Modelling of Nonthermal Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma at Atmospheric Pressure and Role of Produced Reactive Species in Surface Polymer Microbial Purification

A nonthermal atmospheric plasma reactor was used to sterilize polymer surfaces and satisfy safety constraints in a biological medium. A 1D fluid model was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics software<sup>®</sup> 5.4 with a helium–oxygen mixture at low temperature for the decontamination...

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Main Authors: Samira Elaissi, Norah A. M. Alsaif
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-02-01
Series:Polymers
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/5/1235
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author Samira Elaissi
Norah A. M. Alsaif
author_facet Samira Elaissi
Norah A. M. Alsaif
author_sort Samira Elaissi
collection DOAJ
description A nonthermal atmospheric plasma reactor was used to sterilize polymer surfaces and satisfy safety constraints in a biological medium. A 1D fluid model was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics software<sup>®</sup> 5.4 with a helium–oxygen mixture at low temperature for the decontamination of bacteria on polymer surfaces. An analysis of the evolution of the homogeneous dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) was carried out through studying the dynamic behavior of the discharge parameters including the discharge current, the consumed power, the gas gap voltage, and transport charges. In addition, the electrical characteristics of a homogeneous DBD under different operating conditions were studied. The results shown that increasing voltage or frequency caused higher ionization levels and maximum increase of metastable species’ density and expanded the sterilization area. On the other hand, it was possible to operate plasma discharges at a low voltage and a high density of plasma using higher values of the secondary emission coefficient or permittivity of the dielectric barrier materials. When the discharge gas pressure increased, the current discharges declined, which indicated a lower sterilization efficiency under high pressure. A short gap width and the admixture of oxygen were needed for sufficient bio-decontamination. Plasma-based pollutant degradation devices could therefore benefit from these results.
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spelling doaj.art-5417d32162344f278f67cab605ba17bb2023-11-17T08:28:00ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602023-02-01155123510.3390/polym15051235Modelling of Nonthermal Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma at Atmospheric Pressure and Role of Produced Reactive Species in Surface Polymer Microbial PurificationSamira Elaissi0Norah A. M. Alsaif1Department of Physics, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Physics, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi ArabiaA nonthermal atmospheric plasma reactor was used to sterilize polymer surfaces and satisfy safety constraints in a biological medium. A 1D fluid model was developed using COMSOL Multiphysics software<sup>®</sup> 5.4 with a helium–oxygen mixture at low temperature for the decontamination of bacteria on polymer surfaces. An analysis of the evolution of the homogeneous dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) was carried out through studying the dynamic behavior of the discharge parameters including the discharge current, the consumed power, the gas gap voltage, and transport charges. In addition, the electrical characteristics of a homogeneous DBD under different operating conditions were studied. The results shown that increasing voltage or frequency caused higher ionization levels and maximum increase of metastable species’ density and expanded the sterilization area. On the other hand, it was possible to operate plasma discharges at a low voltage and a high density of plasma using higher values of the secondary emission coefficient or permittivity of the dielectric barrier materials. When the discharge gas pressure increased, the current discharges declined, which indicated a lower sterilization efficiency under high pressure. A short gap width and the admixture of oxygen were needed for sufficient bio-decontamination. Plasma-based pollutant degradation devices could therefore benefit from these results.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/5/1235nonthermal atmospheric plasmadielectric barrier dischargepolymer surfacedecontaminationatmospheric pressuremodelling
spellingShingle Samira Elaissi
Norah A. M. Alsaif
Modelling of Nonthermal Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma at Atmospheric Pressure and Role of Produced Reactive Species in Surface Polymer Microbial Purification
Polymers
nonthermal atmospheric plasma
dielectric barrier discharge
polymer surface
decontamination
atmospheric pressure
modelling
title Modelling of Nonthermal Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma at Atmospheric Pressure and Role of Produced Reactive Species in Surface Polymer Microbial Purification
title_full Modelling of Nonthermal Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma at Atmospheric Pressure and Role of Produced Reactive Species in Surface Polymer Microbial Purification
title_fullStr Modelling of Nonthermal Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma at Atmospheric Pressure and Role of Produced Reactive Species in Surface Polymer Microbial Purification
title_full_unstemmed Modelling of Nonthermal Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma at Atmospheric Pressure and Role of Produced Reactive Species in Surface Polymer Microbial Purification
title_short Modelling of Nonthermal Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma at Atmospheric Pressure and Role of Produced Reactive Species in Surface Polymer Microbial Purification
title_sort modelling of nonthermal dielectric barrier discharge plasma at atmospheric pressure and role of produced reactive species in surface polymer microbial purification
topic nonthermal atmospheric plasma
dielectric barrier discharge
polymer surface
decontamination
atmospheric pressure
modelling
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/5/1235
work_keys_str_mv AT samiraelaissi modellingofnonthermaldielectricbarrierdischargeplasmaatatmosphericpressureandroleofproducedreactivespeciesinsurfacepolymermicrobialpurification
AT norahamalsaif modellingofnonthermaldielectricbarrierdischargeplasmaatatmosphericpressureandroleofproducedreactivespeciesinsurfacepolymermicrobialpurification