustion. Four different materials were tested - one cyclone ash from an Estonian oil shale boiler, two size fractions of Estonian oil shale and, one fraction of Israeli oil shale. The cyclone ash was found to be the poorest sulphur absorbent. In general, the results from the sulphur capture experiments under both atmospheric and pressurized fluidized bed conditions showed that the oil shale can capture not only its own sulphur but also significant amounts of additional sulphur from another fuel if the fuels are mixed together. (author)

Controlling the surface termination of NdGaO3 (110): the role of the gas atmosphere.

Science.gov (United States)

Cavallaro, Andrea; Harrington, George F; Skinner, Stephen J; Kilner, John A

2014-07-07

In this work the effect of gas atmosphere on the surface termination reconstruction of single crystal NdGaO3 (110) (NGO) during thermal annealing was analyzed. Using Low Energy Ion Scattering (LEIS) it has been possible to study the chemical composition of the first atomic layer of treated NGO single crystal samples. NGO has been analyzed both as-received and after a specific thermal treatment at 1000 °C under different gas fluxes (argon, nitrogen, static air, synthetic air, nitrogen plus 5% hydrogen and wet synthetic air respectively). Thermal annealing of perovskite single crystals, as already reported in the literature, is used to obtain a fully A-cation surface termination. Nevertheless the effect of the gas-atmosphere on this process has not been previously reported. By the use of sequential low energy Ar(+) sputtering combined with the primary ion LEIS analysis, the reconstruction of the outermost atomic layers has allowed the clarification of the mechanism of NGO neodymium surface enrichment. It is proposed that the gallium at the surface is submitted to a reduction/evaporation mechanism caused by low oxygen partial pressure and/or high water pressure in the vector gas. Below the first surface atomic layers of an as-received NGO single-crystal a gallium-rich phase has also been observed.

Ion activation energy delivered to wounds by atmospheric pressure dielectric-barrier discharges: sputtering of lipid-like surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Babaeva, Natalia Yu; Kushner, Mark J; Ning Ning; Graves, David B

2012-01-01

The application of atmospheric pressure plasmas to human tissue has been shown to have therapeutic effects for wound healing and in treatment of skin diseases. These effects are attributed to production of UV photon fluxes, electric fields and beneficial radicals which intersect with biological reaction chains, and to energetic ions bombarding the surface. In this paper we report on results from a computational investigation of the ion energy and angular distributions (IEADs) in a dielectric-barrier discharge sustained in air incident directly on cell membranes for small dry and wet wounds in human skin. We found that ion energies in excess of 20-30 eV can be delivered onto cell membranes of dry wounds, and up to 60 eV onto the liquid interface of the wet wound. The details of the IEADs depend on the orientation of the cell membrane and on the relative location of the plasma streamer to the wound. Using results from a molecular dynamics simulation of ion sputter probabilities of typical lipid-like material, we show that prolonged exposure of the cell membrane to such IEADs can produce significant carbon removal. (paper)

Ion activation energy delivered to wounds by atmospheric pressure dielectric-barrier discharges: sputtering of lipid-like surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Babaeva, Natalia Yu; Ning, Ning; Graves, David B.; Kushner, Mark J.

2012-03-01

The application of atmospheric pressure plasmas to human tissue has been shown to have therapeutic effects for wound healing and in treatment of skin diseases. These effects are attributed to production of UV photon fluxes, electric fields and beneficial radicals which intersect with biological reaction chains, and to energetic ions bombarding the surface. In this paper we report on results from a computational investigation of the ion energy and angular distributions (IEADs) in a dielectric-barrier discharge sustained in air incident directly on cell membranes for small dry and wet wounds in human skin. We found that ion energies in excess of 20-30 eV can be delivered onto cell membranes of dry wounds, and up to 60 eV onto the liquid interface of the wet wound. The details of the IEADs depend on the orientation of the cell membrane and on the relative location of the plasma streamer to the wound. Using results from a molecular dynamics simulation of ion sputter probabilities of typical lipid-like material, we show that prolonged exposure of the cell membrane to such IEADs can produce significant carbon removal.

Interaction of EM Waves with Atmospheric Pressure Plasmas

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Laroussi, Mounir

2000-01-01

.... The focus of the main activities is the generation of large volume, non-thermal, atmospheric pressure plasmas, their diagnostics, and their interactions with EM waves and with the cells of microorganism...

Investigation of atmospheric dielectric barrier discharge and its application to surface modification of textile material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiaoliang Tang; Gao Qiu; Hankun Xie; Xianping Feng

2005-01-01

The dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is characterized by the presence of at least one insulating layer in contact with the discharge between two planar or cylindrical electrodes connected to an ac power supply. In this paper, the spectral lines of plasma emission at atmospheric pressure were recorded by using a grating spectrograph, and all signals will be directly and immediately sent to the computer for data processing and analysis during the experiments. The spectrum lines of nitrogen, helium and argon plasma emission at atmospheric pressure were separately recorded and qualitatively analyzed using spectral diagnosis equipment of atmospheric pressure DBD plasma. The spectrum lines of the second positive system of nitrogen (c 3 π μ → B 3 Π g ), two characteristic spectrum lines of helium (3 1 P 1 → 2 1 S 0 , 3 3 D → 3 3 P), and all of neutral argon atom spectrum lines in the range 680 to 780 nm are recognized. For controlling the process of material surface modification promptly, the electron temperature of DBD plasma is quantitatively analyzed using relative intensity of argon spectrum lines. The relationships among the plasma parameters, such as discharge current and discharge power measured by Lissajous figure of the oscilloscope, were analyzed by using improved DBD equipment. The variation of plasma discharge current following the change of discharge gaps indicates an existence of critical gap distance. When the gap between electrodes is less than that the critical gap, a quasi-stable atmospheric pressure DBD plasma source can be achieved after carefully controlled discharge voltage and current. The experimental results indicate that a critical discharge gap is an important parameter to improve the quality of materials processing. The result is of great importance to DBD at atmospheric pressure and its application to materials processing. (author)

A model for plasma modification of polypropylene using atmospheric pressure discharges

CERN Document Server

Dorai, R

2003-01-01

Atmospheric pressure plasmas are commonly used to improve the wetting and adhesion properties of polymers. In spite of their use, the mechanisms for achieving these properties are unclear. In this regard, we report on a computational investigation of the gas phase and surface kinetics during humid-air corona treatment of polypropylene (PP) and the resulting modification of its surface properties while varying energy deposition, relative humidity (RH), web speed, and gas temperature. Using results from a global plasma chemistry model validated against experiments, we found that increasing energy deposition increased the densities of alcohol, carbonyl, acid, and peroxy radicals on the PP surface. In doing so, significant amounts of gas phase O sub 3 and N sub x O sub y are produced. Increasing the RH increased the production of peroxy and acid groups, while decreasing those of alcohol and carbonyl groups. Production of O sub 3 decreased while that of HNO sub 3 increased. Increasing the temperature decreased the...

Effects of initiating anaerobic digestion of layer-hen poultry dung at sub-atmospheric pressure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chima C. Ngumah

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This study investigated the effects of initiating anaerobic digestion (AD of dry layer-hen poultry dung at the sub-atmospheric pressure of -30 cmHg on biodegradation, biogasification, and biomethanation. The setup was performed as a batch process at an average ambient temperature of 29±2 0C and a retention time of 15 days. Comparisons were made with two other experiments which were both begun at ambient atmospheric pressure; one was inoculated with digestate from a previous layer-hen dung AD, while the other was not inoculated. The bioreactors initiated at sub-atmospheric pressure, ambient atmospheric pressure without inoculum, and ambient atmospheric pressure with inoculum showed the following for biogas and biomethane yields respectively: 16.8 cm3 g-1 VS and 15.46 cm3 g 1 VS, 25.10 cm3 g-1 VS and 12.85 cm3 g-1 VS, 21.44 cm3 g-1 VS and 14.88 cm3 g 1 VS. In the same order, after AD, the following values were recorded for volatile solids and total viable counts (prokaryotes and fungi in the digestates: 40.33% and 23.22 x 106 cfu mL-1, 43.42% and 22.17 x 106 cfu mL-1, 41.11% and 13.3 x 106 cfu mL-1. The feedstock showed values of 83.93% and 3.98 x 106 cfu mL-1 for volatile solids and total viable count respectively. There was a slight difference in the volatile solids of the digestates of the three bioreactors after AD. The pH recorded for the feedstock slurry before AD was 7.9 at 30oC, while after AD, the digestates from all the three bioreactors showed the same pH of 5.9 at 29 0C. Statistical analysis using ANOVA showed no significant difference in biogas yields of the feedstock for the three bioreactors (A, B, C. ANOVA showed no significant difference for biomethane yields in the bioreactors initiated at sub-atmospheric pressure and for those initiated at ambient atmospheric pressure with inoculums. However, it showed significant difference in the bioreactor initiated at sub-atmospheric pressure and that initiated at ambient atmospheric

Transmission geometry laserspray ionization vacuum using an atmospheric pressure inlet.

Science.gov (United States)

Lutomski, Corinne A; El-Baba, Tarick J; Inutan, Ellen D; Manly, Cory D; Wager-Miller, James; Mackie, Ken; Trimpin, Sarah

2014-07-01

This represents the first report of laserspray ionization vacuum (LSIV) with operation directly from atmospheric pressure for use in mass spectrometry. Two different types of electrospray ionization source inlets were converted to LSIV sources by equipping the entrance of the atmospheric pressure inlet aperture with a customized cone that is sealed with a removable glass plate holding the matrix/analyte sample. A laser aligned in transmission geometry (at 180° relative to the inlet) ablates the matrix/analyte sample deposited on the vacuum side of the glass slide. Laser ablation from vacuum requires lower inlet temperature relative to laser ablation at atmospheric pressure. However, higher inlet temperature is required for high-mass analytes, for example, α-chymotrypsinogen (25.6 kDa). Labile compounds such as gangliosides and cardiolipins are detected in the negative ion mode directly from mouse brain tissue as intact doubly deprotonated ions. Multiple charging enhances the ion mobility spectrometry separation of ions derived from complex tissue samples.

Comparison of surface modification of polypropylene film by filamentary DBD at atmospheric pressure and homogeneous DBD at medium pressure in air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fang, Z; Xie, X; Li, J; Yang, H; Qiu, Y; Kuffel, E

2009-01-01

Non-equilibrium plasmas generated by a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) are of great interest in material surface processing because of their convenience, effectiveness and low cost. In this paper, polypropylene (PP) films are modified using a non-equilibrium plasma generated by a DBD in air in homogeneous mode and in filamentary mode. The filamentary DBD is generated in ambient air, and the homogeneous DBD is generated at medium pressure with an operating pressure value of 3 kPa. The characteristics of homogeneous DBD are studied and compared with those of filamentary DBD by measuring their electrical discharge parameters and observing their light emission phenomena, and the surface properties of the PP films before and after the treatments are studied using contact angle and surface energy measurement, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. It is found that the homogeneous DBD is even and stable in the whole gas gap, which differs from the commonly filamentary DBD. The plasma treatments modify the PP surface in both morphology and composition. The PP films modified in both treatments show a remarkable decrease in the water contact angle and a remarkable increase in surface energy due to the introduction of oxygen-containing groups on the surface and the etching of the surface. The homogeneous DBD is more effective in PP surface modification than the filamentary DBD as it can make the contact angle decrease to a lower level by introducing more oxygen-containing groups. This effect could be explained by the evenly distributed plasma at a homogeneous DBD than at a filamentary DBD, and by the more efficient introduction of atomic oxygen to the PP surface in the case of homogeneous DBD.

Influence of geomagnetic activity and atmospheric pressure in hypertensive adults

Science.gov (United States)

Azcárate, T.; Mendoza, B.

2017-09-01

We performed a study of the systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressure behavior under natural variables such as the atmospheric pressure and the horizontal geomagnetic field component. We worked with a group of eight adult hypertensive volunteers, four men and four women, with ages between 18 and 27 years in Mexico City during a geomagnetic storm in 2014. The data was divided by gender, age, and day/night cycle. We studied the time series using three methods: correlations, bivariate analysis, and superposed epoch (within a window of 2 days around the day of occurrence of a geomagnetic storm) analysis, between the systolic and diastolic blood pressure and the natural variables. The correlation analysis indicated a correlation between the systolic and diastolic blood pressure and the atmospheric pressure and the horizontal geomagnetic field component, being the largest during the night. Furthermore, the correlation and bivariate analyses showed that the largest correlations are between the systolic and diastolic blood pressure and the horizontal geomagnetic field component. Finally, the superposed epoch analysis showed that the largest number of significant changes in the blood pressure under the influence of geomagnetic field occurred in the systolic blood pressure for men.

Influence of geomagnetic activity and atmospheric pressure in hypertensive adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Azcárate, T; Mendoza, B

2017-09-01

We performed a study of the systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressure behavior under natural variables such as the atmospheric pressure and the horizontal geomagnetic field component. We worked with a group of eight adult hypertensive volunteers, four men and four women, with ages between 18 and 27 years in Mexico City during a geomagnetic storm in 2014. The data was divided by gender, age, and day/night cycle. We studied the time series using three methods: correlations, bivariate analysis, and superposed epoch (within a window of 2 days around the day of occurrence of a geomagnetic storm) analysis, between the systolic and diastolic blood pressure and the natural variables. The correlation analysis indicated a correlation between the systolic and diastolic blood pressure and the atmospheric pressure and the horizontal geomagnetic field component, being the largest during the night. Furthermore, the correlation and bivariate analyses showed that the largest correlations are between the systolic and diastolic blood pressure and the horizontal geomagnetic field component. Finally, the superposed epoch analysis showed that the largest number of significant changes in the blood pressure under the influence of geomagnetic field occurred in the systolic blood pressure for men.

High-rate reduction of copper oxide using atmospheric-pressure inductively coupled plasma microjets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tajima, Satomi; Tsuchiya, Shouichi; Matsumori, Masashi; Nakatsuka, Shigeki; Ichiki, Takanori

2011-01-01

Reduction of copper oxide was performed using an atmospheric-pressure inductively coupled plasma (AP-ICP) microjet while varying the input power P between 15 and 50 W. Cuprous oxide (Cu 2 O) and cupric oxide (CuO) were formed on the sputtered Cu surface by thermal annealing. Dynamic behavior of the microplasma jet, optical emission from H atoms, the substrate temperature, chemical bonding states of the treated surface, and the thickness of the reduced Cu layer were measured to study the fundamental reduction process. Surface composition and the thickness of the reduced Cu layer changed significantly with P. Rapid reduction of CuO and Cu 2 O was achieved at a rate of 493 nm/min at P = 50 W since high-density H atoms were produced by the AP-ICP microjet.

High-rate reduction of copper oxide using atmospheric-pressure inductively coupled plasma microjets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tajima, Satomi; Tsuchiya, Shouichi [Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, 2-11-16 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, 113-8656 (Japan); Matsumori, Masashi; Nakatsuka, Shigeki [Panasonic Factory Solutions Co., Ltd., 2-7 Matsuba-cho, Kadoma-city, Osaka, 571-8502 (Japan); Ichiki, Takanori, E-mail: ichiki@sogo.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Department of Bioengineering, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, 2-11-16 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, 113-8656 (Japan); Institute of Engineering Innovation, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Tokyo, 2-11-16 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8656 (Japan)

2011-08-01

Reduction of copper oxide was performed using an atmospheric-pressure inductively coupled plasma (AP-ICP) microjet while varying the input power P between 15 and 50 W. Cuprous oxide (Cu{sub 2}O) and cupric oxide (CuO) were formed on the sputtered Cu surface by thermal annealing. Dynamic behavior of the microplasma jet, optical emission from H atoms, the substrate temperature, chemical bonding states of the treated surface, and the thickness of the reduced Cu layer were measured to study the fundamental reduction process. Surface composition and the thickness of the reduced Cu layer changed significantly with P. Rapid reduction of CuO and Cu{sub 2}O was achieved at a rate of 493 nm/min at P = 50 W since high-density H atoms were produced by the AP-ICP microjet.

Correlation between atmospheric pressure changes and abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture: results of a single-center study.

Science.gov (United States)

Molacek, Jiri; Treska, Vladislav; Kasik, Miroslav; Houdek, Karel; Baxa, Jan

2013-09-01

There is much interest in all factors that influence the etiopathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture. Apart from the well-established factors such as arterial hypertension, smoking, age, and genetic predisposition, less common factors that may play a role in the mechanism of the rupture are the subject of much discussion. These include atmospheric conditions, temperature, and atmospheric pressure. We conducted this study to investigate the effects of the absolute value of atmospheric pressure and its changes on the frequency of AAA rupture. We retrospectively examined 54 patients who underwent treatment for a ruptured AAA at the Clinic of Surgery in the University Hospital in Pilsen between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2009. We collected data on the atmospheric pressure in this period from the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute in Pilsen. We did not find a significant difference in atmospheric pressure values between the days when the rupture occurred versus the other days (p atmospheric pressure during the 48 h preceding the rupture (Student's test p atmospheric pressure in that month. These findings suggest that atmospheric pressure and its changes do not affect the pathogenesis of AAA rupture.

Planar time-resolved PIV for velocity and pressure retrieval in atmospheric boundary layer over surface waves.

Science.gov (United States)

Troitskaya, Yuliya; Kandaurov, Alexander; Sergeev, Daniil; Bopp, Maximilian; Caulliez, Guillemette

2017-04-01

Air-sea coupling in general is important for weather, climate, fluxes. Wind wave source is crucially important for surface waves' modeling. But the wind-wave growth rate is strongly uncertain. Using direct measurements of pressure by wave-following Elliott probe [1] showed, weak and indefinite dependence of wind-wave growth rate on the wave steepness, while Grare et.al. [2] discuss the limitations of direct measurements of pressure associated with the inability to measure the pressure close to the surface by contact methods. Recently non-invasive methods for determining the pressure on the basis of technology of time-resolved PIV are actively developed [3]. Retrieving air flow velocities by 2D PIV techniques was started from Reul et al [4]. The first attempt for retrieving wind pressure field of waves in the laboratory tank from the time-resolved PIV measurements was done in [5]. The experiments were performed at the Large Air-Sea Interaction Facility (LASIF) - MIO/Luminy (length 40 m, cross section of air channel 3.2 x 1.6 m). For 18 regimes with wind speed up to 14 m/s including presence of puddle waves, a combination of time resolved PIV technique and optical measurements of water surface form was applied to detailed investigation of the characteristics of the wind flow over the water surface. Ammonium chloride smoke was used for flow visualization illuminated by two 6 Wt blue diode lasers combined into a vertical laser plane. Particle movement was captured with high-speed camera using Scheimpflug technique (up to 20 kHz frame rate with 4-frame bursts, spatial resolution about 190 μm, field of view 314x12 mm). Velocity air flow field was retrieved by PIV images processing with adaptive cross-correlation method on the curvilinear grid following surface wave form. The resulting time resolved instantaneous velocity fields on regular grid allowed us to obtain momentum fluxes directly from measured air velocity fluctuations. The average wind velocity patterns were

Global Validation of MODIS Atmospheric Profile-Derived Near-Surface Air Temperature and Dew Point Estimates

Science.gov (United States)

Famiglietti, C.; Fisher, J.; Halverson, G. H.

2017-12-01

This study validates a method of remote sensing near-surface meteorology that vertically interpolates MODIS atmospheric profiles to surface pressure level. The extraction of air temperature and dew point observations at a two-meter reference height from 2001 to 2014 yields global moderate- to fine-resolution near-surface temperature distributions that are compared to geographically and temporally corresponding measurements from 114 ground meteorological stations distributed worldwide. This analysis is the first robust, large-scale validation of the MODIS-derived near-surface air temperature and dew point estimates, both of which serve as key inputs in models of energy, water, and carbon exchange between the land surface and the atmosphere. Results show strong linear correlations between remotely sensed and in-situ near-surface air temperature measurements (R2 = 0.89), as well as between dew point observations (R2 = 0.77). Performance is relatively uniform across climate zones. The extension of mean climate-wise percent errors to the entire remote sensing dataset allows for the determination of MODIS air temperature and dew point uncertainties on a global scale.

Combined effects of γ-ray radiation and high atmospheric pressure on peripheral blood lymphocytes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Bingchai; Lu Jiaben; Wang Zongwu; Chen Tiehe

1989-01-01

The combined effects of γ-ray radiation and high atmospheric pressure on chromosome aberration, micronucleus and transformation frequency in peripheral blood lymphocytes have been studied. The results indicated that there were no significant influence for effects of high atmospheric pressure on chromosome aberrations, transformation frequency in peripheral blood lymphocytes induced γ-ray radiation, and that high atmospheric pressure increased effect of micronucleus in human peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro induced γ-ray radiation

Advective transport of CO2 in permeable media induced by atmospheric pressure fluctuations: 1. An analytical model

Science.gov (United States)

W. J. Massman

2006-01-01

Advective flows within soils and snowpacks caused by pressure fluctuations at the upper surface of either medium can significantly influence the exchange rate of many trace gases from the underlying substrate to the atmosphere. Given the importance of many of these trace gases in understanding biogeochemical cycling and global change, it is crucial to quantify (as much...

Reel-to-Reel Atmospheric Pressure Dielectric Barrier Discharge (DBD Plasma Treatment of Polypropylene Films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lukas JW Seidelmann

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Atmospheric pressure plasma treatment of the surface of a polypropylene film can significantly increase its surface energy and, thereby improve the printability of the film. A laboratory-scale dielectric barrier discharge (DBD system has therefore been developed, which simulates the electrode configuration and reel-to-reel web transport mechanism used in a typical industrial-scale system. By treating the polypropylene in a nitrogen discharge, we have shown that the water contact angle could be reduced by as much as 40° compared to the untreated film, corresponding to an increase in surface energy of 14 mNm−1. Ink pull-off tests showed that the DBD plasma treatment resulted in excellent adhesion of solvent-based inks to the polypropylene film.

Surface-atmosphere decoupling limits accumulation at Summit, Greenland.

Science.gov (United States)

Berkelhammer, Max; Noone, David C; Steen-Larsen, Hans Christian; Bailey, Adriana; Cox, Christopher J; O'Neill, Michael S; Schneider, David; Steffen, Konrad; White, James W C

2016-04-01

Despite rapid melting in the coastal regions of the Greenland Ice Sheet, a significant area (~40%) of the ice sheet rarely experiences surface melting. In these regions, the controls on annual accumulation are poorly constrained owing to surface conditions (for example, surface clouds, blowing snow, and surface inversions), which render moisture flux estimates from myriad approaches (that is, eddy covariance, remote sensing, and direct observations) highly uncertain. Accumulation is partially determined by the temperature dependence of saturation vapor pressure, which influences the maximum humidity of air parcels reaching the ice sheet interior. However, independent proxies for surface temperature and accumulation from ice cores show that the response of accumulation to temperature is variable and not generally consistent with a purely thermodynamic control. Using three years of stable water vapor isotope profiles from a high altitude site on the Greenland Ice Sheet, we show that as the boundary layer becomes increasingly stable, a decoupling between the ice sheet and atmosphere occurs. The limited interaction between the ice sheet surface and free tropospheric air reduces the capacity for surface condensation to achieve the rate set by the humidity of the air parcels reaching interior Greenland. The isolation of the surface also acts to recycle sublimated moisture by recondensing it onto fog particles, which returns the moisture back to the surface through gravitational settling. The observations highlight a unique mechanism by which ice sheet mass is conserved, which has implications for understanding both past and future changes in accumulation rate and the isotopic signal in ice cores from Greenland.

