Atmospheric pressure plasmas for aerosols processes in materials and environment

Laboratoire de Physique des Gaz et Plasmas, CNRS-Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay
Supélec, 3 Rue Joliot Curie, 91192 Gif-sur-Yvette, France

Corresponding author: jp.borra@pgp.u-psud.fr

Received: 17 December 2008
Revised: 26 January 2009
Accepted: 18 February 2009
Published online: 27 May 2009

Abstract

The paper highlights applications of some atmospheric pressure plasmas (dc-corona, streamer and spark and ac-Dielectric Barrier Discharges) to aerosol processes for Materials and Environment (filtration, diagnostics). The production of vapor i.e. condensable gaseous species, leads to nano-sized particles by physical and chemical routes of nucleation in these AP plasmas: (i) when dc streamer and spark filamentary discharges as well as ac filamentary dielectric barrier discharges interact with metal or dielectric surfaces, and (ii) when discharges induce reactions with gaseous precursors in volume. It is shown how composition, size and structure of primary nano-particles are related to plasma parameters (energy, number per unit surface and time and thermal gradients). Then the growth by coagulation controls the final size of agglomerates versus plasma parameters and transit time in and after the plasma. Charging and electro-thermal collection are depicted to account for the related potential applications of controlled kinematics of charged aerosol.