Surface decontamination plasma

Scanning Atmospheric Plasma Processes for Surface Decontamination and Superhydrophobic Deposition... 

Key words decontamination wipes, detection, protection and decontamination of threat agents, multifunctional materials, reactive surface technology, plasma... 

Tritium present in an oxide layer can be removed by acid dissolution of the oxide or more gently by isotopic exchange with normal water or activated hydrogen gas (plasma). Because diffusion of oxide- or bulk-dissolved tritium back to the surface of a material undergoing decontamination is often slow, exchange at an elevated temperature may be advantageous. 

In the case of OP decontamination, parathion and paraoxon were spin-coated on glass or gold film surfaces from 0.023 ttiM solution in ethanol. The loadings of parathion and paraoxon were determined with a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The deposited amount of parathion and paraoxon film was 8.5 pg/cm and 5.0 pg/cm, respectively. These OP films were then treated with an 02/Ar plasma. The treated samples were analyzed with polarization-modulcation reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy (PM-RAIRS Thermo Nicholet Nexus 670 with a Hindz polarization modulation imit and a GWC demodulator) and tested for residual toxicity. 

The SPT uses steam (water vapour) as the main plasma forming gas. The high reactivity of the hydroxyl ions produced by the ionization of steam allows for the destruction of highly stable hazardous substances such as chlorofluorocarbons and brominated hydrocarbons. Other applications of steam plasma include steam reforming, coal gasification, steam arc cutting, and rapid decontamination of large surfaces. 

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