Runaway electron beam in atmospheric pressure discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oreshkin, E V; Barengolts, S A; Chaikovsky, S A; Oreshkin, V I

2015-01-01

A numerical simulation was performed to study the formation of a runaway electron (RAE) beam from an individual emission zone in atmospheric pressure air discharges with a highly overvolted interelectrode gap. It is shown that the formation of a RAE beam in discharges at high overvoltages is much contributed by avalanche processes. (paper)

Direct measurement of electron density in microdischarge at atmospheric pressure by Stark broadening

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong Lifang; Ran Junxia; Mao Zhiguo

2005-01-01

We present a method and results for measurement of electron density in atmospheric-pressure dielectric barrier discharge. The electron density of microdischarge in atmospheric pressure argon is measured by using the spectral line profile method. The asymmetrical deconvolution is used to obtain Stark broadening. The results show that the electron density in single filamentary microdischarge at atmospheric pressure argon is 3.05x10 15 cm -3 if the electron temperature is 10,000 K. The result is in good agreement with the simulation. The electron density in dielectric barrier discharge increases with the increase of applied voltage

Atmospheric Pressure and Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Rupture: Results From a Time Series Analysis and Case-Crossover Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Penning de Vries, Bas B L; Kolkert, Joé L P; Meerwaldt, Robbert; Groenwold, Rolf H H

2017-10-01

Associations between atmospheric pressure and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture risk have been reported, but empirical evidence is inconclusive and largely derived from studies that did not account for possible nonlinearity, seasonality, and confounding by temperature. Associations between atmospheric pressure and AAA rupture risk were investigated using local meteorological data and a case series of 358 patients admitted to hospital for ruptured AAA during the study period, January 2002 to December 2012. Two analyses were performed-a time series analysis and a case-crossover study. Results from the 2 analyses were similar; neither the time series analysis nor the case-crossover study showed a significant association between atmospheric pressure ( P = .627 and P = .625, respectively, for mean daily atmospheric pressure) or atmospheric pressure variation ( P = .464 and P = .816, respectively, for 24-hour change in mean daily atmospheric pressure) and AAA rupture risk. This study failed to support claims that atmospheric pressure causally affects AAA rupture risk. In interpreting our results, one should be aware that the range of atmospheric pressure observed in this study is not representative of the atmospheric pressure to which patients with AAA may be exposed, for example, during air travel or travel to high altitudes in the mountains. Making firm claims regarding these conditions in relation to AAA rupture risk is difficult at best. Furthermore, despite the fact that we used one of the largest case series to date to investigate the effect of atmospheric pressure on AAA rupture risk, it is possible that this study is simply too small to demonstrate a causal link.

Selection of suitable diagnostic techniques for an RF atmospheric pressure plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kong, M.G.; Deng, X.T.

2001-01-01

As an early report of our study, this paper summaries the RF atmospheric pressure plasma system we intend to characterize and a number of diagnostic techniques presently under assessment for our plasma rig. By discussing the advantages and disadvantages of these diagnostic techniques at this meeting, we hope to gain feedback and comments to improve our choice of appropriate diagnostic techniques as well as our subsequent application of these techniques to nonthermal RF atmospheric pressure plasmas

Effect of vesicle size on the prodan fluorescence in diheptadecanoylphosphatidylcholine bilayer membrane under atmospheric and high pressures.

Science.gov (United States)

Goto, Masaki; Sawaguchi, Hiroshi; Tamai, Nobutake; Matsuki, Hitoshi; Kaneshina, Shoji

2010-08-17

The bilayer phase behavior of diheptadecanoylphosphatidylcholine (C17PC) with different vesicle sizes (large multilamellar vesicle (LMV) and giant multilamellar vesicle (GMV)) was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy using a polarity-sensitive fluorescent probe Prodan under atmospheric and high pressures. The difference in phase transitions and thermodynamic quantities of the transition was hardly observed between LMV and GMV used here. On the contrary, the Prodan fluorescence in the bilayer membranes changed depending on the size of vesicles as well as on the phase states. From the second derivative of fluorescence spectra, the three-dimensional image plots in which we can see the location of Prodan in the bilayer membrane as blue valleys were constructed for LMV and GMV under atmospheric pressure. The following characteristic behavior was found: (1) the Prodan molecules in GMV can be distributed to not only adjacent glycerol backbone region, but also near bulk-water region in the lamellar gel or ripple gel phase; (2) the blue valleys of GMV became deeper than those of LMV because of the greater surface density of the Prodan molecules per unit area of GMV than LMV; (3) the liquid crystalline phase of the bilayer excludes the Prodan molecules to a more hydrophilic region at the membrane surface with an increase in vesicle size; (4) the accurate information as to the phase transitions is gradually lost with increasing vesicle size. Under the high-pressure condition, the difference in Prodan fluorescence between LMV and GMV was essentially the same as the difference under atmospheric pressure except for the existence of the pressure-induced interdigitated gel phase. Further, we found that Prodan fluorescence spectra in the interdigitated gel phase were especially affected by the size of vesicles. This study revealed that the Prodan molecules can move around the headgroup region by responding not only to the phase state but also to the vesicle size, and they

Prolonged silicon carbide integrated circuit operation in Venus surface atmospheric conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Philip G. Neudeck

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The prolonged operation of semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs needed for long-duration exploration of the surface of Venus has proven insurmountably challenging to date due to the ∼ 460 °C, ∼ 9.4 MPa caustic environment. Past and planned Venus landers have been limited to a few hours of surface operation, even when IC electronics needed for basic lander operation are protected with heavily cumbersome pressure vessels and cooling measures. Here we demonstrate vastly longer (weeks electrical operation of two silicon carbide (4H-SiC junction field effect transistor (JFET ring oscillator ICs tested with chips directly exposed (no cooling and no protective chip packaging to a high-fidelity physical and chemical reproduction of Venus’ surface atmosphere. This represents more than 100-fold extension of demonstrated Venus environment electronics durability. With further technology maturation, such SiC IC electronics could drastically improve Venus lander designs and mission concepts, fundamentally enabling long-duration enhanced missions to the surface of Venus.

Development of an Organosilicon-Based Superhydrophobic/Icephobic Surface Using an Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet =

Science.gov (United States)

Asadollahi, Siavash

During the past few decades, plasma-based surface treatment methods have gained a lot of interest in various applications such as thin film deposition, surface etching, surface activation and/or cleaning, etc. Generally, in plasma-based surface treatment methods, high-energy plasma-generated species are utilized to modify the surface structure or the chemical composition of a substrate. Unique physical and chemical characteristics of the plasma along with the high controllability of the process makes plasma treatment approaches very attractive in several industries. Plasma-based treatment methods are currently being used or investigated for a number of practical applications, such as adhesion promotion in auto industry, wound management and cancer treatment in biomedical industry, and coating development in aerospace industry. In this study, a two-step procedure is proposed for the development of superhydrophobic/icephobic coatings based on atmospheric-pressure plasma treatment of aluminum substrates using air and nitrogen plasma. The effects of plasma parameters on various surface properties are studied in order to identify the optimum conditions for maximum coating efficiency against icing and wetting. In the first step, the interactions between air or nitrogen plasma and the aluminum surface are studied. It is shown that by reducing jet-to-substrate distance, air plasma treatment, unlike nitrogen plasma treatment, is capable of creating micro-porous micro-roughened structures on the surface, some of which bear a significant resemblance to the features observed in laser ablation of metals with short and ultra-short laser pulses. The formation of such structures in plasma treatment is attributed to a transportation of energy from the jet to the surface over a very short period of time, in the range of picoseconds to microseconds. This energy transfer is shown to occur through a streamer discharge from the rotating arc source in the jet body to a close proximity of

The research about the time-effect of the wettability on the wool surface treated by the Ar plasma jet in the atmospheric pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Yu; Wang Shouguo

2009-01-01

A facility which is called atmospheric pressure and normal temperature plasma jet was introduced in this paper. After the wool surface was treated by this kind of facility with Ar in different irradiating times, the time-effect of the fabric wettability has been weakened, and if the parameters of the irradiating time and the voltage of the facility are appropriate, the time-effect of wettability can be effectively inhibited. With the stable wettability, the fabric can be dressed without PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) which can cause lager pollution in the textile field, so the method without the time-effect of the textile wettability will be useful in the field of clean textile production. Undoubtedly, the stable wettability of textile surface was caused by the stable hydrophilic molecules on the textile surface. Thus, the reaction process and results on the textile surface treated by plasma needs to be studied to optimize the parameters of the irradiating time and the voltage of the plasma jet. So the initial experimental studies on the optimization of the parameters of the plasma jet were discussed in this paper, and the authors believe that the method without the time-effect also can be used in other fields of plasma application.

A coupled surface/subsurface flow model accounting for air entrapment and air pressure counterflow

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Delfs, Jens Olaf; Wang, Wenqing; Kalbacher, Thomas

2013-01-01

wave) shallow flow and two-phase flow in a porous medium. The simultaneous mass transfer between the soil, overland, and atmosphere compartments is achieved by upgrading a fully established leakance concept for overland-soil liquid exchange to an air exchange flux between soil and atmosphere. In a new...... algorithm, leakances operate as a valve for gas pressure in a liquid-covered porous medium facilitating the simulation of air out-break events through the land surface. General criteria are stated to guarantee stability in a sequential iterative coupling algorithm and, in addition, for leakances to control...

Pluto's surface composition and atmosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Young, L. A.; Gladstone, R.; Summers, M. E.; Strobel, D. F.; Kammer, J.; Hinson, D. P.; Grundy, W. M.; Cruikshank, D. P.; Protopapa, S.; Schmitt, B.; Stern, A.; Weaver, H. A., Jr.; Olkin, C.; Ennico Smith, K.

2017-12-01

New Horizons studied Pluto's N2-dominated neutral atmosphere through radio (at 4.2 cm with the REX radio experiment), solar and stellar occultations and airglow (at 52-187 nm with the Alice ultraviolet spectrograph), and imaging (with the LORRI and MVIC visible-wavelength cameras). It studied the plasma environment and solar wind interaction with in situ instruments (PEPPSI and SWAP). Contemporaneous observations of Pluto's atmosphere from Earth included a ground-based stellar occultation and ALMA observations of gaseous CO and HCN. Joint analysis of these datasets reveal a variable boundary layer; a stable lower atmosphere; radiative heating and cooling; haze production and hydrocarbon chemistry; diffusive equilibrium; and slower-than-expected escape. New Horizons studied Pluto's surface composition with the LEISA near-infrared spectral imager from 1.25 to 2.5 micron. Additional compositional information at higher spatial resolution came from the MVIC 4-channel color imager, which included a channel centered at 0.89 micron specifically designed to detect solid CH4. These instruments allow mapping of the volatiles N2, CO, and CH4, the surface expression of the H2O bedrock, and the dark, reddish material presumed to be tholins. These observations reveal a large equatorial basin (informally named Sptunik Planitia), filled with N2 ice with minor amounts of CO and CH4, surrounded by hills of CH4 and H2O ice. Broadly speaking, composition outside of Sptunik Planitia follows latitudinal banding, with dark, mainly volatile free terrains near the equator, with N2, CO, and CH4 at mid-northern latitudes, and mainly CH4 at high northern latitudes. Deviations from these broad trends are seen, and point to complex surface-atmosphere interactions at diurnal, seasonal, perennial, and million-year timescales.

Cancer therapy using non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma with ultra-high electron density

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, Hiromasa; Mizuno, Masaaki; Toyokuni, Shinya; Maruyama, Shoichi; Kodera, Yasuhiro; Terasaki, Hiroko; Adachi, Tetsuo; Kato, Masashi; Kikkawa, Fumitaka; Hori, Masaru

2015-01-01

Cancer therapy using non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma is a big challenge in plasma medicine. Reactive species generated from plasma are key factors for treating cancer cells, and thus, non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma with high electron density has been developed and applied for cancer treatment. Various cancer cell lines have been treated with plasma, and non-thermal atmospheric plasma clearly has anti-tumor effects. Recent innovative studies suggest that plasma can both directly and indirectly affect cells and tissues, and this observation has widened the range of applications. Thus, cancer therapy using non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma is promising. Animal experiments and understanding the mode of action are essential for clinical application in the future. A new academic field that combines plasma science, the biology of free radicals, and systems biology will be established

Cancer therapy using non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma with ultra-high electron density

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tanaka, Hiromasa [Institute of Innovation for Future Society, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603 (Japan); Center for Advanced Medicine and Clinical Research, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsurumai-cho 65, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550 (Japan); Mizuno, Masaaki [Center for Advanced Medicine and Clinical Research, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsurumai-cho 65, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550 (Japan); Toyokuni, Shinya [Department of Pathology and Biological Responses, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsurumai-cho 65, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550 (Japan); Maruyama, Shoichi [Department of Nephrology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsurumai-cho 65, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550 (Japan); Kodera, Yasuhiro [Department of Gastroenterological Surgery (Surgery II), Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsurumai-cho 65, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550 (Japan); Terasaki, Hiroko [Department of Ophthalmology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsurumai-cho 65, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550 (Japan); Adachi, Tetsuo [Laboratory of Clinical Pharmaceutics, Gifu Pharmaceutical University, 501-1196 Gifu (Japan); Kato, Masashi [Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsurumai-cho 65, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550 (Japan); Kikkawa, Fumitaka [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsurumai-cho 65, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550 (Japan); Hori, Masaru [Institute of Innovation for Future Society, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8603 (Japan)

2015-12-15

Cancer therapy using non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma is a big challenge in plasma medicine. Reactive species generated from plasma are key factors for treating cancer cells, and thus, non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma with high electron density has been developed and applied for cancer treatment. Various cancer cell lines have been treated with plasma, and non-thermal atmospheric plasma clearly has anti-tumor effects. Recent innovative studies suggest that plasma can both directly and indirectly affect cells and tissues, and this observation has widened the range of applications. Thus, cancer therapy using non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma is promising. Animal experiments and understanding the mode of action are essential for clinical application in the future. A new academic field that combines plasma science, the biology of free radicals, and systems biology will be established.

Hydrocarbon analysis using desorption atmospheric pressure chemical ionization

KAUST Repository

Jjunju, Fred Paul Mark; Badu-Tawiah, Abraham K.; Li, Anyin; Soparawalla, Santosh; Roqan, Iman S.; Cooks, Robert Graham

2013-01-01

Characterization of the various petroleum constituents (hydronaphthalenes, thiophenes, alkyl substituted benzenes, pyridines, fluorenes, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) was achieved under ambient conditions without sample preparation by desorption atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (DAPCI). Conditions were chosen for the DAPCI experiments to control whether ionization was by proton or electron transfer. The protonated molecule [M+H]+ and the hydride abstracted [MH]+ form were observed when using an inert gas, typically nitrogen, to direct a lightly ionized plasma generated by corona discharge onto the sample surface in air. The abundant water cluster ions generated in this experiment react with condensed-phase functionalized hydrocarbon model compounds and their mixtures at or near the sample surface. On the other hand, when naphthalene was doped into the DAPCI gas stream, its radical cation served as a charge exchange reagent, yielding molecular radical cations (M+) of the hydrocarbons. This mode of sample ionization provided mass spectra with better signal/noise ratios and without unwanted side-products. It also extended the applicability of DAPCI to petroleum constituents which could not be analyzed through proton transfer (e.g., higher molecular PAHs such as chrysene). The thermochemistry governing the individual ionization processes is discussed and a desorption/ionization mechanism is inferred. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Hydrocarbon analysis using desorption atmospheric pressure chemical ionization

KAUST Repository

Jjunju, Fred Paul Mark

2013-07-01

Characterization of the various petroleum constituents (hydronaphthalenes, thiophenes, alkyl substituted benzenes, pyridines, fluorenes, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) was achieved under ambient conditions without sample preparation by desorption atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (DAPCI). Conditions were chosen for the DAPCI experiments to control whether ionization was by proton or electron transfer. The protonated molecule [M+H]+ and the hydride abstracted [MH]+ form were observed when using an inert gas, typically nitrogen, to direct a lightly ionized plasma generated by corona discharge onto the sample surface in air. The abundant water cluster ions generated in this experiment react with condensed-phase functionalized hydrocarbon model compounds and their mixtures at or near the sample surface. On the other hand, when naphthalene was doped into the DAPCI gas stream, its radical cation served as a charge exchange reagent, yielding molecular radical cations (M+) of the hydrocarbons. This mode of sample ionization provided mass spectra with better signal/noise ratios and without unwanted side-products. It also extended the applicability of DAPCI to petroleum constituents which could not be analyzed through proton transfer (e.g., higher molecular PAHs such as chrysene). The thermochemistry governing the individual ionization processes is discussed and a desorption/ionization mechanism is inferred. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Non-Thermal Sanitation By Atmospheric Pressure Plasma, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — ORBITEC proposes to develop a non-thermal technology based on atmospheric-pressure (AP) cold plasma to sanitize foods, food packaging materials, and other hardware...

Radioisotope Stirling Engine Powered Airship for Atmospheric and Surface Exploration of Titan

Science.gov (United States)

Colozza, Anthony J.; Cataldo, Robert L.

2014-01-01

The feasibility of an advanced Stirling radioisotope generator (ASRG) powered airship for the near surface exploration of Titan was evaluated. The analysis did not consider the complete mission only the operation of the airship within the atmosphere of Titan. The baseline airship utilized two ASRG systems with a total of four general-purpose heat source (GPHS) blocks. Hydrogen gas was used to provide lift. The ASRG systems, airship electronics and controls and the science payload were contained in a payload enclosure. This enclosure was separated into two sections, one for the ASRG systems and the other for the electronics and payload. Each section operated at atmospheric pressure but at different temperatures. The propulsion system consisted of an electric motor driving a propeller. An analysis was set up to size the airship that could operate near the surface of Titan based on the available power from the ASRGs. The atmospheric conditions on Titan were modeled and used in the analysis. The analysis was an iterative process between sizing the airship to carry a specified payload and the power required to operate the electronics, payload and cooling system as well as provide power to the propulsion system to overcome the drag on the airship. A baseline configuration was determined that could meet the power requirements and operate near the Titan surface. From this baseline design additional trades were made to see how other factors affected the design such as the flight altitude and payload mass and volume.

Charge Exchange Reaction in Dopant-Assisted Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization and Atmospheric Pressure Photoionization.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaikkinen, Anu; Kauppila, Tiina J; Kostiainen, Risto

2016-08-01

The efficiencies of charge exchange reaction in dopant-assisted atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (DA-APCI) and dopant-assisted atmospheric pressure photoionization (DA-APPI) mass spectrometry (MS) were compared by flow injection analysis. Fourteen individual compounds and a commercial mixture of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were chosen as model analytes to cover a wide range of polarities, gas-phase ionization energies, and proton affinities. Chlorobenzene was used as the dopant, and methanol/water (80/20) as the solvent. In both techniques, analytes formed the same ions (radical cations, protonated molecules, and/or fragments). However, in DA-APCI, the relative efficiency of charge exchange versus proton transfer was lower than in DA-APPI. This is suggested to be because in DA-APCI both dopant and solvent clusters can be ionized, and the formed reagent ions can react with the analytes via competing charge exchange and proton transfer reactions. In DA-APPI, on the other hand, the main reagents are dopant-derived radical cations, which favor ionization of analytes via charge exchange. The efficiency of charge exchange in both DA-APPI and DA-APCI was shown to depend heavily on the solvent flow rate, with best efficiency seen at lowest flow rates studied (0.05 and 0.1 mL/min). Both DA-APCI and DA-APPI showed the radical cation of chlorobenzene at 0.05-0.1 mL/min flow rate, but at increasing flow rate, the abundance of chlorobenzene M(+.) decreased and reagent ion populations deriving from different gas-phase chemistry were recorded. The formation of these reagent ions explains the decreasing ionization efficiency and the differences in charge exchange between the techniques. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

Synthesis and atmospheric pressure field emission operation of W18O49 nanowires

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Agiral, A.; Gardeniers, Johannes G.E.

2008-01-01

Tungsten oxide W18O49 nanorods with diameters of 15−20 nm were grown on tungsten thin films exposed to ethene and nitrogen at 700 °C at atmospheric pressure. It was found that tungsten carbide formation enhances nucleation and growth of nanorods. Atmospheric pressure field emission measurements in

Pressure and Humidity Measurements at the MSL Landing Site Supported by Modeling of the Atmospheric Conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Harri, A.; Savijarvi, H. I.; Schmidt, W.; Genzer, M.; Paton, M.; Kauhanen, J.; Atlaskin, E.; Polkko, J.; Kahanpaa, H.; Kemppinen, O.; Haukka, H.

2012-12-01

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) called Curiosity Rover landed safely on the Martian surface at the Gale crater on 6th August 2012. Among the MSL scientific objectives are investigations of the Martian environment that will be addressed by the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) instrument. It will investigate habitability conditions at the Martian surface by performing a versatile set of environmental measurements including accurate observations of pressure and humidity of the Martian atmosphere. This paper describes the instrumental implementation of the MSL pressure and humidity measurement devices and briefly analyzes the atmospheric conditions at the Gale crater by modeling efforts using an atmospheric modeling tools. MSL humidity and pressure devices are based on proprietary technology of Vaisala, Inc. Humidity observations make use of Vaisala Humicap® relative humidity sensor heads and Vaisala Barocap® sensor heads are used for pressure observations. Vaisala Thermocap® temperature sensors heads are mounted in a close proximity of Humicap® and Barocap® sensor heads to enable accurate temperature measurements needed for interpretation of Humicap® and Barocap® readings. The sensor heads are capacitive. The pressure and humidity devices are lightweight and are based on a low-power transducer controlled by a dedicated ASIC. The transducer is designed to measure small capacitances in order of a few pF with resolution in order of 0.1fF (femtoFarad). The transducer design has a good spaceflight heritage, as it has been used in several previous missions, for example Mars mission Phoenix as well as the Cassini Huygens mission. The humidity device has overall dimensions of 40 x 25 x 55 mm. It weighs18 g, and consumes 15 mW of power. It includes 3 Humicap® sensor heads and 1 Thermocap®. The transducer electronics and the sensor heads are placed on a single multi-layer PCB protected by a metallic Faraday cage. The Humidity device has measurement range

Relating landfill gas emissions to atmospheric pressure using numerical modeling and state-space analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, T.G.; Christophersen, Mette; Moldrup, P.

2003-01-01

were applied: (I) State-space analysis was used to identify relations between gas flux and short-term (hourly) variations in atmospheric pressure. (II) A numerical gas transport model was fitted to the data and used to quantify short-term impacts of variations in atmospheric pressure, volumetric soil......-water content, soil gas permeability, soil gas diffusion coefficients, and biological CH4 degradation rate upon landfill gas concentration and fluxes in the soil. Fluxes and concentrations were found to be most sensitive to variations in volumetric soil water content, atmospheric pressure variations and gas...... permeability whereas variations in CH4 oxidation rate and molecular coefficients had less influence. Fluxes appeared to be most sensitive to atmospheric pressure at intermediate distances from the landfill edge. Also overall CH4 fluxes out of the soil over longer periods (years) were largest during periods...

Support surfaces for pressure ulcer prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

McInnes, Elizabeth; Jammali-Blasi, Asmara; Bell-Syer, Sally E M; Dumville, Jo C; Middleton, Victoria; Cullum, Nicky

2015-09-03

Pressure ulcers (i.e. bedsores, pressure sores, pressure injuries, decubitus ulcers) are areas of localised damage to the skin and underlying tissue. They are common in the elderly and immobile, and costly in financial and human terms. Pressure-relieving support surfaces (i.e. beds, mattresses, seat cushions etc) are used to help prevent ulcer development. This systematic review seeks to establish:(1) the extent to which pressure-relieving support surfaces reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers compared with standard support surfaces, and,(2) their comparative effectiveness in ulcer prevention. In April 2015, for this fourth update we searched The Cochrane Wounds Group Specialised Register (searched 15 April 2015) which includes the results of regular searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL and The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2015, Issue 3). Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-randomised trials, published or unpublished, that assessed the effects of any support surface for prevention of pressure ulcers, in any patient group or setting which measured pressure ulcer incidence. Trials reporting only proxy outcomes (e.g. interface pressure) were excluded. Two review authors independently selected trials. Data were extracted by one review author and checked by another. Where appropriate, estimates from similar trials were pooled for meta-analysis. For this fourth update six new trials were included, bringing the total of included trials to 59.Foam alternatives to standard hospital foam mattresses reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers in people at risk (RR 0.40 95% CI 0.21 to 0.74). The relative merits of alternating- and constant low-pressure devices are unclear. One high-quality trial suggested that alternating-pressure mattresses may be more cost effective than alternating-pressure overlays in a UK context.Pressure-relieving overlays on the operating table reduce postoperative pressure ulcer incidence

Inter-annual variabilities in biogeophysical feedback of terrestrial ecosystem to atmosphere using a land surface model

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, C.; Hong, S.; Jeong, H. M.; Jeon, J.

2017-12-01

Biogeophysical processes of terrestrial ecosystem such as water vapor and energy flux are the key features to understand ecological feedback to atmospheric processes and thus role of terrestrial ecosystem in climate system. For example, it has been recently known that the ecological feedback through water vapor and energy flux results in regulating regional weathers and climates which is one of the fundamental functions of terrestrial ecosystem. In regional scale, water vapor flux has been known to give negative feedback to atmospheric warming, while energy flux from the surface has been known to positive feedback. In this study, we explored the inter-annual variabilities in these two biogeophysical features to see how the climate regulating functions of terrestrial ecosystem have been changed with climate change. We selected a land surface model involving vegetation dynamics that is forced by atmospheric data from NASA including precipitation, temperature, wind, surface pressure, humidity, and incoming radiations. From the land surface model, we simulated 60-year water vapor and energy fluxes from 1961 to 2010, and calculates feedbacks of terrestrial ecosystem as in radiation amount into atmosphere. Then, we analyzed the inter-annual variabilities in the feedbacks. The results showed that some mid-latitude areas showing very high variabilities in precipitation showed higher positive feedback and/or lower negative feedback. These results suggest deterioration of the biogeophyisical factor of climate regulating function over those regions.

Research of Infrared Imaging at Atmospheric Pressure Using a Substrate-Free Focal Plane Array

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Jian-Xiong; Cheng Teng; Zhang Qing-Chuan; Zhang Yong; Mao Liang; Gao Jie; Wu Xiao-Ping; Chen Da-Peng

2013-01-01

An equivalent circuit model to the substrate-free focal plane array (FPA) is established. Using this fast and effective model, the performance of infrared (IR) imaging at atmospheric pressure is investigated and it is found that the substrate-free FPA has the ability of IR imaging at atmospheric pressure, whereas it has a slightly degraded noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD) as compared with IR imaging under a high vacuum. This feature is also identified experimentally by a substrate-free FPA with pixel size of 50 × 50 μm 2 . The NETDs are measured to be 160 mK at 10 −2 Pa pressure and 1.08 K at atmospheric pressure

Source of temperature and pressure pulsations during sessile droplet evaporation into multicomponent atmospheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Persad, Aaron H; Sefiane, Khellil; Ward, Charles A

2013-10-29

During sessile droplet evaporation, studies with IR thermography and shadowgraphs have indicated temperature pulsations. We confirm those observations with microthermocouples, but microthermocouples also indicate temperature pulsations in the atmosphere of the droplet. The pressure in this atmosphere pulsated as well and was correlated with the temperature pulsations in the droplet. Also, we find that if a droplet evaporates into its own vapor, there are no temperature or pressure pulsations. The pulsations occur only if the droplet evaporates into an atmosphere with a component having a heat of solution with the droplet when it adsorbs-absorbs. None of the currently proposed mechanisms for the temperature pulsations provide an explanation for the coupling between the temperature pulsations in the droplet and the vapor-phase pressure pulsations, and for the absence of the pulsations when the system is single-component. As a mechanism for the pulsations, we propose that when a droplet is exposed to an atmosphere containing a component that has a heat of solution with the droplet, energy will be released from adsorption-absorption. This energy will cause pulsations in the evaporation flux, and these pulsations could cause the observed temperature and pressure pulsations. We examine this mechanism by showing that, if the measured temperature pulsations in a water droplet exposed to a methanol atmosphere are used as the input to a theory of evaporation kinetics (statistical rate theory), the pressure pulsations of the water vapor in the methanol atmosphere are predicted and agree with those measured with a quadrupole mass analyzer. When the inputs and outputs are reversed in the theory, we find that the temperature pulsations in the droplet are correctly predicted from the measured water vapor pulsations in the atmosphere.

Basic principles and applications of atmospheric-pressure discharge plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, K.H.

2002-01-01

The principles that govern the generation and maintenance of atmospheric - pressure discharge plasmas are summarized. The properties and operating parameters of various types such as dielectric barrier discharge plasmas (DBDs), corona discharge plasmas (CDs), microhollow cathode discharge plasmas (MHCDs) , and dielectric capillary electrode discharge plasmas (CDEDs) are introduced. All of them are self sustained, non equilibrium gas discharges that can be operated at atmospheric pressure. CDs and DBDDs represent very similar types of discharges, while DBDs are characterized by insulating layers on one or both electrodes, CDs depend on inhomogeneous electric fields at least in some parts of the electrode configuration to restrict the primary ionization processes to a small fraction of the inter - electrode region. Their application to novel light sources in the ultraviolet (UV) and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectral region is described. (nevyjel)

Generation of high-power-density atmospheric pressure plasma with liquid electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong Lifang; Mao Zhiguo; Yin Zengqian; Ran Junxia

2004-01-01

We present a method for generating atmospheric pressure plasma using a dielectric barrier discharge reactor with two liquid electrodes. Four distinct kinds of discharge, including stochastic filaments, regular square pattern, glow-like discharge, and Turing stripe pattern, are observed in argon with a flow rate of 9 slm. The electrical and optical characteristics of the device are investigated. Results show that high-power-density atmospheric pressure plasma with high duty ratio in space and time can be obtained. The influence of wall charges on discharge power and duty ratio has been discussed

Fabrication of PDMS through-holes using the MIMIC method and the surface treatment by atmospheric-pressure CH4/He RF plasma

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Jongchan; Lee, Kyeong-Hwan; Yang, Sung

2011-09-01

This note presents a simple fabrication process for patterning micro through-holes in a PDMS layer by a combination of the micromolding in capillaries (MIMIC) method and the surface treatment by atmospheric-pressure CH4/He RF plasma. The fabrication process is confirmed by forming micro through-holes with various shapes including circle, C-shape, open microfluidic channel and hemisphere. All micro through-holes of various shapes in a wide range of diameters and heights are well fabricated by the proposed method. Also, a 3D micromixer containing a PDMS micro through-hole layer formed by the proposed method is built and its performance is tested as another practical demonstration of the proposed fabrication method. Therefore, we believe that the proposed fabrication process will build a PDMS micro through-hole layer in a simple and easy way and will contribute to developing highly efficient multi-layered microfluidic systems, which may require PDMS micro through-hole layers.

Collaborative Research: Atmospheric Pressure Plasma-Biomaterial Surface Interactions - Bridging Understanding of APP Sources to Rational Modification of Biomolecules

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Graves, David Barry [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

2017-11-24

The overriding objective of this work is to bridge the gap between understanding of atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) sources and predictive chemical modifications of biomolecules. A key aspect of this problem is to understand what oxidizing species are created in water adjacent to APP jets that would ultimately affect aqueous biomolecules. We report the production of highly oxidative species in solutions exposed to a self-pulsed corona discharge in air. We examine how the properties of the target solution (pH, conductivity) and the discharge power affect the discharge stability and the production of H2O2. Indigo carmine, a common organic dye, is used as an indicator of oxidative strength and in particular, hydroxyl radical (OH•) production. The observed rate of indigo oxidation in contact with the discharge far exceeds that predicted from reactions based on concentrations of species measured in the bulk solution. The generation of H2O2 and the oxidation of indigo carmine indicate a high concentration of highly oxidizing species such as OH• at the plasma-liquid interface. These results indicate that reactions at the air plasma-liquid interface play a dominant role in species oxidation during direct non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma (NE-APP) treatment.

Surface interactions in a cold plasma atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inspector, A.

1981-10-01

The formation of pyrocoating on conmercial grade graphite in a cold plasma atmosphere of argon and propylene mixtures was investigated. The experiments were performed in an evacuated glass tube at low pressure ( 6 Hz), and in some experiments by micro-wave frequency irradiation (2.45x10 6 Hz) through an external antenna that was located around the middle of the tube. The research was performed in four complementary directions: (a) Characterization of the plasma. The effect of various experimental parameters on the composition of the plasma was investigated; the density of the positive ions; the temperature of the electrons. The following parameters were investigated: the concentration of the hydrocarbon in the feed mixture; the total gas pressure in the tube; the induced power; the location of the sampling position in relation to the location of the antenna and the direction of the gas flow. (b) Measurements of the deposition rate as a function of the concentration of the propylene in the feed mixture and of the total gas pressure in the tube. (c) Characterization of the coating. The characterization included structure and morphology analysis, and measurements of microporosity, composition, optical anisotropy and density. (d) Development of a theoretical model of the deposition process which is based on the plasma-surface interactions, and relates the characteristics of the plasma to those of the deposited coating. The values for the composition of the coating and its rate of deposition that were calculated using the model agree well with those that were measured experimentally

Germination and growth of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) at low atmospheric pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Spanarkel, Robert; Drew, Malcolm C.

2002-01-01

The response of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Waldmann's Green) to low atmospheric pressure was examined during the initial 5 days of germination and emergence, and also during subsequent growth to vegetative maturity at 30 days. Growth took place inside a 66-l-volume low pressure chamber maintained at 70 kPa, and plant response was compared to that of plants in a second, matching chamber that was at ambient pressure (approximately 101 kPa) as a control. In other experiments, to determine short-term effects of low pressure transients, plants were grown at ambient pressure until maturity and then subjected to alternating periods of 24 h of low and ambient atmospheric pressures. In all treatments the partial pressure of O2 was maintained at 21 kPa (approximately the partial pressure in air at normal pressure), and the partial pressure of CO2 was in the range 66.5-73.5 Pa (about twice that in normal air) in both chambers, with the addition of CO2 during the light phase. With continuous exposure to low pressure, shoot and root growth was at least as rapid as at ambient pressure, with an overall trend towards slightly greater performance at the lower pressure. Dark respiration rates were greater at low pressure. Transient periods at low pressure decreased transpiration and increased dark respiration but only during the period of exposure to low pressure. We conclude that long-term or short-term exposure to subambient pressure (70 kPa) was without detectable detriment to vegetative growth and development.

Decontamination of a rotating cutting tool during operation by means of atmospheric pressure plasmas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leipold, Frank; Kusano, Yukihiro; Hansen, F.

2010-01-01

, is used for the experiments. A rotating knife was inoculated with L. innocua. The surface of the rotating knife was partly exposed to an atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge operated in air, where the knife itself served as a ground electrode. The rotation of the knife ensures a treatment...... of the whole cutting tool. A log 5 reduction of L. innocua is obtained after 340 s of plasma operation. The temperature of the knife after treatment was found to be below 30 °C. The design of the setup allows a decontamination during slicing operation....

A new humane method of stunning broilers using low atmospheric pressure

Science.gov (United States)

This research project evaluated an alternative method of controlled atmosphere stunning of commercial broilers to induce anoxia utilizing a vacuum pump to reduce the oxygen tension, low atmospheric pressure stun (LAPS). A custom built 2 cage-module system (holding a total of 600 broilers each) with...

Surface modification of biphasic calcium phosphate scaffolds by non-thermal atmospheric pressure nitrogen and air plasma treatment for improving osteoblast attachment and proliferation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Yu-Ri; Kwon, Jae-Sung; Song, Doo-Hoon; Choi, Eun Ha; Lee, Yong-Keun; Kim, Kyoung-Nam; Kim, Kwang-Mahn

2013-01-01

Surface modifications induced by non-thermal plasma have been used extensively in biomedical applications. The attachment and proliferation of osteoblast cells are important in bone tissue engineering using scaffolds. Hence the effect of non-thermal plasma on hydroxyapatite/β-tri-calcium phosphate (HA/β-TCP) scaffolds in terms of improving osteoblast attachment and proliferation was investigated. Experimental groups were treated with non-thermal plasma for 10 min and 20 min and a control group was not treated with non-thermal plasma. For surface chemistry analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis was carried out. The hydrophilicity was determined from contact angle measurement on the surface. Atomic force microscopy analysis (AFM) was used to test the change in surface roughness and cell attachment and proliferation were evaluated using MC3T3-E1 osteoblast cells. XPS spectra revealed a decreased amount of carbon on the surface of the plasma-treated sample. The contact angle was also decreased following plasma treatment, indicating improved hydrophilicity of plasma-treated surfaces compared to the untreated disc. A significant increase in MC3T3E-1 cell attachment and proliferation was noted on plasma-treated samples as compared to untreated specimens. The results suggest that non-thermal atmospheric pressure nitrogen and air plasma treatments provide beneficial surface characteristics on HA/β-TCP scaffolds. - Highlights: ► Non-thermal plasma increased OH- and decreased C on biphasic scaffold. ► Non-thermal plasma had no effect on surface roughness. ► Non-thermal plasma resulted in hydrophilic surface. ► Non-thermal plasma resulted in better cell attachment and proliferation. ► Non-thermal plasma treatment on biphasic scaffold is useful for tissue engineering

Keratinocytes at the uppermost layer of epidermis might act as sensors of atmospheric pressure change.

Science.gov (United States)

Denda, Mitsuhiro

2016-01-01

It has long been suggested that climate, especially atmospheric pressure change, can cause health problems ranging from migraine to myocardial infarction. Here, I hypothesize that the sensory system of epidermal keratinocytes mediates the influence of atmospheric pressure change on the human physiological condition. We previously demonstrated that even subtle changes of atmospheric pressure (5-20 hPa) induce elevation of intracellular calcium level in cultured human keratinocytes (excitation of keratinocytes). It is also established that communication occurs between epidermal keratinocytes and peripheral nerve systems. Moreover, various neurotransmitters and hormones that influence multiple systems (nervous, cardiovascular, endocrine, and immune systems) are generated and released from epidermal keratinocytes in response to various external stimuli. Thus, I suggest that pathophysiological phenomena induced by atmospheric pressure changes might be triggered by epidermal keratinocytes.

Surface modification of electrospun PVA/chitosan nanofibers by dielectric barrier discharge plasma at atmospheric pressure and studies of their mechanical properties and biocompatibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Das, Punamshree; Ojah, Namita; Kandimalla, Raghuram; Mohan, Kiranjyoti; Gogoi, Dolly; Dolui, Swapan Kumar; Choudhury, Arup Jyoti

2018-03-22

In this paper, surface of electrospun PVA/Cs nanofibers is modified using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma and the relationship between the observed mechanical properties and biocompatibility of the nanofibers and plasma-induced surface properties is discussed. Plasma treatment of electrospun PVA/Cs nanofibers is carried out with both inert (argon, Ar) and reactive (oxygen, O 2 ) gases at atmospheric pressure. Incorporation of oxygen-containing polar functional groups on the surface of Ar-plasma treated (PVA/Cs/Ar) and O 2 -plasma treated (PVA/Cs/O 2 ) nanofibers and increase in surface roughness contribute to the improvement of surface wettability and the decrease of contact angle with water of the nanofibers. Both PVA/Cs/Ar and PVA/Cs/O 2 nanofibers show high tensile strength (11.6-15.6%) and Young's modulus (33.8-37.3%) as compared to the untreated one. Experimental results show that in terms of haemolytic activity the PVA/Cs/Ar and PVA/Cs/O 2 nanofibers do not cause structural changes of blood cells and meet the biocompatibility requirements for blood-contacting polymeric materials. MTT cell viability results further reveals improvement in biocompatibility of PVA/Cs nanofibers after Ar and O 2 plasma treatment. The results suggest that DBD plasma treated electrospun PVA/Cs nanofibers have the potential to be used as wound dressing and scaffolds for tissue engineering. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exploring the polymerization of bioactive nano-cones on the inner surface of an organic tube by an atmospheric pressure pulsed micro-plasma jet

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, H. M.; Yu, J. S.; Chen, G. L.; Qiu, X. P.; Hu, W.; Chen, W. X.; Bai, H. Y.

2015-12-01

In this paper, the successful deposition of acrylic acid polymer (PAA) nano-cones on the inner surface of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tube using an atmospheric pressure pulsed plasma jet (APPJ) with acrylic acid (AA) monomer is presented. Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) measurements indicated that various reactive radicals, such as rad OH and rad O, existed in the plasma jet. Moreover, the pulsed current proportionally increased with the increase in the applied voltage. The strengthened stretching vibration of the carbonyl group (Cdbnd O) at 1700 cm-1, shown in the ATR-FTIR spectra, clearly indicated that the PAA was deposited on the PVC surface. The maximum height of the PAA nano-cones deposited by this method ranged from 150 to 200 nm. FTIR and XPS results confirmed the enhanced exposure of the carboxyl groups on the modified PVC surface, which was considered highly beneficial for successfully immobilizing a high density of biomolecules. The XPS data showed that the carbon ratios of the Csbnd OH/R and COOH/R groups increased from 7.03% and 2.6% to 18.69% and 6.81%, respectively (more than doubled) when an Ar/O2 plasma with AA monomer was applied to treat the inner surface of the PVC tube. Moreover, the enhanced attachment density of MC3T3-E1 bone cells was observed on the PVC inner surface coated with PAA nano-cones.

Achieving uniform layer deposition by atmospheric-pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Jae-Ok [Department of Plasma Engineering, Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM), Daejeon 305-343 (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Woo Seok, E-mail: kang@kimm.re.kr [Department of Plasma Engineering, Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM), Daejeon 305-343 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Environment & Energy Mechanical Engineering, University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of); Hur, Min; Lee, Jin Young [Department of Plasma Engineering, Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM), Daejeon 305-343 (Korea, Republic of); Song, Young-Hoon [Department of Plasma Engineering, Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM), Daejeon 305-343 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Environment & Energy Mechanical Engineering, University of Science & Technology (UST), Daejeon 305-350 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-12-31

This work investigates the use of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition under atmospheric pressure for achieving uniform layer formation. Electrical and optical measurements demonstrated that the counterbalance between oxygen and precursors maintained the homogeneous discharge mode, while creating intermediate species for layer deposition. Several steps of the deposition process of the layers, which were processed on a stationary stage, were affected by flow stream and precursor depletion. This study showed that by changing the flow streamlines using substrate stage motion uniform layer deposition under atmospheric pressure can be achieved. - Highlights: • Zirconium oxide was deposited by atmospheric-pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. • Homogeneous plasma was maintained by counterbalancing between discharge gas and precursors. • Several deposition steps were observed affected by the gas flow stream and precursor depletion. • Thin film layer was uniformly grown when the substrate underwent a sweeping motion.

Noble Gas Surface Flux Simulations And Atmospheric Transport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carrigan, Charles R. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Sun, Yunwei [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Simpson, Matthew D. [Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

2017-09-30

Signatures from underground nuclear explosions or UNEs are strongly influenced by the containment regime surrounding them. The degree of gas leakage from the detonation cavity to the surface obviously affects the magnitude of surface fluxes of radioxenon that might be detected during the course of a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty On-Site Inspection. In turn, the magnitude of surface fluxes will influence the downwind detectability of the radioxenon atmospheric signature from the event. Less obvious is the influence that leakage rates have on the evolution of radioxenon isotopes in the cavity or the downwind radioisotopic measurements that might be made. The objective of this letter report is to summarize our attempt to better understand how containment conditions affect both the detection and interpretation of radioxenon signatures obtained from sampling at the ground surface near an event as well as at greater distances in the atmosphere. In the discussion that follows, we make no attempt to consider other sources of radioactive noble gases such as natural backgrounds or atmospheric contamination and, for simplicity, only focus on detonation-produced radioxenon gases. Summarizing our simulations, they show that the decay of radioxenon isotopes (e.g., Xe-133, Xe-131m, Xe-133m and Xe-135) and their migration to the surface following a UNE means that the possibility of detecting these gases exists within a window of opportunity. In some cases, seeps or venting of detonation gases may allow significant quantities to reach the surface and be released into the atmosphere immediately following a UNE. In other release scenarios – the ones we consider here – hours to days may be required for gases to reach the surface at detectable levels. These release models are most likely more characteristic of “fully contained” events that lack prompt venting, but which still leak gas slowly across the surface for periods of months.

The Outsized Influence of a Primordial Lunar Atmosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Saxena, Prabal; Elkins-Tanton, Linda T.; Petro, Noah; Mandell, Avi

2016-10-01

Immediately following formation of the moon, its surface was subject to radiative influences from the Lunar Magma Ocean, an early Earth that radiated like a mid type M Dwarf Star, and the early Sun. These contributions have been hypothesized to have produced a vapor pressure atmosphere on the Moon. We model the early atmosphere of the Moon using an atmospheric model originally developed for Io. We also use a magma ocean crystallization model that finds that heating from the early Earth delays crystallization of the Lunar Magma Ocean and contributes to a moderate pressure and collapsing metal-dominated atmosphere on the earthside of the Moon until lid formation. The atmosphere is characterized by maximum pressures ~1 bar and strong horizontal supersonic winds that decreased as the Moon's orbital separation increased. Crustal and other compositional asymmetries may have been influenced by this atmosphere. The atmosphere transported significant amounts of mass horizontally and may have been a source for present day depletions and heterogeneities of moderately volatile elements on the lunar surface.

Stimulation of wound healing by helium atmospheric pressure plasma treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nastuta, Andrei Vasile; Topala, Ionut; Pohoata, Valentin; Popa, Gheorghe; Grigoras, Constantin

2011-01-01

New experiments using atmospheric pressure plasma have found large application in treatment of living cells or tissues, wound healing, cancerous cell apoptosis, blood coagulation on wounds, bone tissue modification, sterilization and decontamination. In this study an atmospheric pressure plasma jet generated using a cylindrical dielectric-barrier discharge was applied for treatment of burned wounds on Wistar rats' skin. The low temperature plasma jet works in helium and is driven by high voltage pulses. Oxygen and nitrogen based impurities are identified in the jet by emission spectroscopy. This paper analyses the natural epithelization of the rats' skin wounds and two methods of assisted epithelization, a classical one using polyurethane wound dressing and a new one using daily atmospheric pressure plasma treatment of wounds. Systemic and local medical data, such as haematological, biochemical and histological parameters, were monitored during entire period of study. Increased oxidative stress was observed for plasma treated wound. This result can be related to the presence in the plasma volume of active species, such as O and OH radicals. Both methods, wound dressing and plasma-assisted epithelization, provided positive medical results related to the recovery process of burned wounds. The dynamics of the skin regeneration process was modified: the epidermis re-epitelization was accelerated, while the recovery of superficial dermis was slowed down.

Atmospheric Pressure Variation is a Delayed Trigger for Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Science.gov (United States)

van Donkelaar, Carlina E; Potgieser, Adriaan R E; Groen, Henk; Foumani, Mahrouz; Abdulrahman, Herrer; Sluijter, Rob; van Dijk, J Marc C; Groen, Rob J M

2018-04-01

There is an ongoing search for conditions that induce spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The seasonal pattern of SAH is shown in a large meta-analysis of the literature, but its explanation remains undecided. There is a clear need for sound meteorologic data to further elucidate the seasonal influence on SAH. Because of the stable and densely monitored atmospheric situation in the north of the Netherlands, we reviewed our unique cohort on the seasonal incidence of SAH and the association between SAH and local atmospheric changes. Our observational cohort study included 1535 patients with spontaneous SAH admitted to our neurovascular center in the north of the Netherlands between 2000 and 2015. Meteorologic data could be linked to the day of the ictus. To compare SAH incidences over the year and to test the association with meteorologic conditions, incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used, calculated by Poisson regression analyses. Atmospheric pressure variations were significantly associated with aneurysmal SAH. In particular, the pressure change on the second and third day before the ictus was independently correlated to a higher incidence of aneurysmal SAH (IRR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.00-1.23). The IRR for aneurysmal SAH in July was calculated 0.67 (95% CI, 0.49-0.92) after adjustment for temperature and atmospheric pressure changes. Atmospheric pressure variations are a delayed trigger for aneurysmal SAH. Also, a significantly decreased incidence of aneurysmal SAH was noted in July. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pluto's atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elliot, J.L.; Dunham, E.W.; Bosh, A.S.; Slivan, S.M.; Young, L.A.

1989-01-01

Airborne CCD photometer observations of Pluto's June 9, 1988 stellar occultation have yielded an occultation lightcurve, probing two regions on the sunrise limb 2000 km apart, which reveals an upper atmosphere overlying an extinction layer with an abrupt upper boundary. The extinction layer may surround the entire planet. Attention is given to a model atmosphere whose occultation lightcurve closely duplicates observations; fits of the model to the immersion and emersion lightcurves exhibit no significant derived atmosphere-structure differences. Assuming a pure methane atmosphere, surface pressures of the order of 3 microbars are consistent with the occultation data. 43 references

Quantitative analysis of chromium concentration in nickel based alloys by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy at atmospheric pressure using a nanosecond ultraviolet Nd:YAG laser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, G.P.; Suri, B.M.; Verma, A.; Sundararaman, M.; Unnikrishnan, V.K.; Alti, K.; Kartha, V.B.; Santhosh, C.

2010-01-01

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been well recognized as a simple, fast and direct analytical technique of elemental analysis of multi-element materials by a number of research groups all over the world. It is based on the focusing of a high-power pulsed laser beam with a power density > 100 MW/cm 2 onto a sample surface followed by optical emission spectroscopy of the plasma produced over the surface. In the present work, they have carried out the quantitative analysis of chromium in nickel-based-alloys using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) in air at atmospheric pressure. In the present work the quantitative analysis of chromium in nickel-based-alloys using laser-induced break-down spectroscopy (LIBS) in air at atmospheric pressure has been carried out

Evolution effects of the copper surface morphology on the nucleation density and growth of graphene domains at different growth pressures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hedayat, Seyed Mahdi [Transport Phenomena & Nanotechnology Lab., School of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Karimi-Sabet, Javad, E-mail: j_karimi@alum.sharif.edu [NFCRS, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shariaty-Niassar, Mojtaba, E-mail: mshariat@ut.ac.ir [Transport Phenomena & Nanotechnology Lab., School of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2017-03-31

Highlights: • Manipulation of the Cu surface morphology in a wide range by electropolishing treatment. • Comparison of the nucleation density of graphene at low pressure and atmospheric pressure CVD processes. • Controlling the evolution of the Cu surface morphology inside a novel confined space. • Growth of large-size graphene domains. - Abstract: In this work, we study the influence of the surface morphology of the catalytic copper substrate on the nucleation density and the growth rate of graphene domains at low and atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD and APCVD) processes. In order to obtain a wide range of initial surface morphology, precisely controlled electropolishing methods were developed to manipulate the roughntreess value of the as-received Cu substrate (RMS = 30 nm) to ultra-rough (RMS = 130 nm) and ultra-smooth (RMS = 2 nm) surfaces. The nucleation and growth of graphene domains show obviously different trends at LPCVD and APCVD conditions. In contrast to APCVD condition, the nucleation density of graphene domains is almost equal in substrates with different initial roughness values at LPCVD condition. We show that this is due to the evolution of the surface morphology of the Cu substrate during the graphene growth steps. By stopping the surface sublimation of copper substrate in a confined space saturated with Cu atoms, the evolution of the Cu surface was impeded. This results in the reduction of the nucleation density of graphene domains up to 24 times in the pre-smoothed Cu substrates at LPCVD condition.

Evolution effects of the copper surface morphology on the nucleation density and growth of graphene domains at different growth pressures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hedayat, Seyed Mahdi; Karimi-Sabet, Javad; Shariaty-Niassar, Mojtaba

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Manipulation of the Cu surface morphology in a wide range by electropolishing treatment. • Comparison of the nucleation density of graphene at low pressure and atmospheric pressure CVD processes. • Controlling the evolution of the Cu surface morphology inside a novel confined space. • Growth of large-size graphene domains. - Abstract: In this work, we study the influence of the surface morphology of the catalytic copper substrate on the nucleation density and the growth rate of graphene domains at low and atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD and APCVD) processes. In order to obtain a wide range of initial surface morphology, precisely controlled electropolishing methods were developed to manipulate the roughntreess value of the as-received Cu substrate (RMS = 30 nm) to ultra-rough (RMS = 130 nm) and ultra-smooth (RMS = 2 nm) surfaces. The nucleation and growth of graphene domains show obviously different trends at LPCVD and APCVD conditions. In contrast to APCVD condition, the nucleation density of graphene domains is almost equal in substrates with different initial roughness values at LPCVD condition. We show that this is due to the evolution of the surface morphology of the Cu substrate during the graphene growth steps. By stopping the surface sublimation of copper substrate in a confined space saturated with Cu atoms, the evolution of the Cu surface was impeded. This results in the reduction of the nucleation density of graphene domains up to 24 times in the pre-smoothed Cu substrates at LPCVD condition.

Ga2O3 nanowires preparation at atmospheric pressure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Korbutowicz R.

2017-07-01

Full Text Available An attempt has been undertaken to produce gallium oxide nanowires by thermal synthesis from metallic gallium source at atmospheric pressure. Silicon substrates of (1 0 0 and (1 1 1 orientation with and without silicon oxide layers (0.5 μm were used as support. Evaporated thin gold films were deposited on the top of those silicon carriers as a catalytic agent. After thermal treatment by Rapid Thermal Processing RTP (at various temperatures and times, which was applied to make small Au islands with the diameters of about several tens of nanometers, the substrate surfaces were observed by SEM. The Ga2O3 syntheses were made at various conditions: time, temperature and gas mixture were changed. As a result, monoclinic gallium oxide β-Ga2O3 nanostructures with dominant [1 1 1] and [0 0 2] growth directions were grown. The obtained nanostructures of several tens micrometers length were studied by SEM, PL and X-ray methods.

Treatment of poly(ethylene terephthalate) foils by atmospheric pressure air dielectric barrier discharge and its influence on cell growth

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzminova, Anna; Vandrovcová, Marta; Shelemin, Artem; Kylián, Ondřej; Choukourov, Andrei; Hanuš, Jan; Bačáková, Lucie; Slavínská, Danka; Biederman, Hynek

2015-12-01

In this contribution an effect of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) sustained in air at atmospheric pressure on surface properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) foils is studied. It is found that exposure of PET to DBD plasma leads to rapid changes of surface chemical composition, wettability, surface morphology as well as mechanical properties of PET surface. In addition, based on biological tests that were performed using two cell types (Saos-2 human osteoblast-like cells and HUVEC human umbilical vein endothelial cells), it may be concluded that DBD plasma treatment positively influences cell growth on PET. This effect was found to be connected predominantly with increased surface energy and oxygen content of the surface of treated PET foils.

RF atmospheric plasma jet surface treatment of paper

Science.gov (United States)

Pawlat, Joanna; Terebun, Piotr; Kwiatkowski, Michał; Diatczyk, Jaroslaw

2016-09-01

A radio frequency RF atmospheric pressure plasma jet was used to enhance the wettability of cellulose-based paper of 90 g m-2 and 160 g m-2 grammage as a perspective platform for antibiotic sensitivity tests. Helium and argon were the carrier gases for oxygen and nitrogen; pure water and rapeseed oil were used for goniometric tests. The influence of the flow rate and gas type, the power of the discharge, and distance from the nozzle was examined. The surface structure was observed using an optical microscope. Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectra were investigated in order to determine whether cellulose degradation processes occurred. The RF plasma jet allowed us to decrease the surface contact angle without drastic changes in other features of the tested material. Experiments confirmed the significant influence of the distance between the treated sample and reactor nozzle, especially for treatment times longer than 15 s due to the greater concentration of reactive species at the surface of the sample, which decreases with distance—and their accumulation effect with time. The increase of discharge power plays an important role in decreasing the surface contact angle for times longer than 10 s. Higher power had a positive effect on the amount of generated active particles and facilitated the ignition of discharge. However, a too high value can cause a rise in temperature of the material and heat-caused damage.

Application of SH surface acoustic waves for measuring the viscosity of liquids in function of pressure and temperature.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiełczyński, P; Szalewski, M; Balcerzak, A; Rostocki, A J; Tefelski, D B

2011-12-01

Viscosity measurements were carried out on triolein at pressures from atmospheric up to 650 MPa and in the temperature range from 10°C to 40°C using ultrasonic measuring setup. Bleustein-Gulyaev SH surface acoustic waves waveguides were used as viscosity sensors. Additionally, pressure changes occurring during phase transition have been measured over the same temperature range. Application of ultrasonic SH surface acoustic waves in the liquid viscosity measurements at high pressure has many advantages. It enables viscosity measurement during phase transitions and in the high-pressure range where the classical viscosity measurement methods cannot operate. Measurements of phase transition kinetics and viscosity of liquids at high pressures and various temperatures (isotherms) is a novelty. The knowledge of changes in viscosity in function of pressure and temperature can help to obtain a deeper insight into thermodynamic properties of liquids. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The ionization mechanisms in direct and dopant-assisted atmospheric pressure photoionization and atmospheric pressure laser ionization.

Science.gov (United States)

Kauppila, Tiina J; Kersten, Hendrik; Benter, Thorsten

2014-11-01

A novel, gas-tight API interface for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to study the ionization mechanism in direct and dopant-assisted atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) and atmospheric pressure laser ionization (APLI). Eight analytes (ethylbenzene, bromobenzene, naphthalene, anthracene, benzaldehyde, pyridine, quinolone, and acridine) with varying ionization energies (IEs) and proton affinities (PAs), and four common APPI dopants (toluene, acetone, anisole, and chlorobenzene) were chosen. All the studied compounds were ionized by direct APPI, forming mainly molecular ions. Addition of dopants suppressed the signal of the analytes with IEs above the IE of the dopant. For compounds with suitable IEs or Pas, the dopants increased the ionization efficiency as the analytes could be ionized through dopant-mediated gas-phase reactions, such as charge exchange, proton transfer, and other rather unexpected reactions, such as formation of [M + 77](+) in the presence of chlorobenzene. Experiments with deuterated toluene as the dopant verified that in case of proton transfer, the proton originated from the dopant instead of proton-bound solvent clusters, as in conventional open or non-tight APPI sources. In direct APLI using a 266 nm laser, a narrower range of compounds was ionized than in direct APPI, because of exceedingly high IEs or unfavorable two-photon absorption cross-sections. Introduction of dopants in the APLI system changed the ionization mechanism to similar dopant-mediated gas-phase reactions with the dopant as in APPI, which produced mainly ions of the same form as in APPI, and ionized a wider range of analytes than direct APLI.

Acoustic tomography in the atmospheric surface layer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Ziemann

Full Text Available Acoustic tomography is presented as a technique for remote monitoring of meteorological quantities. This method and a special algorithm of analysis can directly produce area-averaged values of meteorological parameters. As a result consistent data will be obtained for validation of numerical atmospheric micro-scale models. Such a measuring system can complement conventional point measurements over different surfaces. The procedure of acoustic tomography uses the horizontal propagation of sound waves in the atmospheric surface layer. Therefore, to provide a general overview of sound propagation under various atmospheric conditions a two-dimensional ray-tracing model according to a modified version of Snell's law is used. The state of the crossed atmosphere can be estimated from measurements of acoustic travel time between sources and receivers at different points. Derivation of area-averaged values of the sound speed and furthermore of air temperature results from the inversion of travel time values for all acoustic paths. Thereby, the applied straight ray two-dimensional tomographic model using SIRT (simultaneous iterative reconstruction technique is characterised as a method with small computational requirements, satisfactory convergence and stability properties as well as simple handling, especially, during online evaluation.

Key words. Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics (turbulence; instruments and techniques.

The updated bottom up solution applied to atmospheric pressure photoionization and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Science.gov (United States)

The Updated Bottom Up Solution (UBUS) was recently applied to atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) mass spectrometry (MS) of triacylglycerols (TAGs). This report demonstrates that the UBUS applies equally well to atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) MS and to electrospray ionizatio...

The effect of atmospheric temperature and pressure on the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction in Kaunas.

Science.gov (United States)

Radišauskas, Ričardas; Vaičiulis, Vidmantas; Ustinavičienė, Rūta; Bernotienė, Gailutė

2013-01-01

OBJECTIVE. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of meteorological variables (atmospheric temperature and pressure) on the daily occurrence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). MATERIAL AND METHODS. The study used the daily values of atmospheric temperature and pressure in 2000-2007. The meteorological data were obtained from the Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service for Kaunas. The relative risks of event occurrence were computed for 5°C atmospheric temperature and for 10-hPa atmospheric pressure variations by means of the Poisson regression model. RESULTS. The occurrence of AMI and atmospheric temperature showed an inverse linear relationship, while the occurrence of AMI and atmospheric pressure, a positive linear relationship. Among the youngest subjects (25-44 years old), no relationships were detected. Contrary, among the subjects aged 45-64 years and those aged 65 years and older, the occurrence of AMI significantly decreased with higher temperature (P=0.001 and P=0.002, respectively). A decrease in atmospheric temperature by 10ºC reduced the risk of AMI by 8.7% in the age groups of 45-64 and 65 years and older and by 19% in the age group of 25 years and older. Among the first AMI cases, the risk increased by 7.5% in the age group of 45-64-year olds and by 6.4% in the age group of 25-64-year olds. The relationship between atmospheric temperature and pressure, and AMI occurrence was found to be linear but inverse. An increase in atmospheric pressure by 10 hPa resulted in an increase in risk by 4% among the subjects aged 65 years and more and by 3% among the subjects aged 25 years and more. CONCLUSIONS. Atmospheric temperature and pressure variations had the greatest effect on middle-aged and aging subjects (starting from 45 years). At younger age, the effect of such factors on the AMI risk was considerably lower.

ATMOSPHERIC RETRIEVAL FOR SUPER-EARTHS: UNIQUELY CONSTRAINING THE ATMOSPHERIC COMPOSITION WITH TRANSMISSION SPECTROSCOPY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Benneke, Bjoern; Seager, Sara

2012-01-01

We present a retrieval method based on Bayesian analysis to infer the atmospheric compositions and surface or cloud-top pressures from transmission spectra of exoplanets with general compositions. In this study, we identify what can unambiguously be determined about the atmospheres of exoplanets from their transmission spectra by applying the retrieval method to synthetic observations of the super-Earth GJ 1214b. Our approach to inferring constraints on atmospheric parameters is to compute their joint and marginal posterior probability distributions using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo technique in a parallel tempering scheme. A new atmospheric parameterization is introduced that is applicable to general atmospheres in which the main constituent is not known a priori and clouds may be present. Our main finding is that a unique constraint of the mixing ratios of the absorbers and two spectrally inactive gases (such as N 2 and primordial H 2 + He) is possible if the observations are sufficient to quantify both (1) the broadband transit depths in at least one absorption feature for each absorber and (2) the slope and strength of the molecular Rayleigh scattering signature. A second finding is that the surface pressure or cloud-top pressure can be quantified if a surface or cloud deck is present at low optical depth. A third finding is that the mean molecular mass can be constrained by measuring either the Rayleigh scattering slope or the shapes of the absorption features, thus enabling one to distinguish between cloudy hydrogen-rich atmospheres and high mean molecular mass atmospheres. We conclude, however, that without the signature of molecular Rayleigh scattering—even with robustly detected infrared absorption features (>10σ)—there is no reliable way to tell from the transmission spectrum whether the absorber is a main constituent of the atmosphere or just a minor species with a mixing ratio of X abs < 0.1%. The retrieval method leads us to a conceptual picture

Columnar discharge mode between parallel dielectric barrier electrodes in atmospheric pressure helium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hao, Yanpeng; Zheng, Bin; Liu, Yaoge [School of Electric Power, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640 (China)

2014-01-15

Using a fast-gated intensified charge-coupled device, end- and side-view photographs were taken of columnar discharge between parallel dielectric barrier electrodes in atmospheric pressure helium. Based on three-dimensional images generated from end-view photographs, the number of discharge columns increased, whereas the diameter of each column decreased as the applied voltage was increased. Side-view photographs indicate that columnar discharges exhibited a mode transition ranging from Townsend to glow discharges generated by the same discharge physics as atmospheric pressure glow discharge.

Methods of gas purification and effect on the ion composition in an RF atmospheric pressure plasma jet investigated by mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grosse-Kreul, Simon; Huebner, Simon; Schneider, Simon; Keudell, Achim von; Benedikt, Jan

2016-01-01

The analysis of the ion chemistry of atmospheric pressure plasmas is essential to evaluate ionic reaction pathways during plasma-surface or plasma-analyte interactions. In this contribution, the ion chemistry of a radio-frequency atmospheric pressure plasma jet (μ-APPJ) operated in helium is investigated by mass spectrometry (MS). It is found, that the ion composition is extremely sensitive to impurities such as N 2 , O 2 and H 2 O. Without gas purification, protonated water cluster ions of the form H + (H 2 O) n are dominating downstream the positive ion mass spectrum. However, even after careful feed gas purification to the sub-ppm level using a molecular sieve trap and a liquid nitrogen trap as well as operation of the plasma in a controlled atmosphere, the positive ion mass spectrum is strongly influenced by residual trace gases. The observations support the idea that species with a low ionization energy serve as a major source of electrons in atmospheric pressure helium plasmas. Similarly, the neutral density of atomic nitrogen measured by MS in a He/N 2 mixture is varying up to a factor 3, demonstrating the significant influence of impurities on the neutral species chemistry as well. (orig.)

Methods of gas purification and effect on the ion composition in an RF atmospheric pressure plasma jet investigated by mass spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grosse-Kreul, Simon; Huebner, Simon; Schneider, Simon; Keudell, Achim von; Benedikt, Jan [Ruhr-Universitaet Bochum, Institute for Experimental Physics II, Bochum (Germany)

2016-12-15

The analysis of the ion chemistry of atmospheric pressure plasmas is essential to evaluate ionic reaction pathways during plasma-surface or plasma-analyte interactions. In this contribution, the ion chemistry of a radio-frequency atmospheric pressure plasma jet (μ-APPJ) operated in helium is investigated by mass spectrometry (MS). It is found, that the ion composition is extremely sensitive to impurities such as N{sub 2}, O{sub 2} and H{sub 2}O. Without gas purification, protonated water cluster ions of the form H{sup +}(H{sub 2}O){sub n} are dominating downstream the positive ion mass spectrum. However, even after careful feed gas purification to the sub-ppm level using a molecular sieve trap and a liquid nitrogen trap as well as operation of the plasma in a controlled atmosphere, the positive ion mass spectrum is strongly influenced by residual trace gases. The observations support the idea that species with a low ionization energy serve as a major source of electrons in atmospheric pressure helium plasmas. Similarly, the neutral density of atomic nitrogen measured by MS in a He/N{sub 2} mixture is varying up to a factor 3, demonstrating the significant influence of impurities on the neutral species chemistry as well. (orig.)

Physiological responses to low atmospheric pressure stunning and the implications for welfare

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mckeegan, D.E.F.; Sandercock, D.A.; Gerritzen, M.A.

2013-01-01

In low atmospheric pressure stunning (LAPS), poultry are rendered unconscious before slaughter by gradually reducing oxygen tension in the atmosphere to achieve a progressive anoxia. The effects of LAPS are not instantaneous, so there are legitimate welfare concerns around the experience of birds

Atmospheric Photochemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Massey, Harrie; Potter, A. E.

1961-01-01

The upper atmosphere offers a vast photochemical laboratory free from solid surfaces, so all reactions take place in the gaseous phase. At 30 km altitude the pressure has fallen to about one-hundredth of that at ground level, and we shall, rather arbitrarily, regard the upper atmosphere as beginning at that height. By a little less than 100 km the pressure has fallen to 10(exp -3) mm Hg and is decreasing by a power of ten for every 15 km increase in altitude. Essentially we are concerned then with the photochemistry of a nitrogen-oxygen mixture under low-pressure conditions in which photo-ionization, as well as photodissociation, plays an important part. Account must also be taken of the presence of rare constituents, such as water vapour and its decomposition products, including particularly hydroxyl, oxides of carbon, methane and, strangely enough, sodium, lithium and calcium. Many curious and unfamiliar reactions occur in the upper atmosphere. Some of them are luminescent, causing the atmosphere to emit a dim light called the airglow. Others, between gaseous ions and neutral molecules, are almost a complete mystery at this time. Similar interesting phenomena must occur in other planetary atmospheres, and they might be predicted if sufficient chemical information were available.

The role of soil moisture in land surface-atmosphere coupling: climate model sensitivity experiments over India

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Charles; Turner, Andrew

2015-04-01

It is generally acknowledged that anthropogenic land use changes, such as a shift from forested land into irrigated agriculture, may have an impact on regional climate and, in particular, rainfall patterns in both time and space. India provides an excellent example of a country in which widespread land use change has occurred during the last century, as the country tries to meet its growing demand for food. Of primary concern for agriculture is the Indian summer monsoon (ISM), which displays considerable seasonal and subseasonal variability. Although it is evident that changing rainfall variability will have a direct impact on land surface processes (such as soil moisture variability), the reverse impact is less well understood. However, the role of soil moisture in the coupling between the land surface and atmosphere needs to be properly explored before any potential impact of changing soil moisture variability on ISM rainfall can be understood. This paper attempts to address this issue, by conducting a number of sensitivity experiments using a state-of-the-art climate model from the UK Meteorological Office Hadley Centre: HadGEM2. Several experiments are undertaken, with the only difference between them being the extent to which soil moisture is coupled to the atmosphere. Firstly, the land surface is fully coupled to the atmosphere, globally (as in standard model configurations); secondly, the land surface is entirely uncoupled from the atmosphere, again globally, with soil moisture values being prescribed on a daily basis; thirdly, the land surface is uncoupled from the atmosphere over India but fully coupled elsewhere; and lastly, vice versa (i.e. the land surface is coupled to the atmosphere over India but uncoupled elsewhere). Early results from this study suggest certain 'hotspot' regions where the impact of soil moisture coupling/uncoupling may be important, and many of these regions coincide with previous studies. Focusing on the third experiment, i

Atmospheric Tides in Gale Crater, Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Guzewich, Scott D,; Newman, C. E; de la Torre Juarez, M.; Wilson, R. J.; Lemmon, M.; Smith, M. D.; Kahanpaa, H.; Harri, A.-M.

2015-01-01

Atmospheric tides are the primary source of daily air pressure variation at the surface of Mars. These tides are forced by solar heating of the atmosphere and modulated by the presence of atmospheric dust, topography, and surface albedo and thermal inertia. This results in a complex mix of sun-synchronous and nonsun- synchronous tides propagating both eastward and westward around the planet in periods that are integer fractions of a solar day. The Rover Environmental Monitoring Station on board the Mars Science Laboratory has observed air pressure at a regular cadence for over 1 Mars year and here we analyze and diagnose atmospheric tides in this pressure record. The diurnal tide amplitude varies from 26 to 63 Pa with an average phase of 0424 local true solar time, while the semidiurnal tide amplitude varies from 5 to 20 Pa with an average phase of 0929. We find that both the diurnal and semidiurnal tides in Gale Crater are highly correlated to atmospheric opacity variations at a value of 0.9 and to each other at a value of 0.77, with some key exceptions occurring during regional and local dust storms. We supplement our analysis with MarsWRF general circulation modeling to examine how a local dust storm impacts the diurnal tide in its vicinity. We find that both the diurnal tide amplitude enhancement and regional coverage of notable amplitude enhancement linearly scales with the size of the local dust storm. Our results provide the first long-term record of surface pressure tides near the martian equator.

ATMOSPHERE PRESSURE EFFECT ON THE FIBER OPTIC GYROSCOPE OUTPUT SYGNAL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilya A. Sharkov

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The paper describes research results of the atmospheric pressure effect on the output signal of a fiber optic gyroscope (FOG. In the course of experiments, FOG was placed into a hermetic chamber. The atmosphere pressure was varying in the range from 0.8 to 1.5 atm. All the data, including the FOG output signal, temperature, and data from the pressure sensor installed inside the FOG, were synchronously registered with the computer software. The separation of scale factor change from zero offset in the experiment was carried out by setting the sensitive FOG axis at 0°, 90° and 270° relative to the East (the FOG was set perpendicular to the horizon. After the data processing it was concluded that the FOG signal error associated with the pressure affects mainly on the additive component. The pressure effect on the multiplicative component appeared to be negligible at rotational velocities used in the experiment (0 - 130 /h. At the same time, the FOG signal has a high linear correlation coefficient with the derivative of pressure over time (in some cases, more than 0.9. The experiment was repeated several times and the high degree of the drift repeatability was shown. That makes it possible to implement the compensation algorithm. Application of the simplest algorithmic compensation based on the polynomial of the first degree (ax + b enabled to reduce the root-mean-square (RMS and drift of the signal by 2-9 times.

Correlation between the season, temperature and atmospheric pressure with incidence and pathogenesis of acute appendicitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Karanikolić, Aleksandar; Karanikolić, Vesna; Djordjević, Lidija; Pešić, Ivan

2016-01-01

There is very little literature data on the correlation between the seasons, temperature and atmospheric pressure, and pathogenesis of acute appendicitis (AA). The aim of this research is to investigate the association between the seasons, changes in atmospheric temperature and pressure, and patients’ age and severity of the clinical form of AA in the city of Niš This study included 395 patients diagnosed with AA, who, during the two-year period, from July 1st 2011 to June 30th 2013, were hospitalized and operated on at the Department of General Surgery, Clinical Center in Niš, Serbia. The increased average daily values of barometric pressure by 1 millibar on the day when the event took place was associated (p atmospheric temperature and pressure.

Atmospheric sugar alcohols: evaporation rates and saturation vapor pressures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bilde, Merete; Zardini, Alessandro Alessio; Hong, Juan

alcohols. These polyols are common in the water soluble fraction of atmospheric aerosols. In our experimental system sub-micron particles are generated by nebulization from aqueous solution, and a mono disperse fraction of the aerosol is selected using a differential mobility analyzer. The particles......The atmospheric partitioning between gas and condensed phase of organic molecules is poorly understood, and discrepancies exist between predicted and observed concentrations of secondary organic aerosols. A key problem is the lack of information about thermodynamic properties of semi- and low...... volatile organic molecules. Saturation vapor pressure and the associated temperature dependence (dH) are key parameters for improving predictive atmospheric models. In this work we combine experiments and thermodynamic modeling to investigate these parameters for a series of polyols, so-called sugar...

Plasma surface treatment of Cu by nanosecond-pulse diffuse discharges in atmospheric air

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, ZHANG; Jintao, QIU; Fei, KONG; Xingmin, HOU; Zhi, FANG; Yu, YIN; Tao, SHAO

2018-01-01

Nanosecond-pulse diffuse discharges could provide high-density plasma and high-energy electrons at atmospheric pressure. In this paper, the surface treatment of Cu by nanosecond-pulse diffuse discharges is conducted in atmospheric air. Factors influencing the water contact angle (WCA), chemical composition and microhardness, such as the gap spacing and treatment time, are investigated. The results show that after the plasma surface treatment, the WCA considerably decreases from 87° to 42.3°, and the surface energy increases from 20.46 mJ m-2 to 66.28 mJ m-2. Results of energy dispersive x-ray analysis show that the concentration of carbon decreases, but the concentrations of oxygen and nitrogen increase significantly. Moreover, the microhardness increases by approximately 30% after the plasma treatment. The aforementioned changes on the Cu surface indicate the plasma surface treatment enhances the hydrophilicity and microhardness, and it cleans the carbon and achieves oxidization on the Cu surface. Furthermore, by increasing the gap spacing and treatment time, better treatment effects can be obtained. The microhardness in the case of a 2.5 cm gap is higher than that in the case of a 3 cm gap. More oxygen and nitrogen species appear on the Cu surface for the 2.5 cm gap treatment than for the 3 cm gap treatment. The WCA significantly decreases with the treatment time when it is no longer than 90 s, and then it reaches saturation. In addition, more oxygen-containing and nitrogen-containing groups appear after extended plasma treatment time. They contribute to the improvement of the hydrophilicity and oxidation on the Cu surface.

Characterization of DC argon plasma jet at atmospheric pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan Jianhua; Ma Zengyi; Pan Xinchao; Cen Kefa; Bruno, C

2006-01-01

An original DC double anode plasma torch operating with argon at atmospheric pressure which provides a long time and highly stable plasma jet is analyzed through its electrical and optical signals. Effects of gas flow rate and current intensity on the arc dynamics behaviour are studied using standard diagnostic tools such as FFT and correlation function. An increasing current-voltage characteristic is reported for different argon flow rates. It is noted that the takeover mode is characteristic for argon plasma jet and arc fluctuations in our case are mainly induced by the undulation of torch power supply. Furthermore, the excitation temperatures and electron densities of the plasma jet inside and outside the arc chamber have been determined by means of optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The criteria for the existence of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) in plasma is then discussed. The results show that argon plasma jet at atmospheric pressure under our experimental conditions is close to LTE. (authors)

Effect of atmospheric CO{sub 2} on surface segregation and phase formation in La{sub 0.6}Sr{sub 0.4}Co{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 0.8}O{sub 3−δ} thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Yang [Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Boston University, Brookline, MA 02446 (United States); Luo, Heng [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215 (United States); Cetin, Deniz [Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Boston University, Brookline, MA 02446 (United States); Lin, Xi [Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Boston University, Brookline, MA 02446 (United States); Department of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215 (United States); Ludwig, Karl [Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Boston University, Brookline, MA 02446 (United States); Department of Physics, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215 (United States); Pal, Uday; Gopalan, Srikanth [Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Boston University, Brookline, MA 02446 (United States); Department of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215 (United States); Basu, Soumendra, E-mail: basu@bu.edu [Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Boston University, Brookline, MA 02446 (United States); Department of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215 (United States)

2014-12-30

Highlights: • LSCF exhibits Sr surface segregation on high-temperature annealing. • The presence of atmospheric CO{sub 2} enhances the kinetics of Sr surface segregation. • At high-CO{sub 2} partial pressures, there is a significant coverage of the surface by Sr-rich phases. • The increase in kinetics is attributed to increased thermodynamic driving force for SrCO{sub 3} formation. - Abstract: The effects of atmospheric CO{sub 2} on surface segregation and phase formation in La{sub 0.6}Sr{sub 0.4}Co{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 0.8}O{sub 3−δ} (LSCF-6428) were investigated. (0 0 1)-oriented LSCF-6428 thin films were deposited on lattice matched (1 1 0)-oriented NdGaO{sub 3} (NGO) substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Using the synchrotron technique of total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF), it was found that the kinetics of Sr surface segregation was enhanced when annealing at 800 °C in a high-CO{sub 2} partial pressure, as compared to a similar anneal in a CO{sub 2}-free atmosphere, with the oxygen partial pressure being constant in both cases. Hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) measurements showed that the contribution of the surface carbonate to surface oxide phases increased significantly for the sample annealed in the high-CO{sub 2} atmosphere. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies showed enhanced surface phase formation during the high-CO{sub 2} partial pressure anneal. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations provide a thermodynamic basis for the enhanced kinetics of surface segregation in the presence of atmospheric CO{sub 2}.

Reflectance of Antarctic surfaces from multispectral radiometers: The correction of atmospheric effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zibordi, G.; Maracci, G.

1993-01-01

Monitoring reflectance of polar icecaps has relevance in climate studies. In fact, climate changes produce variations in the morphology of ice and snow covers, which are detectable as surface reflectance change. Surface reflectance can be retrieved from remotely sensed data. However, absolute values independent of atmospheric turbidity and surface altitude can only be obtained after removing masking effects of the atmosphere. An atmospheric correction model, accounting for surface and sensor altitudes above sea level, is described and validated through data detected over Antarctic surfaces with a Barnes Modular Multispectral Radiometer having bands overlapping those of the Landsat Thematic Mapper. The model is also applied in a sensitivity analysis to investigate error induced in reflectance obtained from satellite data by indeterminacy in optical parameters of atmospheric constituents. Results show that indeterminacy in the atmospheric water vapor optical thickness is the main source of nonaccuracy in the retrieval of surface reflectance from data remotely sensed over Antarctic regions

Responses of epidermal cell turgor pressure and photosynthetic activity of leaves of the atmospheric epiphyte Tillandsia usneoides (Bromeliaceae) after exposure to high humidity.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Craig E; Rux, Guido; Herppich, Werner B

2013-01-01

It has been well-established that many epiphytic bromeliads of the atmospheric-type morphology, i.e., with leaf surfaces completely covered by large, overlapping, multicellular trichomes, are capable of absorbing water vapor from the atmosphere when air humidity increases. It is much less clear, however, whether this absorption of water vapor can hydrate the living cells of the leaves and, as a consequence, enhance physiological processes in such cells. The goal of this research was to determine if the absorption of atmospheric water vapor by the atmospheric epiphyte Tillandsia usneoides results in an increase in turgor pressure in leaf epidermal cells that subtend the large trichomes, and, by using chlorophyll fluorescence techniques, to determine if the absorption of atmospheric water vapor by leaves of this epiphyte results in increased photosynthetic activity. Results of measurements on living cells of attached leaves of this epiphytic bromeliad, using a pressure probe and of whole-shoot fluorescence imaging analyses clearly illustrated that the turgor pressure of leaf epidermal cells did not increase, and the photosynthetic activity of leaves did not increase, following exposure of the leaves to high humidity air. These results experimentally demonstrate, for the first time, that the absorption of water vapor following increases in atmospheric humidity in atmospheric epiphytic bromeliads is mostly likely a physical phenomenon resulting from hydration of non-living leaf structures, e.g., trichomes, and has no physiological significance for the plant's living tissues. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Turbulent jet diffusion flame length evolution with cross flows in a sub-pressure atmosphere

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Qiang; Hu, Longhua; Zhang, Xiaozheng; Zhang, Xiaolei; Lu, Shouxiang; Ding, Hang

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Quantifying turbulent jet diffusion flame length with cross flows. • Unique data revealed for a sub-atmospheric pressure. • Non-dimensional global correlation proposed for flame trajectory-line length. - Abstract: This paper investigates the evolution characteristics of turbulent jet diffusion flame (flame trajectory-line length, flame height in vertical jet direction) with increasing cross flows in a sub-pressure (64 kPa) atmosphere. The combined effect of cross flow and a special sub-pressure atmosphere condition is revealed, where no data is available in the literatures. Experiments are carried out with a wind tunnel built specially in Lhasa city (altitude: 3650 m; pressure: 64 kPa) and in Hefei city (altitude: 50 m; pressure: 100 kPa), using nozzles with diameter of 3 mm, 4 mm and 5 mm and propane as fuel. It is found that, as cross flow air speed increases from zero, the flame trajectory-line length firstly decreases and then becomes almost stable (for relative small nozzle, 3 mm in this study) or increases (for relative large nozzle, 4 mm and 5 mm in this study) beyond a transitional critical cross flow air speed in normal pressure, however decreases monotonically until being blown-out in the sub-pressure atmosphere. The flame height in jet direction decreases monotonically with cross air flow speed and then reaches a steady value in both pressures. For the transitional state of flame trajectory-line length with increasing cross air flow speed, the corresponding critical cross flow air speed is found to be proportional to the fuel jet velocity, meanwhile independent of nozzle diameter. Correlation models are proposed for the flame height in jet direction and the flame trajectory-line length for both ambient pressures, which are shown to be in good agreement with the experimental results.

Atmospheric Constraints on the Surface UV Environment of Mars at 3.9 Ga Relevant to Prebiotic Chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Ranjan, Sukrit; Wordsworth, Robin; Sasselov, Dimitar D.

2017-08-01

Recent findings suggest that Mars may have been a clement environment for the emergence of life and may even have compared favorably to Earth in this regard. These findings have revived interest in the hypothesis that prebiotically important molecules or even nascent life may have formed on Mars and been transferred to Earth. UV light plays a key role in prebiotic chemistry. Characterizing the early martian surface UV environment is key to understanding how Mars compares to Earth as a venue for prebiotic chemistry. Here, we present two-stream, multilayer calculations of the UV surface radiance on Mars at 3.9 Ga to constrain the surface UV environment as a function of atmospheric state. We explore a wide range of atmospheric pressures, temperatures, and compositions that correspond to the diversity of martian atmospheric states consistent with available constraints. We include the effects of clouds and dust. We calculate dose rates to quantify the effect of different atmospheric states on UV-sensitive prebiotic chemistry. We find that, for normative clear-sky CO2-H2O atmospheres, the UV environment on young Mars is comparable to young Earth. This similarity is robust to moderate cloud cover; thick clouds (τcloud ≥ 100) are required to significantly affect the martian UV environment, because cloud absorption is degenerate with atmospheric CO2. On the other hand, absorption from SO2, H2S, and dust is nondegenerate with CO2, meaning that, if these constituents build up to significant levels, surface UV fluence can be suppressed. These absorbers have spectrally variable absorption, meaning that their presence affects prebiotic pathways in different ways. In particular, high SO2 environments may admit UV fluence that favors pathways conducive to abiogenesis over pathways unfavorable to it. However, better measurements of the spectral quantum yields of these pathways are required to evaluate this hypothesis definitively.

Atmospheric effect on the ground-based measurements of broadband surface albedo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Manninen

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Ground-based pyranometer measurements of the (clear-sky broadband surface albedo are affected by the atmospheric conditions (mainly by aerosol particles, water vapour and ozone. A new semi-empirical method for estimating the magnitude of the effect of atmospheric conditions on surface albedo measurements in clear-sky conditions is presented. Global and reflected radiation and/or aerosol optical depth (AOD at two wavelengths are needed to apply the method. Depending on the aerosol optical depth and the solar zenith angle values, the effect can be as large as 20%. For the cases we tested using data from the Cabauw atmospheric test site in the Netherlands, the atmosphere caused typically up to 5% overestimation of surface albedo with respect to corresponding black-sky surface albedo values.

Photosynthesis and growth response of almond to increased atmospheric ozone partial pressures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Retzlaff, W.A.; Williams, L.E.; DeJong, T.M.

1992-01-01

Uniform nursery stock of five almond cultivars [Prunus dulcis (Mill) D.A. Webb syn. P. amygdalus Batsch, cv. Butte, Carmel, Mission, Nonpareil, and Sonora] propagated on peach (P. domstica L. Batsch.) rootstock were exposed to three different atmospheric ozone (O 3 ) partial pressures. The trees were planted in open-top fumigation chambers on 19 Apr. 1989 at the University of California Kearny Agricultural Center located in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Exposures of the trees to three atmospheric O 3 partial pressures lasted from 1 June to 2 Nov. 1989. The mean 12-h [0800-2000 h Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)] O 3 partial pressures measured in the open-top chambers during the experimental period were 0.038, 0.060, and 0.112 μPa Pa -1 O 3 in the charcoal filtered, ambient, and ambient + O 3 treatments, respectively. Leaf net CO 2 assimilation, trunk cross-sectional area growth, and root, trunk, foliage, and total dry weight of Nonpareil were reduced by increased atmospheric O 3 partial pressures. Mission was unaffected by O 3 and Butte, Carmel, and Sonora were intermediate in their responses. Foliage of Nonpareil also abscised prematurely in the ambient and ambient + O 3 treatments. The results indicate that there are almond cultivars that are sensitive to O 3 exposure

Ionization of EPA contaminants in direct and dopant-assisted atmospheric pressure photoionization and atmospheric pressure laser ionization.

Science.gov (United States)

Kauppila, Tiina J; Kersten, Hendrik; Benter, Thorsten

2015-06-01

Seventy-seven EPA priority environmental pollutants were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) equipped with an optimized atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) and an atmospheric pressure laser ionization (APLI) interface with and without dopants. The analyzed compounds included e.g., polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nitro compounds, halogenated compounds, aromatic compounds with phenolic, acidic, alcohol, and amino groups, phthalate and adipatic esters, and aliphatic ethers. Toluene, anisole, chlorobenzene, and acetone were tested as dopants. The widest range of analytes was ionized using direct APPI (66/77 compounds). The introduction of dopants decreased the amount of compounds ionized in APPI (e.g., 54/77 with toluene), but in many cases the ionization efficiency increased. While in direct APPI the formation of molecular ions via photoionization was the main ionization reaction, dopant-assisted (DA) APPI promoted ionization reactions, such as charge exchange and proton transfer. Direct APLI ionized a much smaller amount of compounds than APPI (41/77 compounds), showing selectivity towards compounds with low ionization energies (IEs) and long-lived resonantly excited intermediate states. DA-APLI, however, was able to ionize a higher amount of compounds (e.g. 51/77 with toluene), as the ionization took place entirely through dopant-assisted ion/molecule reactions similar to those in DA-APPI. Best ionization efficiency in APPI and APLI (both direct and DA) was obtained for PAHs and aromatics with O- and N-functionalities, whereas nitro compounds and aliphatic ethers were the most difficult to ionize. Halogenated aromatics and esters were (mainly) ionized in APPI, but not in APLI.

Tailoring the surface properties of polypropylene films through cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) assisted polymerization and immobilization of biomolecules for enhancement of anti-coagulation activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Navaneetha Pandiyaraj, K.; Ram Kumar, M.C.; Arun Kumar, A.; Padmanabhan, P.V.A.; Deshmukh, R.R.; Bah, M.; Ismat Shah, S.; Su, Pi-Guey; Halleluyah, M.; Halim, A.S.

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Developed low cost cold atmospheric plasma reactor for plasma polymerization technique. • Surface of the PP film was modified by grafting of AAc and PEG by CAPP polymerization. • Biomolecules of chitosan, insulin and heparin were immobilized on surface of PEG-AAc grafted PP films. • The surface modified PP films were characterized by various techniques. • The plasma polymerized and immobilized film reveals substantial blood compatibility. - Abstract: Enhancement of anti-thrombogenic properties of polypropylene (PP) to avert the adsorption of plasma proteins (fibrinogen and albumin), adhesion and activation of the platelets are very important for vast biomedical applications. The cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) assisted polymerization has potential to create the specific functional groups such as O−C=O, C=O, C−N and S−S. on the surface of polymeric films using selective precursor in vapour phase to enhance anti-thrombogenic properties. Such functionalized polymeric surfaces would be suitable for various biomedical applications especially to improve the blood compatibility. The eventual aspiration of the present investigation is to develop the biofunctional coating onto the surface of PP films using acrylic acid (AAc) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a precursor in a vapour phase by incorporating specific functional groups for immobilization of biomolecules such as heparin (HEP), chitosan (CHI) and insulin (INS) on the surface of plasma modified PP films. The surface properties such as hydrophilicity, chemical composition, surface topography of the surface modified PP films were analyzed by contact angle (CA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Furthermore the anti-thrombogenic properties of the surface modified PP films were studied by in vitro tests which include platelet adhesion and protein adsorption analysis. It was

Tailoring the surface properties of polypropylene films through cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) assisted polymerization and immobilization of biomolecules for enhancement of anti-coagulation activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Navaneetha Pandiyaraj, K., E-mail: dr.knpr@gmail.com [Surface Engineering Laboratory, Department of Physics, Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology, L& T By Pass, Chinniyam Palayam (Post), Coimbatore 641062 (India); Ram Kumar, M.C.; Arun Kumar, A. [Surface Engineering Laboratory, Department of Physics, Sri Shakthi Institute of Engineering and Technology, L& T By Pass, Chinniyam Palayam (Post), Coimbatore 641062 (India); Padmanabhan, P.V.A. [PSN College of Engineering and Technology, Tirunelveli 627 152 (India); Deshmukh, R.R. [Department of Physics, Institute of Chemical Technology, Matunga, Mumbai 400 019 (India); Bah, M.; Ismat Shah, S. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Delaware, 208 Dupont Hall, Newark (United States); Su, Pi-Guey [Department of Chemistry, Chinese Culture University, Taipei 111, Taiwan (China); Halleluyah, M.; Halim, A.S. [School of Medical Sciences, Health Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan (Malaysia)

2016-05-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Developed low cost cold atmospheric plasma reactor for plasma polymerization technique. • Surface of the PP film was modified by grafting of AAc and PEG by CAPP polymerization. • Biomolecules of chitosan, insulin and heparin were immobilized on surface of PEG-AAc grafted PP films. • The surface modified PP films were characterized by various techniques. • The plasma polymerized and immobilized film reveals substantial blood compatibility. - Abstract: Enhancement of anti-thrombogenic properties of polypropylene (PP) to avert the adsorption of plasma proteins (fibrinogen and albumin), adhesion and activation of the platelets are very important for vast biomedical applications. The cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) assisted polymerization has potential to create the specific functional groups such as O−C=O, C=O, C−N and S−S. on the surface of polymeric films using selective precursor in vapour phase to enhance anti-thrombogenic properties. Such functionalized polymeric surfaces would be suitable for various biomedical applications especially to improve the blood compatibility. The eventual aspiration of the present investigation is to develop the biofunctional coating onto the surface of PP films using acrylic acid (AAc) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a precursor in a vapour phase by incorporating specific functional groups for immobilization of biomolecules such as heparin (HEP), chitosan (CHI) and insulin (INS) on the surface of plasma modified PP films. The surface properties such as hydrophilicity, chemical composition, surface topography of the surface modified PP films were analyzed by contact angle (CA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Furthermore the anti-thrombogenic properties of the surface modified PP films were studied by in vitro tests which include platelet adhesion and protein adsorption analysis. It was

Hazardous gas treatment using atmospheric pressure microwave discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mizeraczyk, Jerzy; Jasinski, Mariusz; Zakrzewski, Zenon

2005-01-01

Atmospheric pressure microwave discharge methods and devices used for producing non-thermal plasmas for control of gaseous pollutants are described in this paper. The main part of the paper is concerned with microwave torch discharges (MTDs). Results of laboratory experiments on plasma abatement of several volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in their mixtures with either synthetic air or nitrogen in low (∼100 W) and moderate (200-400 W) microwave torch plasmas at atmospheric pressure are presented. Three types of MTD generators, i.e. low-power coaxial-line-based MTDs, moderate-power waveguide-based coaxial-line MTDs and moderate-power waveguide-based MTDs were used. The gas flow rate and microwave (2.45 GHz) power delivered to the discharge were in the range of 1-3 litre min -1 and 100-400 W, respectively. The concentrations of the processed gaseous pollutants were from several to several tens of per cent. The results showed that the MTD plasmas fully decomposed the VOCs at a relatively low energy cost. The energy efficiency of decomposition of several gaseous pollutants reached 1000 g (kW-h) -1 . This suggests that MTD plasmas can be useful tools for decomposition of highly concentrated VOCs

Desorption atmospheric pressure photoionization high-resolution mass spectrometry: a complementary approach for the chemical analysis of atmospheric aerosols.

Science.gov (United States)

Parshintsev, Jevgeni; Vaikkinen, Anu; Lipponen, Katriina; Vrkoslav, Vladimir; Cvačka, Josef; Kostiainen, Risto; Kotiaho, Tapio; Hartonen, Kari; Riekkola, Marja-Liisa; Kauppila, Tiina J

2015-07-15

On-line chemical characterization methods of atmospheric aerosols are essential to increase our understanding of physicochemical processes in the atmosphere, and to study biosphere-atmosphere interactions. Several techniques, including aerosol mass spectrometry, are nowadays available, but they all suffer from some disadvantages. In this research, desorption atmospheric pressure photoionization high-resolution (Orbitrap) mass spectrometry (DAPPI-HRMS) is introduced as a complementary technique for the fast analysis of aerosol chemical composition without the need for sample preparation. Atmospheric aerosols from city air were collected on a filter, desorbed in a DAPPI source with a hot stream of toluene and nitrogen, and ionized using a vacuum ultraviolet lamp at atmospheric pressure. To study the applicability of the technique for ambient aerosol analysis, several samples were collected onto filters and analyzed, with the focus being on selected organic acids. To compare the DAPPI-HRMS data with results obtained by an established method, each filter sample was divided into two equal parts, and the second half of the filter was extracted and analyzed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS). The DAPPI results agreed with the measured aerosol particle number. In addition to the targeted acids, the LC/MS and DAPPI-HRMS methods were found to detect different compounds, thus providing complementary information about the aerosol samples. DAPPI-HRMS showed several important oxidation products of terpenes, and numerous compounds were tentatively identified. Thanks to the soft ionization, high mass resolution, fast analysis, simplicity and on-line applicability, the proposed methodology has high potential in the field of atmospheric research. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Decomposition of poly(amide-imide) film enameled on solid copper wire using atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium plasma.

Science.gov (United States)

Sugiyama, Kazuo; Suzuki, Katsunori; Kuwasima, Shusuke; Aoki, Yosuke; Yajima, Tatsuhiko

2009-01-01

The decomposition of a poly(amide-imide) thin film coated on a solid copper wire was attempted using atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium plasma. The plasma was produced by applying microwave power to an electrically conductive material in a gas mixture of argon, oxygen, and hydrogen. The poly(amide-imide) thin film was easily decomposed by argon-oxygen mixed gas plasma and an oxidized copper surface was obtained. The reduction of the oxidized surface with argon-hydrogen mixed gas plasma rapidly yielded a metallic copper surface. A continuous plasma heat-treatment process using a combination of both the argon-oxygen plasma and argon-hydrogen plasma was found to be suitable for the decomposition of the poly(amide-imide) thin film coated on the solid copper wire.

Atmospheric pressure cold plasma treatment of cellulose based fillers for wood plastic composites

Science.gov (United States)

Lekobou, William; Englund, Karl; Pedrow, Patrick; Scudiero, Louis

2011-10-01

The main challenge of wood plastic composites (WPC) resides in the low interfacial adhesion due to incompatibility between the cellulose based filler that has a polar surface and most common matrixes, polyolefins which are non-polar. Plasma treatment is a promising technique for surface modification and its implementation into the processing of WPC would provide this industry with a versatile and nearly environmentally benign manufacturing tool. Our investigation aims at designing a cold atmospheric pressure plasma reactor for coating fillers with a hydrophobic material prior to compounding with the matrix. Deposition was achieved with our reactor that includes an array of high voltage needles, a grounded metal mesh, Ar as carrier gas and C2H2 as the precursor molecule. Parameters studied have included gas feed rates and applied voltage; FTIR, ESCA, AFM and SEM imaging were used for film diagnostics. We will also report on deposition rate and its dependence on radial and axial position as well as the effects of plasma-polymerized acetylene on the surface free energy of cellulose based substrates.

Intracellular effects of atmospheric-pressure plasmas on melanoma cancer cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ishaq, M., E-mail: ishaqmusarat@gmail.com [Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, VIC 3002 (Australia); Comonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Sydney, New South Wales (Australia); Bazaka, K. [Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000 (Australia); Ostrikov, K. [Comonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Sydney, New South Wales (Australia); Institute for Health and Biomedical Innovation, School of Chemistry, Physics and Mechanical Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4000 (Australia)

2015-12-15

Gas discharge plasmas formed at atmospheric pressure and near room temperature have recently been shown as a promising tool for cancer treatment. The mechanism of the plasma action is attributed to generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, electric fields, charges, and photons. The relative importance of different modes of action of atmospheric-pressure plasmas depends on the process parameters and specific treatment objects. Hence, an in-depth understanding of biological mechanisms that underpin plasma-induced death in cancer cells is required to optimise plasma processing conditions. Here, the intracellular factors involved in the observed anti-cancer activity in melanoma Mel007 cells are studied, focusing on the effect of the plasma treatment dose on the expression of tumour suppressor protein TP73. Over-expression of TP73 causes cell growth arrest and/or apoptosis, and hence can potentially be targeted to enhance killing efficacy and selectivity of the plasma treatment. It is shown that the plasma treatment induces dose-dependent up-regulation of TP73 gene expression, resulting in significantly elevated levels of TP73 RNA and protein in plasma-treated melanoma cells. Silencing of TP73 expression by means of RNA interference inhibited the anticancer effects of the plasma, similar to the effect of caspase inhibitor z-VAD or ROS scavenger N-acetyl cysteine. These results confirm the role of TP73 protein in dose-dependent regulation of anticancer activity of atmospheric-pressure plasmas.

Effect of the atmospheric pressure nonequilibrium plasmas on the conformational changes of plasmid DNA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan Xu; He Guangyuan; Shi Mengjun; Gao Xuan; Li Yin; Ma Fengyun; Yu Men; Wang Changdong; Wang Yuesheng; Yang Guangxiao; Zou Fei; Lu Xinpei; Xiong Qing; Xiong Zilan

2009-01-01

The cold atmospheric pressure plasma, which has been widely used for biomedical applications, may potentially affect the conformation of DNA. In this letter, an atmospheric pressure plasma plume is used to investigate its effects on the conformational changes of DNA of plasmid pAHC25. It is found that the plasma plume could cause plasmid DNA topology alteration, resulting in the percentage of the supercoiled plasmid DNA form decreased while that of the open circular and linearized form of plasmid DNA increased as detected by agrose gel electrophoresis. On the other hand, further investigation by using polymerase chain reaction method shows that the atmospheric pressure plasma jet treatments under proper conditions does not affect the genes of the plasmid DNA, which may have potential application in increasing the transformation frequency by genetic engineering.

Are atmospheric surface layer flows ergodic?

Science.gov (United States)

Higgins, Chad W.; Katul, Gabriel G.; Froidevaux, Martin; Simeonov, Valentin; Parlange, Marc B.

2013-06-01

The transposition of atmospheric turbulence statistics from the time domain, as conventionally sampled in field experiments, is explained by the so-called ergodic hypothesis. In micrometeorology, this hypothesis assumes that the time average of a measured flow variable represents an ensemble of independent realizations from similar meteorological states and boundary conditions. That is, the averaging duration must be sufficiently long to include a large number of independent realizations of the sampled flow variable so as to represent the ensemble. While the validity of the ergodic hypothesis for turbulence has been confirmed in laboratory experiments, and numerical simulations for idealized conditions, evidence for its validity in the atmospheric surface layer (ASL), especially for nonideal conditions, continues to defy experimental efforts. There is some urgency to make progress on this problem given the proliferation of tall tower scalar concentration networks aimed at constraining climate models yet are impacted by nonideal conditions at the land surface. Recent advancements in water vapor concentration lidar measurements that simultaneously sample spatial and temporal series in the ASL are used to investigate the validity of the ergodic hypothesis for the first time. It is shown that ergodicity is valid in a strict sense above uniform surfaces away from abrupt surface transitions. Surprisingly, ergodicity may be used to infer the ensemble concentration statistics of a composite grass-lake system using only water vapor concentration measurements collected above the sharp transition delineating the lake from the grass surface.

FirefOx Design Reference fO2 Sensor for Hot, Deep Atmospheres

Science.gov (United States)

Izenberg, N.; Papadakis, S.; Deglau, D.; Francomacaro, A. S.

2016-12-01

Understanding the composition of the lowest portion of Venus' atmosphere is critical to knowing the stable mineralogy of the rocks there. Oxygen gas is a critical trace component, with fugacity, or partial pressure, estimated in the range of 10-19 to 10-22 from early probe measurements down to 22km altitude (Pioneer Venus, Venera), chemical equilibrium measurements, and other modeling. "FirefOx" is a simple oxygen fugacity sensor with the express purpose of determining the partial pressure of oxygen in the lowest scale heights of the Venus atmosphere, and especially the lowest hundreds of meters; the surface atmosphere interface, where the atmosphere and surface move to thermodynamic equilibrium. Knowledge of the fO2 at the surface atmosphere interface is crucial to determining the stable mineralogy of surface materials (e.g. magnetite vs. hematite) and gas chemistry in the near-surface atmosphere FirefOx is a Metal/Metal Oxide oxygen fugacity sensor intended to be mounted on the outside of a Venus descent probe, with electronics housed inside a thermally controlled environment. The sole sensor capability is the precise, accurate detection of the partial pressure of oxygen gas (fO2) in the near-surface environment of Venus, at up to 95-bar pressure (predominantly CO2. Surface temperatures at mean planetary elevation are near 735 K, thus a required operational temperature range of 710-740 K covers a range of near-surface elevations. FirefOx system requirements are low ( 100-200 grams, mass, milliwatt power, several kilobytes total science data). A design reference sensor, composed of custom, Yittria-ZrO ceramic electrolyte, with an encapsulated Pd/PdO standard and patterned Pt electrodes has demonstrated scientifically useful signal-to-noise millivolt level potential at temperatures as low as 620 K, relatable to fO2 by a Nernst equation E = RT/4F ln(PO2/PrefO2) where E = open circuit potential across the sensor electrolyte, R = universal gas constant, T

Low temperature atmospheric microplasma jet array for uniform treatment of polymer surface for flexible electronics

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tao; Wang, Xiaolin; Yang, Bin; Chen, Xiang; Yang, Chunsheng; Liu, Jingquan

2017-07-01

In this paper, the uniformity of polymer film etching by an atmospheric pressure He/O2 microplasma jet array (μPJA) is first investigated with different applied voltage. Plasma characteristics of μPJA were recorded by optical discharge images. Morphologies and chemical compositions of polymer film etched by μPJA were analyzed by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). By increasing the applied voltage from 8.5 kV to 16.4 kV, the non-uniformity of the luminous intensity of the plasma jets increases. It is interesting that the plasma treated regions are actually composed of an etched region and modification region, with distinct morphologies and chemical compositions. The diameters of the etched parylene-C film show the increase of non-uniformity with higher applied voltage. SEM results show that the non-uniformity of surface morphologies of both the modification regions and etched regions increases with the increase of applied voltage. EDS and XPS results also present the significant effect of higher applied voltage on the non-uniformity of surface chemical compositions of both modification and etched regions. The Coulomb interaction of the streamer heads and the hydrodynamic interaction between the plasma jets and the surrounding air are considered to be responsible for this phenomenon. The results shown in this work can help improve the processing quality of polymer film etched by an atmospheric pressure microplasma jet array and two applications are demonstrated to illustrate the uniform downstream surface treatment.

Atmospheric pressure MALDI for the noninvasive characterization of carbonaceous ink from Renaissance documents.

Science.gov (United States)

Grasso, Giuseppe; Calcagno, Marzia; Rapisarda, Alessandro; D'Agata, Roberta; Spoto, Giuseppe

2017-06-01

The analytical methods that are usually applied to determine the compositions of inks from ancient manuscripts usually focus on inorganic components, as in the case of iron gall ink. In this work, we describe the use of atmospheric pressure/matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry (AP/MALDI-MS) as a spatially resolved analytical technique for the study of the organic carbonaceous components of inks used in handwritten parts of ancient books for the first time. Large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (L-PAH) were identified in situ in the ink of XVII century handwritten documents. We prove that it is possible to apply MALDI-MS as a suitable microdestructive diagnostic tool for analyzing samples in air at atmospheric pressure, thus simplifying investigations of the organic components of artistic and archaeological objects. The interpretation of the experimental MS results was supported by independent Raman spectroscopic investigations. Graphical abstract Atmospheric pressure/MALDI mass spectrometry detects in situ polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the carbonaceous ink of XVII century manuscripts.

Investigation of Titan's surface and atmosphere photometric functions using the Cassini/VIMS instrument

Science.gov (United States)

Cornet, Thomas; Altobelli, Nicolas; Rodriguez, Sébastien; Maltagliati, Luca; Le Mouélic, Stéphane; Sotin, Christophe; Brown, Robert; Barnes, Jason; Buratti, Bonnie; Baines, Kevin; Clark, Roger; Nicholson, Phillip

2015-04-01

After 106 flybys spread over 10 years, the Cassini Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) instrument acquired 33151 hyperspectral cubes pointing at the surface of Titan on the dayside. Despite this huge amount of data available for surface studies, and due to the strong influence of the atmosphere (methane absorption and haze scattering), Titan's surface is only visible with VIMS in 7 spectral atmospheric windows centred at 0.93, 1.08, 1.27, 1.59, 2.01, 2.7-2.8 and 5 microns. Atmospheric scattering and absorption effects dominate Titan's spectrum at wavelengths shorter than 3 microns, while the 5 micron window, almost insensitive to the haze scattering, only presents a reduced atmospheric absorption contribution to the signal recorded by VIMS. In all cases, the recorded I/F represents an apparent albedo, which depends on the atmospheric contributions and the surface photometry at each wavelength. We therefore aim to determine real albedo values for Titan's surface by finding photometric functions for the surface and the atmosphere that could be used as a basis for empirical corrections or Radiative Transfer calculations. After updating the navigation of the VIMS archive, we decomposed the entire VIMS data set into a MySQL relational database gathering the viewing geometry, location, time (season) and I/F (for pure atmosphere and surface-atmosphere images) for each pixel of the 33151 individual VIMS cubes. We then isolated all the VIMS pixels where Titan's surface has been repeatedly imaged at low phase angles (< 20 degrees) in order to characterize phase curves for the surface at 5 microns and for the atmosphere. Among these, the T88 flyby appears noteworthy, with a "Emergence-Phase Function (EPF)"-type observation: 25 cubes acquired during the same flyby, over the same area (close to Tortola Facula, in relatively dark terrains), at a constant incidence and with varying emergence and phase (from 0 to 60 degrees) angles. The data clearly exhibit an increase

Flight testing of a luminescent surface pressure sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Mclachlan, B. G.; Bell, J. H.; Espina, J.; Gallery, J.; Gouterman, M.; Demandante, C. G. N.; Bjarke, L.

1992-01-01

NASA ARC has conducted flight tests of a new type of aerodynamic pressure sensor based on a luminescent surface coating. Flights were conducted at the NASA ARC-Dryden Flight Research Facility. The luminescent pressure sensor is based on a surface coating which, when illuminated with ultraviolet light, emits visible light with an intensity dependent on the local air pressure on the surface. This technique makes it possible to obtain pressure data over the entire surface of an aircraft, as opposed to conventional instrumentation, which can only make measurements at pre-selected points. The objective of the flight tests was to evaluate the effectiveness and practicality of a luminescent pressure sensor in the actual flight environment. A luminescent pressure sensor was installed on a fin, the Flight Test Fixture (FTF), that is attached to the underside of an F-104 aircraft. The response of one particular surface coating was evaluated at low supersonic Mach numbers (M = 1.0-1.6) in order to provide an initial estimate of the sensor's capabilities. This memo describes the test approach, the techniques used, and the pressure sensor's behavior under flight conditions. A direct comparison between data provided by the luminescent pressure sensor and that produced by conventional pressure instrumentation shows that the luminescent sensor can provide quantitative data under flight conditions. However, the test results also show that the sensor has a number of limitations which must be addressed if this technique is to prove useful in the flight environment.

Improving the low temperature dyeability of polyethylene terephthalate fabric with dispersive dyes by atmospheric pressure plasma discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elabid, Amel E.A.; Zhang, Jie; Shi, Jianjun; Guo, Ying; Ding, Ke; Zhang, Jing

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Atmospheric pressure glow-like plasma with fine and uniform filament discharge has been successfully applied to the low temperature dyeing (95 °C) of PET fabric. • Simultaneously the dye uptake was increased as twice as much and the color strength rate was increased by about 20% for less than 3 min plasma treated PET. • Dyeing mechanism research showed the significance of surface roughing and functional group introduction by this kind of discharge. • Results highlight a novel environmentally friendly dyeing process for one of the largest commodity in polymer fabric. - Abstract: Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fiber and textile is one of the largest synthetic polymer commodity in the world. The great energy consumption and pollution caused by the high temperature and pressure dyeing of PET fibers and fabrics with disperse dyes has been caused concern these years. In this study, an atmospheric pressure plasma with fine and uniform filament discharge operated at 20 kHz has been used to improve the low temperature dyeability of PET fabric at 95 °C with three cation disperse dyes: Red 73, Blue 183 and Yellow 211. The dyes uptake percentage of the treated PET fabrics was observed to increase as twice as much of untreated fabric. The color strength rate was increased more than 20%. The reducing of the water contact angle and the raising of the capillary height of treated PET fabric strip indicate its hydrophilicity improvement. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) results display nano to micro size of etching pits appeared uniformly on the fiber surface of the treated PET. Simultaneously, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis indicates an increase of the oxygen content in the surface caused by the introduction of polar groups such as C=O and COOH. The rough surface with improved polar oxygen groups showed hydrophilicity and affinity to C.I. dispersive dyes and is believed to be caused by the strong and very fine

Weather forecasting by insects: modified sexual behaviour in response to atmospheric pressure changes.

Science.gov (United States)

Pellegrino, Ana Cristina; Peñaflor, Maria Fernanda Gomes Villalba; Nardi, Cristiane; Bezner-Kerr, Wayne; Guglielmo, Christopher G; Bento, José Maurício Simões; McNeil, Jeremy N

2013-01-01

Prevailing abiotic conditions may positively or negatively impact insects at both the individual and population levels. For example while moderate rainfall and wind velocity may provide conditions that favour development, as well as movement within and between habitats, high winds and heavy rains can significantly decrease life expectancy. There is some evidence that insects adjust their behaviours associated with flight, mating and foraging in response to changes in barometric pressure. We studied changes in different mating behaviours of three taxonomically unrelated insects, the curcurbit beetle, Diabrotica speciosa (Coleoptera), the true armyworm moth, Pseudaletia unipuncta (Lepidoptera) and the potato aphid, Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Hemiptera), when subjected to natural or experimentally manipulated changes in atmospheric pressure. In response to decreasing barometric pressure, male beetles exhibited decreased locomotory activity in a Y-tube olfactometer with female pheromone extracts. However, when placed in close proximity to females, they exhibited reduced courtship sequences and the precopulatory period. Under the same situations, females of the true armyworm and the potato aphid exhibited significantly reduced calling behaviour. Neither the movement of male beetles nor the calling of armyworm females differed between stable and increasing atmospheric pressure conditions. However, in the case of the armyworm there was a significant decrease in the incidence of mating under rising atmospheric conditions, suggesting an effect on male behaviour. When atmospheric pressure rose, very few M. euphorbiae oviparae called. This was similar to the situation observed under decreasing conditions, and consequently very little mating was observed in this species except under stable conditions. All species exhibited behavioural modifications, but there were interspecific differences related to size-related flight ability and the diel periodicity of mating activity. We

The Mars Pathfinder atmospheric structure investigation/meteorology (ASI/MET) experiment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schofield, J.T.; Barnes, J.R.; Crisp, D.

1997-01-01

The Mars Pathfinder atmospheric structure investigation/meteorology (ASI/MET) experiment measured the vertical density, pressure, and temperature structure of the martian atmosphere from the surface to 160 km, and monitored surface meteorology and climate for 83 sols (1 sol = 1 martian day = 24...

Role of secondary emission on discharge dynamics in an atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tay, W. H.; Kausik, S. S.; Yap, S. L.; Wong, C. S., E-mail: cswong@um.edu.my [Plasma Technology Research Centre, Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

2014-04-15

The discharge dynamics in an atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is studied in a DBD reactor consisting of a pair of stainless steel parallel plate electrodes. The DBD discharge has been generated by a 50 Hz ac high voltage power source. The high-speed intensified charge coupled device camera is used to capture the images of filaments occurring in the discharge gap. It is observed that frequent synchronous breakdown of micro discharges occurs across the discharge gap in the case of negative current pulse. The experimental results reveal that secondary emissions from the dielectric surface play a key role in the synchronous breakdown of plasma filaments.

Influence of surface emission processes on a fast-pulsed dielectric barrier discharge in air at atmospheric pressure

Science.gov (United States)

Pechereau, François; Bonaventura, Zdeněk; Bourdon, Anne

2016-08-01

This paper presents simulations of an atmospheric pressure air discharge in a point-to-plane geometry with a dielectric layer parallel to the cathode plane. Experimentally, a discharge reignition in the air gap below the dielectrics has been observed. With a 2D fluid model, it is shown that due to the fast rise of the high voltage applied and the sharp point used, a first positive spherical discharge forms around the point. Then this discharge propagates axially and impacts the dielectrics. As the first discharge starts spreading on the upper dielectric surface, in the second air gap with a low preionization density of {{10}4}~\\text{c}{{\\text{m}}-3} , the 2D fluid model predicts a rapid reignition of a positive discharge. As in experiments, the discharge reignition is much slower, a discussion on physical processes to be considered in the model to increase the reignition delay is presented. The limit case with no initial seed charges in the second air gap has been studied. First, we have calculated the time to release an electron from the cathode surface by thermionic and field emission processes for a work function φ \\in ≤ft[3,4\\right] eV and an amplification factor β \\in ≤ft[100,220\\right] . Then a 3D Monte Carlo model has been used to follow the dynamics of formation of an avalanche starting from a single electron emitted at the cathode. Due to the high electric field in the second air gap, we have shown that in a few nanoseconds, a Gaussian cloud of seed charges is formed at a small distance from the cathode plane. This Gaussian cloud has been used as the initial condition of the 2D fluid model in the second air gap. In this case, the propagation of a double headed discharge in the second air gap has been observed and the reignition delay is in rather good agreement with experiments.

The effect of ammonium partial pressure on residual stresses in surface layer of SW7M HSS steel after vacuum nitriding 'NITROVAC'79'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gawronski, Z.

1997-01-01

The effect of the nitriding atmosphere on the residual stresses in the surface layer of the SW7M HSS steel has been investigated in the work. It has been proved that the pressure influences the distribution of those stresses to a great extent. At lower pressures (20 hPa and 40 hPa) at which only one zone is being created - the one of internal nitriding, without that of ε type nitrides on the surface - the highest residual stresses are operating on the HSS steel surface itself or eventually in the subsurface region very close to the surface. In the difference, in case of higher pressure (120 hPa and 240 hPa), the highest stresses are operating at great depth 8-12 μm from the steel surface - depending on the thickness of the ε type nitride layer created on the steel surface at those pressure. All the relevant stresses are compressive one. (author). 6 refs, 4 figs, 1 tab

Ultrasound enhanced plasma treatment of glass-fibre-reinforced polyester in atmospheric pressure air for adhesion improvement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kusano, Yukihiro; Singh, Shailendra Vikram; Norrman, Kion

2011-01-01

A glass-fibre-reinforced polyester (GFRP) plate was treated with dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) at atmospheric pressure in air for adhesion improvement. The effects of ultrasonic irradiation using a high-power gas-jet generator during the treatment were investigated. The optical emission...... damage of the GFRP plates. The polar component of the surface energy of the polyester plate was 21 mJ/m2 before the treatment, increased markedly to 52 mJ/m2 after 2-s plasma treatment without ultrasonic irradiation, and further increased slightly after longer treatments. In addition, the polar component...

Meteorology in ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm: an institutional study and a meta-analysis of published studies reporting atmospheric pressure.

Science.gov (United States)

Takagi, H; Watanabe, T; Mizuno, Y; Kawai, N; Umemoto, T

2014-12-01

The aim of this paper was to determine whether weather factors including atmospheric pressure are associated with the occurrence of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (RAAA). We investigated our institutional experiences of RAAA in more than 150 patients during 8 years. Further, we performed a meta-analysis of published studies reporting the influence of atmospheric pressure on RAAA. We retrospectively evaluated 152 patients who underwent surgery for RAAA (including ruptured iliac arterial aneurysm) at our institute between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2013. Daily regional meteorological data (in the nearest weather station located 3.5 km from the hospital) were obtained online from Japan Meteorological Agency. To identify comparative studies of mean atmospheric pressure on the day with RAAA versus that on the day without RAAA, MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched through January 2014 using Web-based search engines (PubMed and OVID). Mean sea level atmospheric pressure, delta mean atmospheric pressure (difference between mean sea level atmospheric pressure on the day and that on the previous day), and sunshine duration on the day with RAAA were significantly lower than those on the day without RAAA: 1012.43±7.44 versus 1013.71±6.49 hPa, P=0.039, -1.18±5.15 versus 0.05±5.62 hPa, P=0.005; and 4.76±3.76 versus 5.47±3.88 h, P=0.026; respectively. A pooled analysis of 8 studies (including our institutional study) demonstrated that mean atmospheric pressure on the day with RAAA was significantly lower than that on the day without RAAA: standardized mean difference, -0.09; 95% confidence interval, -0.14 to -0.04; P=0.0009. Atmospheric pressure on the day with RAAA appears lower than that on the day without RAAA. Atmospheric pressure may be associated with the occurrence of RAAA.

Atmospheric pressure plasma jets: an overview of devices and new directions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winter, J; Brandenburg, R; Weltmann, K-D

2015-01-01

Atmospheric pressure plasma jets have a long history of more than 50 years. During this time their design and plasma generation mechanism has been developed and adapted to various fields of applications. This review aims at giving an overview of jet devices by starting with a brief history of their development. This is followed by an overview of commonly used terms and definitions as well as a survey of different classification schemes (e.g. geometry, excition frequency or specific energy input) described in literature. A selective update of new designs and novel research achievments on atmospheric pressure plasma jets published in 2012 or later shows the impressive variety and rapid development of the field. Finally, a brief outlook on the future trends and directions is given. (paper)

Gas Diffusion Barriers Prepared by Spatial Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Enhanced ALD.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, Lukas; Theirich, Detlef; Pack, Sven; Kocak, Firat; Schlamm, Daniel; Hasselmann, Tim; Fahl, Henry; Räupke, André; Gargouri, Hassan; Riedl, Thomas

2017-02-01

In this work, we report on aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ) gas permeation barriers prepared by spatial ALD (SALD) at atmospheric pressure. We compare the growth characteristics and layer properties using trimethylaluminum (TMA) in combination with an Ar/O 2 remote atmospheric pressure plasma for different substrate velocities and different temperatures. The resulting Al 2 O 3 films show ultralow water vapor transmission rates (WVTR) on the order of 10 -6 gm -2 d -1 . In notable contrast, plasma based layers already show good barrier properties at low deposition temperatures (75 °C), while water based processes require a growth temperature above 100 °C to achieve equally low WVTRs. The activation energy for the water permeation mechanism was determined to be 62 kJ/mol.

An Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Setup to Investigate the Reactive Species Formation

OpenAIRE

Gorbanev, Yury; Soriano, Robert; O'Connell, Deborah; Chechik, Victor

2016-01-01

Non-thermal atmospheric pressure ('cold') plasmas have received increased attention in recent years due to their significant biomedical potential. The reactions of cold plasma with the surrounding atmosphere yield a variety of reactive species, which can define its effectiveness. While efficient development of cold plasma therapy requires kinetic models, model benchmarking needs empirical data. Experimental studies of the source of reactive species detected in aqueous solutions exposed to pla...

Photosynthesis and growth response of almond to increased atmospheric ozone partial pressures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Retzlaff, W.A.; Williams, L.E. (Univ. of California, Davis (United States) Kearney Agricultural Center, Parlier, CA (United States)); DeJong, T.M. (Univ. of California, Davis (United States))

Uniform nursery stock of five almond cultivars [Prunus dulcis (Mill) D.A. Webb syn. P. amygdalus Batsch, cv. Butte, Carmel, Mission, Nonpareil, and Sonora] propagated on peach (P. domstica L. Batsch.) rootstock were exposed to three different atmospheric ozone (O[sub 3]) partial pressures. The trees were planted in open-top fumigation chambers on 19 Apr. 1989 at the University of California Kearny Agricultural Center located in the San Joaquin Valley of California. Exposures of the trees to three atmospheric O[sub 3] partial pressures lasted from 1 June to 2 Nov. 1989. The mean 12-h [0800-2000 h Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)] O[sub 3] partial pressures measured in the open-top chambers during the experimental period were 0.038, 0.060, and 0.112 [mu]Pa Pa[sup [minus]1] O[sub 3] in the charcoal filtered, ambient, and ambient + O[sub 3] treatments, respectively. Leaf net CO[sub 2] assimilation, trunk cross-sectional area growth, and root, trunk, foliage, and total dry weight of Nonpareil were reduced by increased atmospheric O[sub 3] partial pressures. Mission was unaffected by O[sub 3] and Butte, Carmel, and Sonora were intermediate in their responses. Foliage of Nonpareil also abscised prematurely in the ambient and ambient + O[sub 3] treatments. The results indicate that there are almond cultivars that are sensitive to O[sub 3] exposure.

Triton: Scattering models and surface/atmosphere constraints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, W.R.

1989-01-01

Modeling of Triton's spectrum indicates a bright scattering layer of optical depth τ≅3 overlying an optically deep layer of CH 4 with high absorption and little scattering. UV absorption in the spectrum indicates τ≅0.3 of red-yellow haze, although some color may also arise from complex organics partially visible on the surface. An analysis of this and other (spectro)photometric evidence indicates that Triton most likely has a bright surface, which was partially visible in 1977-1980. Geometric albedo p=0.62 +0.18 -0.12 , radius r = 1480 ± 180 km, and temperature T = 48 ± 6 K. With scattering optical depths of 0.3-3 and ∼1-10 mb of N 2 , a Mars-like atmospheric density and surface visibility pertain. Imaging with the 0.62μm CH 4 filter of the Voyager 2 wide angle camera could show ∼20% contrast between the average surface and clean exposures of CH 4 ice (which is not limited to the polar caps). Low far-infrared atmospheric opacity will in principle allow the detection of thermal gradients in the surface caused by optically transmitting but infrared opaque CH 4 and N 2 ice

Atmospheric pressure helium afterglow discharge detector for gas chromatography

Science.gov (United States)

Rice, Gary; D'Silva, Arthur P.; Fassel, Velmer A.

1986-05-06

An apparatus for providing a simple, low-frequency electrodeless discharge system for atmospheric pressure afterglow generation. A single quartz tube through which a gas mixture is passed is extended beyond a concentric electrode positioned thereabout. A grounding rod is placed directly above the tube outlet to permit optical viewing of the discharge between the electrodes.

The influence of atmospheric pressure on aortic aneurysm rupture--is the diameter of the aneurysm important?

Science.gov (United States)

Urbanek, Tomasz; Juśko, Maciej; Niewiem, Alfred; Kuczmik, Wacław; Ziaja, Damian; Ziaja, Krzysztof

2015-01-01

The rate of aortic aneurysm rupture correlates with the aneurysm's diameter, and a higher rate of rupture is observed in patients with larger aneurysms. According to the literature, contradictory results concerning the relationship between atmospheric pressure and aneurysm size have been reported. In this paper, we assessed the influence of changes in atmospheric pressure on abdominal aneurysm ruptures in relationship to the aneurysm's size. The records of 223 patients with ruptured abdominal aneurysms were evaluated. All of the patients had been admitted to the department in the period 1997-2007 from the Silesia region. The atmospheric pressures on the day of the rupture and on the days both before the rupture and between the rupture events were compared. The size of the aneurysm was also considered in the analysis. There were no statistically significant differences in pressure between the days of rupture and the remainder of the days within an analysed period. The highest frequency of the admission of patients with a ruptured aortic aneurysm was observed during periods of winter and spring, when the highest mean values of atmospheric pressure were observed; however, this observation was not statistically confirmed. A statistically non-significant trend towards the higher rupture of large aneurysms (> 7 cm) was observed in the cases where the pressure increased between the day before the rupture and the day of the rupture. This trend was particularly pronounced in patients suffering from hypertension (p = 0.1). The results of this study do not support the hypothesis that there is a direct link between atmospheric pressure values and abdominal aortic aneurysm ruptures.

Changes in the electro-physical properties of MCT epitaxial films affected by a plasma volume discharge induced by an avalanche beam in atmospheric-pressure air

Science.gov (United States)

Grigoryev, D. V.; Voitsekhovskii, A. V.; Lozovoy, K. A.; Tarasenko, V. F.; Shulepov, M. A.

2015-11-01

In this paper the influence of the plasma volume discharge of nanosecond duration formed in a non-uniform electric field at atmospheric pressure on samples of epitaxial films HgCdTe (MCT) films are discussed. The experimental data show that the action of pulses of nanosecond volume discharge in air at atmospheric pressure leads to changes in the electrophysical properties of MCT epitaxial films due to formation of a near-surface high- conductivity layer of the n-type conduction. The preliminary results show that it is possible to use such actions in the development of technologies for the controlled change of the properties of MCT.

Turbulent transport in the atmospheric surface layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tagesson, Torbern [Dept. of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund Univ., Lund (Sweden)

2012-04-15

In the modelling of transport and accumulation of the radioactive isotope carbon-14 (C-14) in the case of a potential release from a future repository of radioactive waste, it is important to describe the transport of the isotope in the atmosphere. This report aims to describe the turbulent transport within the lower part of the atmosphere; the inertial surface layer and the roughness sublayer. Transport in the inertial surface layer is dependent on several factors, whereof some can be neglected under certain circumstances. Under steady state conditions, fully developed turbulent conditions, in flat and horizontal homogeneous areas, it is possible to apply an eddy diffusivity approach for estimating vertical transport of C. The eddy diffusivity model assumes that there is proportionality between the vertical gradient and the transport of C. The eddy diffusivity is depending on the atmospheric turbulence, which is affected by the interaction between mean wind and friction of the ground surface and of the sensible heat flux in the atmosphere. In this report, it is described how eddy diffusivity of the inertial surface layer can be estimated from 3-d wind measurements and measurements of sensible heat fluxes. It is also described how to estimate the eddy diffusivity in the inertial surface layer from profile measurements of temperature and wind speed. Close to the canopy, wind and C profiles are influenced by effects of the surface roughness; this section of the atmosphere is called the roughness sublayer. Its height is up to {approx}3 times the height of the plant canopy. When the mean wind interacts with the canopy, turbulence is not only produced by shear stress and buoyancy, it is additionally created by wakes, which are formed behind the plants. Turbulence is higher than it would be over a flat surface, and the turbulent transport is hereby more efficient. Above the plant canopy, but still within the roughness sublayer, a function that compensates for the effect

Turbulent transport in the atmospheric surface layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tagesson, Torbern

2012-04-01

In the modelling of transport and accumulation of the radioactive isotope carbon-14 (C-14) in the case of a potential release from a future repository of radioactive waste, it is important to describe the transport of the isotope in the atmosphere. This report aims to describe the turbulent transport within the lower part of the atmosphere; the inertial surface layer and the roughness sublayer. Transport in the inertial surface layer is dependent on several factors, whereof some can be neglected under certain circumstances. Under steady state conditions, fully developed turbulent conditions, in flat and horizontal homogeneous areas, it is possible to apply an eddy diffusivity approach for estimating vertical transport of C. The eddy diffusivity model assumes that there is proportionality between the vertical gradient and the transport of C. The eddy diffusivity is depending on the atmospheric turbulence, which is affected by the interaction between mean wind and friction of the ground surface and of the sensible heat flux in the atmosphere. In this report, it is described how eddy diffusivity of the inertial surface layer can be estimated from 3-d wind measurements and measurements of sensible heat fluxes. It is also described how to estimate the eddy diffusivity in the inertial surface layer from profile measurements of temperature and wind speed. Close to the canopy, wind and C profiles are influenced by effects of the surface roughness; this section of the atmosphere is called the roughness sublayer. Its height is up to ∼3 times the height of the plant canopy. When the mean wind interacts with the canopy, turbulence is not only produced by shear stress and buoyancy, it is additionally created by wakes, which are formed behind the plants. Turbulence is higher than it would be over a flat surface, and the turbulent transport is hereby more efficient. Above the plant canopy, but still within the roughness sublayer, a function that compensates for the effect of

Fabrication of Durably Superhydrophobic Cotton Fabrics by Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Treatment with a Siloxane Precursor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Yang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The surface treatment of fabrics in an atmospheric environment may pave the way for commercially viable plasma modifications of fibrous matters. In this paper, we demonstrate a durably superhydrophobic cotton cellulose fabric prepared in a single-step graft polymerization of hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO by N2 and O2 atmospheric pressure plasma. We systematically investigated effects on contact angle (CA and surface morphology of the cotton fabric under three operational parameters: precursor value; ionization gas flow rate; and plasma cycle time. Surface morphology, element composition, chemical structure and hydrophobic properties of the treated fabric were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM, EDS, FTIR and CA on the fabrics. The results indicated that a layer of thin film and nano-particles were evenly deposited on the cotton fibers, and graft polymerization occurred between cellulose and HMDSO. The fabric treated by O2 plasma exhibited a higher CA of 162° than that treated by N2 plasma which was about 149°. Furthermore, the CA of treated fabrics decreased only 0°~10° after storing at the ambient conditions for four months, and treated fabrics could also endure the standard textile laundering procedure in AATCC 61-2006 with minimum change. Therefore, this single-step plasma treatment method is shown to be a novel and environment-friendly way to make durable and superhydrophobic cotton fabrics.

Plasma chemistry in an atmospheric pressure Ar/NH3 dielectric barrier discharge

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fateev, A.; Leipold, F.; Kusano, Y.

2005-01-01

An atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) in Ar/NH3 (0.1 - 10%) mixtures with a parallel plate electrode geometry was studied. The plasma was investigated by emission and absorption spectroscopy in the UV spectral range. Discharge current and voltage were measured as well. UV...... of an atmospheric pressure Ar/NH3 DBD are H-2, N-2 and N2H4. The hydrazine (N2H4) concentration in the plasma and in the exhaust gases at various ammonia concentrations and different discharge powers was measured. Thermal N2H4 decomposition into NH2 radicals may be used for NOx reduction processes....

DC-pulse atmospheric-pressure plasma jet and dielectric barrier discharge surface treatments on fluorine-doped tin oxide for perovskite solar cell application

Science.gov (United States)

Tsai, Jui-Hsuan; Cheng, I.-Chun; Hsu, Cheng-Che; Chen, Jian-Zhang

2018-01-01

Nitrogen DC-pulse atmospheric-pressure plasma jet (APPJ) and nitrogen dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) were applied to pre-treat fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrates for perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Nitrogen DC-pulse APPJ treatment (substrate temperature: ~400 °C) for 10 s can effectively increase the wettability, whereas nitrogen DBD treatment (maximum substrate temperature: ~140 °C) achieved limited improvement in wettability even with increased treatment time of 60 s. XPS results indicate that 10 s APPJ, 60 s DBD, and 15 min UV-ozone treatment of FTO glass substrates can decontaminate the surface. A PSC fabricated on APPJ-treated FTO showed the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 14.90%; by contrast, a PSC with nitrogen DBD-treated FTO shows slightly lower PCE of 12.57% which was comparable to that of a PSC on FTO treated by a 15 min UV-ozone process. Both nitrogen DC-pulse APPJ and nitrogen DBD can decontaminate FTO substrates and can be applied for the substrate cleaning step of PSC.

Einstein's Tea Leaves and Pressure Systems in the Atmosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Tandon, Amit; Marshall, John

2010-01-01

Tea leaves gather in the center of the cup when the tea is stirred. In 1926 Einstein explained the phenomenon in terms of a secondary, rim-to-center circulation caused by the fluid rubbing against the bottom of the cup. This explanation can be connected to air movement in atmospheric pressure systems to explore, for example, why low-pressure…

Cold atmospheric pressure plasma treatment of ready-to-eat meat: Inactivation of Listeria innocua and changes in product quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rød, Sara Katrine; Hansen, Flemming; Leipold, Frank

2012-01-01

The application of cold atmospheric pressure plasma for decontamination of a sliced ready-to-eat (RTE) meat product (bresaola) inoculated with Listeria innocua was investigated. Inoculated samples were treated at 15.5, 31, and 62 W for 2–60 s inside sealed linear-low-density-polyethylene bags...... the sensory threshold level. Surface colour changes included loss of redness of ∼40% and 70% after 1 and 14 days of storage, respectively, regardless of plasma treatment. The results indicate that plasma may be applicable in surface decontamination of pre-packed RTE food products. However, oxidation may...

New approach for sustaining energetic, efficient and scalable non-equilibrium plasma in water vapours at atmospheric pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malik, Muhammad Arif; Schoenbach, Karl H

2012-01-01

Energetic and scalable non-equilibrium plasma was formed in pure water vapour at atmospheric pressure between wire-to-strip electrodes on a dielectric surface with one of the electrodes extended forming a conductive plane on the back side of the dielectric surface. The energy deposition increased by an order of magnitude compared with the conventional pulsed corona discharges under the same conditions. The scalability was demonstrated by operating two electrode assemblies with a common conductive plane between two dielectric layers. The energy yields for hydrogen and hydrogen peroxide generation were measured as ∼1.2 g H 2 /kWh and ∼4 g H 2 O 2 /kWh. (fast track communication)

Exploring Scintillometry in the Stable Atmospheric Surface Layer

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartogensis, O.K.

2006-01-01

The main objective of this thesis is to investigate observation methods of heat and momentum exchange and key variables that characterise turbulence in the atmospheric stable surface layer (SSL), a layer defined as the lower part of the stable boundary layer (SBL) where surface fluxes do not change

Pressure relieving support surfaces (PRESSURE) trial: cost effectiveness analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Iglesias, Cynthia; Nixon, Jane; Cranny, Gillian; Nelson, E Andrea; Hawkins, Kim; Phillips, Angela; Torgerson, David; Mason, Su; Cullum, Nicky

2006-06-17

To assess the cost effectiveness of alternating pressure mattresses compared with alternating pressure overlays for the prevention of pressure ulcers in patients admitted to hospital. Cost effectiveness analysis carried out alongside the pressure relieving support surfaces (PRESSURE) trial; a multicentre UK based pragmatic randomised controlled trial. 11 hospitals in six UK NHS trusts. Intention to treat population comprising 1971 participants. Kaplan Meier estimates of restricted mean time to development of pressure ulcers and total costs for treatment in hospital. Alternating pressure mattresses were associated with lower overall costs (283.6 pounds sterling per patient on average, 95% confidence interval--377.59 pounds sterling to 976.79 pounds sterling) mainly due to reduced length of stay in hospital, and greater benefits (a delay in time to ulceration of 10.64 days on average,--24.40 to 3.09). The differences in health benefits and total costs for hospital stay between alternating pressure mattresses and alternating pressure overlays were not statistically significant; however, a cost effectiveness acceptability curve indicated that on average alternating pressure mattresses compared with alternating pressure overlays were associated with an 80% probability of being cost saving. Alternating pressure mattresses for the prevention of pressure ulcers are more likely to be cost effective and are more acceptable to patients than alternating pressure overlays.

Atmospheric constraints for the CO2 partial pressure on terrestrial planets near the outer edge of the habitable zone

OpenAIRE

von Paris, P.; Grenfell, J. L.; Hedelt, P.; Rauer, H.; Selsis, F.; Stracke, B.

2013-01-01

In recent years, several potentially habitable, probably terrestrial exoplanets and exoplanet candidates have been discovered. The amount of CO2 in their atmosphere is of great importance for surface conditions and habitability. In the absence of detailed information on the geochemistry of the planet, this amount could be considered as a free parameter. Up to now, CO2 partial pressures for terrestrial planets have been obtained assuming an available volatile reservoir and outgassing scenarios...

Atmospheric pressure photo ionization hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry--a method to differentiate isomers by mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Arif; Kim, Sunghwan

2013-12-01

In this report, a method for in-source hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange at atmospheric pressure is reported. The method was named atmospheric pressure photo ionization hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (APPI HDX MS). H/D exchange was performed by mixing samples dissolved in toluene with CH3OD solvent and analyzing the mixture using atmospheric pressure photo ionization mass spectrometry (APPI-MS). The APPI HDX spectra obtained with contact times between the analyte solution and methanol-OD (CH3OD) of atmospheric pressure. H/D exchange can be performed in any laboratory with a mass spectrometer and a commercial APPI source. Using this method, multiple H/D exchanges of aromatic hydrogen and/or H/D exchange of active hydrogen were observed. These results demonstrated that H/D exchange can be used to distinguish between isomers containing primary, secondary, and tertiary amines, as well as pyridine and pyrrole functional groups.

Atmospheric pressure arc discharge with ablating graphite anode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nemchinsky, V A; Raitses, Y

2015-01-01

The anodic carbon arc discharge is used to produce carbon nanoparticles. Recent experiments with the carbon arc at atmospheric pressure helium demonstrated the enhanced ablation rate for narrow graphite anodes resulting in high deposition rates of carbonaceous products on the copper cathode (Fetterman et al 2008 Carbon 46 1322–6). The proposed model explains these results with interconnected steady-state models of the cathode and the anode processes. When considering cathode functioning, the model predicts circulation of the particles in the near-cathode region: evaporation of the cathode material, ionization of evaporated atoms and molecules in the near-cathode plasma, return of the resulting ions to the cathode, surface recombination of ions and electrons followed again by cathode evaporation etc. In the case of the low anode ablation rate, the ion acceleration in the cathode sheath provides the major cathode heating mechanism. In the case of an intensive anode ablation, an additional cathode heating is due to latent fusion heat of the atomic species evaporated from the anode and depositing at the cathode. Using the experimental arc voltage as the only input discharge parameter, the model allows us to calculate the anode ablation rate. A comparison of the results of calculations with the available experimental data shows reasonable agreement. (paper)

Atmospheric pressure arc discharge with ablating graphite anode

Science.gov (United States)

Nemchinsky, V. A.; Raitses, Y.

2015-06-01

The anodic carbon arc discharge is used to produce carbon nanoparticles. Recent experiments with the carbon arc at atmospheric pressure helium demonstrated the enhanced ablation rate for narrow graphite anodes resulting in high deposition rates of carbonaceous products on the copper cathode (Fetterman et al 2008 Carbon 46 1322-6). The proposed model explains these results with interconnected steady-state models of the cathode and the anode processes. When considering cathode functioning, the model predicts circulation of the particles in the near-cathode region: evaporation of the cathode material, ionization of evaporated atoms and molecules in the near-cathode plasma, return of the resulting ions to the cathode, surface recombination of ions and electrons followed again by cathode evaporation etc. In the case of the low anode ablation rate, the ion acceleration in the cathode sheath provides the major cathode heating mechanism. In the case of an intensive anode ablation, an additional cathode heating is due to latent fusion heat of the atomic species evaporated from the anode and depositing at the cathode. Using the experimental arc voltage as the only input discharge parameter, the model allows us to calculate the anode ablation rate. A comparison of the results of calculations with the available experimental data shows reasonable agreement.

On-line solid phase extraction-liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry for insect repellent residue analysis in surface waters using atmospheric pressure photoionization.

Science.gov (United States)

Molins-Delgado, Daniel; García-Sillero, Daniel; Díaz-Cruz, M Silvia; Barceló, Damià

2018-04-06

Insect repellents (IRs) are a group of organic chemicals whose function is to prevent the ability of insects of landing in a surface. These compounds have been found in the environment and may pose a risk to non-target organisms. In this study, an on-line solid phase extraction - high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry multiresidue method was developed using an atmospheric photoionization source (SPE-HPLC-(APPI)-MS/MS). The use of the APPI as an alternative ionization technique to electrospray (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) allowed expanding the range of analytical techniques suitable for the analysis of IRs, so far relied in gas chromatography. High sensitivity and precision was reached with method limits of quantification between 0.2 and 4.6 ng l -1 and interday and intraday precision equal or below 15%. The validated method was applied to the study of surface water samples from three European river basins with different flow regime (Adige River in Italy, Sava River in the Balkans, and Evrotas River in Greece). The results showed that two IRs (DEET and Bayrepel) were ubiquitous in the Sava and Evrotas basins, reaching concentrations as high as 105 μg l -1 of Bayrepel in the Sava River, and 5 μg l -1 of DEET in the Evrotas River. Densely populated areas and effluent waste waters are pointed out as the responsible for this pollution. In the alpine river Adige, only three samples showed low levels of IRs (6.01-37.8 ng l -1 ). The concentrations measured were used to perform an environmental risk assessment based on the hazard quotients (HQs) estimation approach by using the chronic and acute eco-toxicity data available. The results revealed that despite the high frequency and eventually high concentrations of these IRs determined in the three basins, only few sites were at risk, with 1 < HQs < 3.3. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of initiating anaerobic digestion of layer-hen poultry dung at sub-atmospheric pressure

OpenAIRE

Ngumah, Chima C.; Ogbulie, Jude N.; Orji, Justina C.; Amadi, Ekperechi S.

2013-01-01

This study investigated the effects of initiating anaerobic digestion (AD) of dry layer-hen poultry dung at the sub-atmospheric pressure of -30 cmHg on biodegradation, biogasification, and biomethanation. The setup was performed as a batch process at an average ambient temperature of 29±2 ºC and a retention time of 15 days. Comparisons were made with two other experiments which were both begun at ambient atmospheric pressure; one was inoculated with digestate from a previous layer-hen dung AD...

Electron density measurement of non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma using dispersion interferometer

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshimura, Shinji; Kasahara, Hiroshi; Akiyama, Tsuyoshi

2017-10-01

Medical applications of non-equilibrium atmospheric plasmas have recently been attracting a great deal of attention, where many types of plasma sources have been developed to meet the purposes. For example, plasma-activated medium (PAM), which is now being studied for cancer treatment, has been produced by irradiating non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma with ultrahigh electron density to a culture medium. Meanwhile, in order to measure electron density in magnetic confinement plasmas, a CO2 laser dispersion interferometer has been developed and installed on the Large Helical Device (LHD) at the National Institute for Fusion Science, Japan. The dispersion interferometer has advantages that the measurement is insensitive to mechanical vibrations and changes in neutral gas density. Taking advantage of these properties, we applied the dispersion interferometer to electron density diagnostics of atmospheric pressure plasmas produced by the NU-Global HUMAP-WSAP-50 device, which is used for producing PAM. This study was supported by the Grant of Joint Research by the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS).

Comparison of the sensitivity of mass spectrometry atmospheric pressure ionization techniques in the analysis of porphyrinoids.

Science.gov (United States)

Swider, Paweł; Lewtak, Jan P; Gryko, Daniel T; Danikiewicz, Witold

2013-10-01

The porphyrinoids chemistry is greatly dependent on the data obtained in mass spectrometry. For this reason, it is essential to determine the range of applicability of mass spectrometry ionization methods. In this study, the sensitivity of three different atmospheric pressure ionization techniques, electrospray ionization, atmospheric pressure chemical ionization and atmospheric pressure photoionization, was tested for several porphyrinods and their metallocomplexes. Electrospray ionization method was shown to be the best ionization technique because of its high sensitivity for derivatives of cyanocobalamin, free-base corroles and porphyrins. In the case of metallocorroles and metalloporphyrins, atmospheric pressure photoionization with dopant proved to be the most sensitive ionization method. It was also shown that for relatively acidic compounds, particularly for corroles, the negative ion mode provides better sensitivity than the positive ion mode. The results supply a lot of relevant information on the methodology of porphyrinoids analysis carried out by mass spectrometry. The information can be useful in designing future MS or liquid chromatography-MS experiments. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Untangling the Chemical Evolution of Titan's Atmosphere and Surface -- From Homogeneous to Heterogeneous Chemistry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaiser, Ralf I.; Maksyutenko, Pavlo; Ennis, Courtney; Zhang, Fangtong; Gu, Xibin; Krishtal, Sergey P.; Mebel, Alexander M.; Kostko, Oleg; Ahmed, Musahid

2010-03-16

The arrival of the Cassini-Huygens probe at Saturn's moon Titan - the only Solar System body besides Earth and Venus with a solid surface and a thick atmosphere with a pressure of 1.4 atm at surface level - in 2004 opened up a new chapter in the history of Solar System exploration. The mission revealed Titan as a world with striking Earth-like landscapes involving hydrocarbon lakes and seas as well as sand dunes and lava-like features interspersed with craters and icy mountains of hitherto unknown chemical composition. The discovery of a dynamic atmosphere and active weather system illustrates further the similarities between Titan and Earth. The aerosol-based haze layers, which give Titan its orange-brownish color, are not only Titan's most prominent optically visible features, but also play a crucial role in determining Titan's thermal structure and chemistry. These smog-like haze layers are thought to be very similar to those that were present in Earth's atmosphere before life developed more than 3.8 billion years ago, absorbing the destructive ultraviolet radiation from the Sun, thus acting as 'prebiotic ozone' to preserve astrobiologically important molecules on Titan. Compared to Earth, Titan's low surface temperature of 94 K and the absence of liquid water preclude the evolution of biological chemistry as we know it. Exactly because of these low temperatures, Titan provides us with a unique prebiotic 'atmospheric laboratory' yielding vital clues - at the frozen stage - on the likely chemical composition of the atmosphere of the primitive Earth. However, the underlying chemical processes, which initiate the haze formation from simple molecules, have been not understood well to date.

Experiments on HFE-7100 pool boiling at atmospheric pressure in horizontal narrow spaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guglielmini, G.; Misale, M.; Priarone, A. [Universita degli Studi di Genova (Italy). DIPTEM - Sezione di Termoenergetica e Condizionamento Ambientale

2009-07-01

Experiments were performed to examine the pool boiling heat transfer and critical heat flux on a smooth copper circular surface, confined by a face-to-face parallel unheated surface, by changing the gap between the surfaces and the unheated surface diameter. Pool boiling data at atmospheric pressure were obtained for saturated HFE-7100. The gap values investigated, between the boiling surface and the adiabatic one, were s 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.5 mm. To confine the boiling surface, two different Plexiglas plates were used: the former characterised by a diameter D = 60 mm, large as the overall test section support, the latter characterised by a diameter D = 30 mm, large to cover only copper boiling surface (d = 30 mm). For each configuration, boiling curves were obtained up to the thermal crisis. For both different types of confinement, it was observed that the boiling curves match at low wall superheat, except for s = 0.5 mm, 1 mm. However, at high wall superheat, a drastic reduction in heat transfer as well as CHF appears decreasing the channel width s; for all gap sizes, this reduction is less pronounced for the smaller confinement wall (D = 30 mm). Instead, at low wall superheat for gap of 0.5 and 1.0 mm, the heat transfer coefficient is higher for diameter disc of 60 mm. CHF data were also compared with a literature correlation (Misale and al., 2009). (author)

Stepping towards new parameterizations for non-canonical atmospheric surface-layer conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Calaf, M.; Margairaz, F.; Pardyjak, E.

2017-12-01

Representing land-atmosphere exchange processes as a lower boundary condition remains a challenge. This is partially a result of the fact that land-surface heterogeneity exists at all spatial scales and its variability does not "average" out with decreasing scales. Such variability need not rapidly blend away from the boundary thereby impacting the near-surface region of the atmosphere. Traditionally, momentum and energy fluxes linking the land surface to the flow in NWP models have been parameterized using atmospheric surface layer (ASL) similarity theory. There is ample evidence that such representation is acceptable for stationary and planar-homogeneous flows in the absence of subsidence. However, heterogeneity remains a ubiquitous feature eliciting appreciable deviations when using ASL similarity theory, especially in scalars such moisture and air temperature whose blending is less efficient when compared to momentum. The focus of this project is to quantify the effect of surface thermal heterogeneity with scales Ο(1/10) the height of the atmospheric boundary layer and characterized by uniform roughness. Such near-canonical cases describe inhomogeneous scalar transport in an otherwise planar homogeneous flow when thermal stratification is weak or absent. In this work we present a large-eddy simulation study that characterizes the effect of surface thermal heterogeneities on the atmospheric flow using the concept of dispersive fluxes. Results illustrate a regime in which the flow is mostly driven by the surface thermal heterogeneities, in which the contribution of the dispersive fluxes can account for up to 40% of the total sensible heat flux. Results also illustrate an alternative regime in which the effect of the surface thermal heterogeneities is quickly blended, and the dispersive fluxes provide instead a quantification of the flow spatial heterogeneities produced by coherent turbulent structures result of the surface shear stress. A threshold flow

Atmospheric weighting functions and surface partial derivatives for remote sensing of scattering planetary atmospheres in thermal spectral region: general adjoint approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ustinov, Eugene A.

2005-01-01

An approach to formulation of inversion algorithms for remote sensing in the thermal spectral region in the case of a scattering planetary atmosphere, based on the adjoint equation of radiative transfer (Ustinov (JQSRT 68 (2001) 195; JQSRT 73 (2002) 29); referred to as Papers 1 and 2, respectively, in the main text), is applied to the general case of retrievals of atmospheric and surface parameters for the scattering atmosphere with nadir viewing geometry. Analytic expressions for corresponding weighting functions for atmospheric parameters and partial derivatives for surface parameters are derived. The case of pure atmospheric absorption with a scattering underlying surface is considered and convergence to results obtained for the non-scattering atmospheres (Ustinov (JQSRT 74 (2002) 683), referred to as Paper 3 in the main text) is demonstrated

Analysis of Water Vapour Flux Between Alpine Wetlands Underlying the Surface and Atmosphere in the Source Region of the Yellow River

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Y.; Wen, J.; Liu, R.; Wang, X.; JIA, D.

2017-12-01

Wetland underlying surface is sensitive to climate change. Analysis of the degree of coupling between wetlands and the atmosphere and a quantitative assessment of how environmental factors influence latent heat flux have considerable scientific significance. Previous studies, which focused on the forest, grassland and farmland ecosystems, lack research on the alpine wetlands. In addition, research on the environmental control mechanism of latent heat flux is still qualitative and lacks quantitative evaluations and calculations. Using data from the observational tests of the Maduo Observatory of Climate and Environment of the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resource, CAS, from June 1 to August 31, 2014, this study analysed the time-varying characteristics and causes of the degree of coupling between alpine wetlands underlying surface and the atmosphere and quantitatively calculated the influences of different environmental factors (solar radiation and vapour pressure deficit) on latent heat flux. The results were as follows: Due to the diurnal variations of solar radiation and wind speed, the diurnal variations of the Ω factor present a trend in which the Ω factor are small in the morning and large in the evening. Due to the vegetation growing cycle, the seasonal variations of the Ω factor present a reverse "U" trend . These trends are similar to the diurnal and seasonal variations of the absolute control exercised by solar radiation over the latent heat flux. This conforms to omega theory. The values for average absolute atmospheric factor (surface factor or total ) control exercised by solar radiation and water vapour pressure are 0.20 (0.02 or 0.22 ) and 0.005 (-0.07 or -0.06) W·m-2·Pa-1, respectively.. Generally speaking, solar radiation and water vapour pressure deficit exert opposite forces on the latent heat flux. The average Ω factor is high during the vegetation growing season, with a value of 0.38, and the degree of coupling between the

Adhesive Stretchable Printed Conductive Thin Film Patterns on PDMS Surface with an Atmospheric Plasma Treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chun-Yi; Liao, Ying-Chih

2016-05-11

In this study, a plasma surface modification with printing process was developed to fabricate printed flexible conductor patterns or devices directly on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surface. An atmospheric plasma treatment was first used to oxidize the PDMS surface and create a hydrophilic silica surface layer, which was confirmed with photoelectron spectra. The plasma operating parameters, such as gas types and plasma powers, were optimized to obtain surface silica layers with the longest lifetime. Conductive paste with epoxy resin was screen-printed on the plasma-treated PDMS surface to fabricate flexible conductive tracks. As a result of the strong binding forces between epoxy resin and the silica surface layer, the printed patterns showed great adhesion on PDMS and were undamaged after several stringent adhesion tests. The printed conductive tracks showed strong mechanical stability and exhibited great electric conductivity under bending, twisting, and stretching conditions. Finally, a printed pressure sensor with good sensitivity and a fast response time was fabricated to demonstrate the capability of this method for the realization of printed electronic devices.

Electrochromic Ni–Fe oxide thin films synthesized by an atmospheric pressure plasma jet for flexible electrochromic application

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Yun-Sen, E-mail: yslin@fcu.edu.tw; Chuang, Pei-Ying; Shie, Ping-Shiun

2014-11-03

Flexible-electrochromic organo-nickel-iron oxide (NiFe{sub x}O{sub y}C{sub z}) films deposited onto flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates using atmospheric-pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition with an atmospheric pressure plasma jet under various flow rates of oxygen gases are investigated. Precursors [nickelocence, Ni(C{sub 5}H{sub 5}){sub 2}] and [ferrocence, Fe(C{sub 5}H{sub 5}){sub 2}] vapors are carried by argon gas, mixed by oxygen gas and injected into air plasma torch for a rapid synthesis of NiFe{sub x}O{sub y}C{sub z} films by a short duration of the substrate, 32 s, in the plasmas. Uniform light modulation on PET/ITO/NiFe{sub x}O{sub y}C{sub z} is produced while the moving PET/ITO substrate is exposed to plasma torch at room temperature (∼ 23 °C) and atmospheric pressure. Light modulation with up to a 43.2% transmittance variation at a wavelength of 708 nm even after 200 cycles of Li{sup +} intercalation and de-intercalation in a 1 M LiClO{sub 4}-propylene carbonate electrolyte is accomplished. - Highlights: • Rapid deposition of electrochromic organo-nickel–iron oxide (NiFe{sub x}O{sub y}C{sub z}) films • Enhanced electrochromic performance of NiFe{sub x}O{sub y}C{sub z} films by oxygen gas addition • Uniform light modulation on NiFe{sub x}O{sub y}C{sub z} films produced by air plasma jet • Porous surfaces allow reversible Li{sup +} intercalation and deintercalation.

Atmospheric Pressure Effect of Retained Gas in High Level Waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weber, A.H.

1999-01-01

Isolated high level waste tanks in H-Area have unexplained changes in waste-level which have been attributed to environmental effects including pressure, temperature, and relative humidity. Previous studies at SRS have considered waste-level changes from causes not including the presence of gas in the salt cake. This study was undertaken to determine the effect of atmospheric pressure on gas in the salt cake and resultant changes in the supernate level of Tank 41H, and to model that effect if possible. A simple theory has been developed to account for changes in the supernate level in a high level waste tank containing damp salt cake as the response of trapped gases to changes in the ambient pressure. The gas is modeled as an ideal gas retained as bubbles within the interstitial spaces in the salt cake and distributed uniformly throughout the tank. The model does not account for consistent long term increases or decreases in the tank level. Any such trend in the tank level is attributed to changes in the liquid content in the tank (from condensation, evaporation, etc.) and is removed from the data prior to the void estimation. Short term fluctuations in the tank level are explained as the response of the entrained gas volume to changes in the ambient pressure. The model uses the response of the tank level to pressure changes to estimate an average void fraction for the time period of interest. This estimate of the void is then used to predict the expected level response. The theory was applied to three separate time periods of the level data for tank 41H as follows: (1) May 3, 1993 through August 3, 1993, (2) January 23, 1994 through April 21, 1994, and (3) June 4, 1994 through August 24, 1994. A strong correlation was found between fluctuations in the tank level and variations in the ambient pressure. This correlation is a clear marker of the presence of entrained gases in the tank. From model calculations, an average void fraction of 11 percent was estimated to

Forced wave induced by an atmospheric pressure disturbance moving towards shore

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yixiang; Niu, Xiaojing

2018-05-01

Atmospheric pressure disturbances moving over a vast expanse of water can induce different wave patterns, which can be determined by the Froude number Fr. Generally, Fr = 1 is a critical value for the transformation of the wave pattern and the well-known Proudman resonance happens when Fr = 1. In this study, the forced wave induced by an atmospheric pressure disturbance moving over a constant slope from deep sea to shore is numerically investigated. The wave pattern evolves from a concentric-circle type into a triangular type with the increase of the Froude number, as the local water depth decreases, which is in accord with the analysis in the unbounded flat-bottom cases. However, a hysteresis effect has been observed, which implies the obvious amplification of the forced wave induced by a pressure disturbance can not be simply predicted by Fr = 1. The effects of the characteristic parameters of pressure disturbances and slope gradient have been discussed. The results show that it is not always possible to observe significant peak of the maximum water elevation before the landing of pressure disturbances, and a significant peak can be generated by a pressure disturbance with small spatial scale and fast moving velocity over a milder slope. Besides, an extremely high run-up occurs when the forced wave hits the shore, which is an essential threat to coastal security. The results also show that the maximum run-up is not monotonously varying with the increase of disturbance moving speed and spatial scale. There exists a most dangerous speed and scale which may cause disastrous nearshore surge.

Adhesion improvement of fibres by continuous plasma treatment at atmospheric pressure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kusano, Yukihiro; Løgstrup Andersen, Tom; Sørensen, Bent F.

2013-01-01

Carbon fibres and ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibres were continuously treated by a dielectric barrier discharge plasma at atmospheric pressure for adhesion improvement with epoxy resins. The plasma treatment improved wettability, increased the oxygen containing polar...

Influence of ethylene glycol pretreatment on effectiveness of atmospheric pressure plasma treatment of polyethylene fibers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wen Ying; Li Ranxing; Cai Fang; Fu Kun; Peng Shujing; Jiang Qiuran; Yao Lan; Qiu Yiping

2010-01-01

For atmospheric pressure plasma treatments, the results of plasma treatments may be influenced by liquids adsorbed into the substrate. This paper studies the influence of ethylene glycol (EG) pretreatment on the effectiveness of atmospheric plasma jet (APPJ) treatment of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers with 0.31% and 0.42% weight gain after soaked in EG/water solution with concentration of 0.15 and 0.3 mol/l for 24 h, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows that the surface of fibers pretreated with EG/water solution does not have observable difference from that of the control group. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results show that the oxygen concentration on the surface of EG-pretreated fibers is increased less than the plasma directly treated fibers. The interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of plasma directly treated fibers to epoxy is increased almost 3 times compared with the control group while that of EG-pretreated fibers to epoxy does not change except for the fibers pretreated with lower EG concentration and longer plasma treatment time. EG pretreatment reduces the water contact angle of UHMWPE fibers. In conclusion, EG pretreatment can hamper the effect of plasma treatment of UHMWPE fibers and therefore longer plasma treatment duration is required for fibers pretreated with EG.

Mycotoxin Decontamination of Food: Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma versus "Classic" Decontamination.

Science.gov (United States)

Hojnik, Nataša; Cvelbar, Uroš; Tavčar-Kalcher, Gabrijela; Walsh, James L; Križaj, Igor

2017-04-28

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites produced by several filamentous fungi, which frequently contaminate our food, and can result in human diseases affecting vital systems such as the nervous and immune systems. They can also trigger various forms of cancer. Intensive food production is contributing to incorrect handling, transport and storage of the food, resulting in increased levels of mycotoxin contamination. Mycotoxins are structurally very diverse molecules necessitating versatile food decontamination approaches, which are grouped into physical, chemical and biological techniques. In this review, a new and promising approach involving the use of cold atmospheric pressure plasma is considered, which may overcome multiple weaknesses associated with the classical methods. In addition to its mycotoxin destruction efficiency, cold atmospheric pressure plasma is cost effective, ecologically neutral and has a negligible effect on the quality of food products following treatment in comparison to classical methods.

Modelling land surface - atmosphere interactions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Søren Højmark

representation of groundwater in the hydrological model is found to important and this imply resolving the small river valleys. Because, the important shallow groundwater is found in the river valleys. If the model does not represent the shallow groundwater then the area mean surface flux calculation......The study is investigates modelling of land surface – atmosphere interactions in context of fully coupled climatehydrological model. With a special focus of under what condition a fully coupled model system is needed. Regional climate model inter-comparison projects as ENSEMBLES have shown bias...... by the hydrological model is found to be insensitive to model resolution. Furthermore, this study highlights the effect of bias precipitation by regional climate model and it implications for hydrological modelling....

A dc non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma microjet

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, WeiDong; Lopez, Jose L.

2012-06-01

A direct current (dc), non-thermal, atmospheric-pressure plasma microjet is generated with helium/oxygen gas mixture as working gas. The electrical property is characterized as a function of the oxygen concentration and show distinctive regions of operation. Side-on images of the jet were taken to analyze the mode of operation as well as the jet length. A self-pulsed mode is observed before the transition of the discharge to normal glow mode. Optical emission spectroscopy is employed from both end-on and side-on along the jet to analyze the reactive species generated in the plasma. Line emissions from atomic oxygen (at 777.4 nm) and helium (at 706.5 nm) were studied with respect to the oxygen volume percentage in the working gas, flow rate and discharge current. Optical emission intensities of Cu and OH are found to depend heavily on the oxygen concentration in the working gas. Ozone concentration measured in a semi-confined zone in front of the plasma jet is found to be from tens to ˜120 ppm. The results presented here demonstrate potential pathways for the adjustment and tuning of various plasma parameters such as reactive species selectivity and quantities or even ultraviolet emission intensities manipulation in an atmospheric-pressure non-thermal plasma source. The possibilities of fine tuning these plasma species allows for enhanced applications in health and medical related areas.

A dc non-thermal atmospheric-pressure plasma microjet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Weidong; Lopez, Jose L

2012-01-01

A direct current (dc), non-thermal, atmospheric-pressure plasma microjet is generated with helium/oxygen gas mixture as working gas. The electrical property is characterized as a function of the oxygen concentration and show distinctive regions of operation. Side-on images of the jet were taken to analyze the mode of operation as well as the jet length. A self-pulsed mode is observed before the transition of the discharge to normal glow mode. Optical emission spectroscopy is employed from both end-on and side-on along the jet to analyze the reactive species generated in the plasma. Line emissions from atomic oxygen (at 777.4 nm) and helium (at 706.5 nm) were studied with respect to the oxygen volume percentage in the working gas, flow rate and discharge current. Optical emission intensities of Cu and OH are found to depend heavily on the oxygen concentration in the working gas. Ozone concentration measured in a semi-confined zone in front of the plasma jet is found to be from tens to ∼120 ppm. The results presented here demonstrate potential pathways for the adjustment and tuning of various plasma parameters such as reactive species selectivity and quantities or even ultraviolet emission intensities manipulation in an atmospheric-pressure non-thermal plasma source. The possibilities of fine tuning these plasma species allows for enhanced applications in health and medical related areas. (paper)

Contrasting characteristics of sub-microsecond pulsed atmospheric air and atmospheric pressure helium-oxygen glow discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walsh, J L; Liu, D X; Iza, F; Kong, M G; Rong, M Z

2010-01-01

Glow discharges in air are often considered to be the ultimate low-temperature atmospheric pressure plasmas for numerous chamber-free applications. This is due to the ubiquitous presence of air and the perceived abundance of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in air plasmas. In this paper, sub-microsecond pulsed atmospheric air plasmas are shown to produce a low concentration of excited oxygen atoms but an abundance of excited nitrogen species, UV photons and ozone molecules. This contrasts sharply with the efficient production of excited oxygen atoms in comparable helium-oxygen discharges. Relevant reaction chemistry analysed with a global model suggests that collisional excitation of O 2 by helium metastables is significantly more efficient than electron dissociative excitation of O 2 , electron excitation of O and ion-ion recombination. These results suggest different practical uses of the two oxygen-containing atmospheric discharges, with air plasmas being well suited for nitrogen and UV based chemistry and He-O 2 plasmas for excited atomic oxygen based chemistry. (fast track communication)

A Method of Retrieving BRDF from Surface-Reflected Radiance Using Decoupling of Atmospheric Radiative Transfer and Surface Reflection