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Characterization of microwave plasma jet generated in argon-nitrogen mixtures
Truchlá, Darina ; Mazánková, Věra (referee) ; Krčma, František (advisor)
This thesis is concerned with influence of nitrogen admixture to non-thermal microwave plasma jet generated in argon flow at atmospheric pressure. Non-thermal plasma can be used in more biomedical applications such cancer treatment, blood coagulation, sterilization etc. It is necessary to know the changes of plasma composition and its parameters in dependence nitrogen concentration to avoid potentional damages of the treated tissue. Plasma jet was characterized by optical emission spectroscopy along its axis. Electron, vibrational and rotational temperatures were calculated from intensities of the selected spectral lines and bands emitted by particles generated in plasma. The results show increase of the nitric oxide concentration followed by the increase UVC radiation. Temperature of the neutral gas increase too, but not so much and thus jet with nitrogen addition can be still used for the treatment of thermosensitive materials such as human tissue. Study of the sterilization effect of microwave plasma generated in argon-nitrogen mixtures is still under progress. Some of the results obtained during this thesis were included in the paper submitted into Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics.
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Characterization and application of microwave plasma on wound healing
Truchlá, Darina ; Němcová, Andrea (referee) ; Krčma, František (advisor)
Non-thermal plasma has a lot of ways for using in nowadays medicine. It presents many useful actions like charged particles, UV light, electric field, radicals, excited atoms and molecules. That complicated chemistry directs to uncountable synergistic interaction between cold plasma and biological systems, involve cells and tissues. This thesis is about effects of cold plasma to wound healing. Two different microwave plasma systems were used for the presented study. The first one was argon plasma torch generated by surface wave using the quartz capillary, the second one was plasma torch with reverse vortex argon flow. Diagnostics of plasma jet by optical emission spectroscopy shown the presence of active particles, which are responsible for a lot of impact of plasma treatment. Concentrations of active particles generated by plasma are dependent on conditions of plasma generation like power of generator and gas flow. For visual evidence of effects on skin caused by active particles was created simulation of skin tissue. Interaction between plasma jet and artificial skin tissue shown that UV light and temperature are not responsible for all observed effects which are noticed after plasma treatment. Some part of experiments was realized in collaboration with Medical University of Sofia in Bulgaria. The theory of positive effect to wound healing was supported by experiments based on treating artificially created wounds on laboratory mice by cold plasma. It was proved, that process of wound healing is significantly shorter after using plasma treatment in comparison with normal wound healing. Plasma treating of wound for 10 seconds in two consequent days seems like more effectively than application of plasma only one day. This Thesis was carried out as a part of international project PLASMABORDER that was supported by European commission under cohesion funds; programme INTEREG SK-CZ under contract No. 304011P709.
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Preparation and characterization of plasma activated water for bio applications
Lemonová, Hana ; Matěj,, Klas (referee) ; Krčma, František (advisor)
The aim of this master thesis is the preparation and characterization of plasma activated water (PAW) prepared by dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure in air for the future applications in agriculture and medicine. The theoretical part is focused on plasma activated water and its effects on seeds and plants. The work also deals with the preparation and application of PAW in the world. Various types of plasma discharge configurations suitable for its preparation are described here. In the experimental part of the master thesis, distilled and tap water were chosen for activation. The concentrations of active particles in PAW generated by DBD such as nitrites, nitrates and hydrogen peroxide were determined. The value of the concentration of active particles changes probably due to mutual interactions when nitrites are oxidized by hydrogen peroxide to nitrates. Physical properties of PAW such as conductivity and pH were also characterized. After the preparation of PAW, the conductivity increases due to the increase in the concentration of active particles formed by dissociation and ionization of water molecules by plasma. The particles presented in the air, which are dissociated and ionized by plasma, also diffuse into the liquid, and contribute to this increase. The decrease in pH also corresponds to an increase in the concentration of hydrogen ions and the formation of nitric acids. Another aspect of this work was to study plasma activated water during the first eight hours after its preparation and to determine its properties. We have found that PAW prepared from tap water retains its characteristic properties for at least 8 hours and distilled water for 6 hours. In the master thesis, the analysis of plasma discharge was performed using optical emission spectroscopy. OES measurements were performed in the wavelength range 300 to 800 nm. The second positive nitrogen system (N2 (C 3u) N2 (B 3g)) and the first positive nitrogen system (N2 (B 3g) N2 (A 3+u)) were identified in the overview spectrum. Molecular nitrogen ions, OH· radicals, atomic oxygen and atomic hydrogen can be observed in the spectrum, too. The dielectric barrier discharge was also captured using a high-speed camera, and the recording shows the occurrence of multiple discharges that are spatially as well as temporary unstable.
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Reduction of brass corrosion layers using hydrogen plasma
Řádková, Lucie ; Grossmannová, Hana (referee) ; Krčma, František (advisor)
The main topic of this Diploma thesis is the application of low-pressure low-temperature hydrogen plasma for the treatment model samples of rusted brass. Plasmachemical treatment of metallic artifacts is a relatively new way how to remove corrosion of artifacts. The temperature of an object should not exceed 150 °C during the treatment. Corrosion layers were prepared in an ammoniac corrosion atmosphere. The corrosion formation took two weeks. Energy Dispersive X-ray Microanalysis has shown that the corrosion layer was formed by carbon, oxygen, copper, zinc, and lead. The corrosion layers were blue-colored with white crystals on the surface. Except those two colors, brown color was observed on corrosion layers, too. The plasma reactor was a quartz tube with outer copper electrodes and supplied by the RF source of 13.54 MHz. The reactive atomic hydrogen was formed in plasma discharge. This atomic hydrogen reacted with the corrosive layer containing oxygen. This reaction created an unstable OH radical, which emitted light in the region of 305–320 nm. This radiation was detected by the optical emission spectroscopy and it was applied as process monitoring quantity. Rotational temperature and intensity of OH radicals were determined from obtained data. The sample temperature was measured by thermocouple installed inside the sample volume. Rusted samples were treated by low-pressure low-temperature hydrogen plasma. 16 samples were treated at different conditions – plasma power was 100 W, 200 W, 300 W, and 400 W at continuous mode and pulse mode with duty cycle of 25 %, 50 %, and 75 %. The pressure was between 140–160 Pa at hydrogen flow rate of 50 sccm. Samples after plasmachemical treatment were grey colored with white crystals on their surface. Corrosion layers were removed by spatula. The corrosion layers of some samples were easy removable, some others were difficult. Energy Dispersive X-ray Microanalysis, which was carried out after the treatment of 2 selected samples (400 W, 50% pulse mode and 400 W, 75% pulse mode), showed different amounts of carbon, oxygen, copper, zinc, and lead compared to the rusted sample. Other elements in the treated layer were silicon, sulfur, chlorine, and fluorine.
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Optical emission spectroscopy of the nitrogen post-discharge plasma with metal trace impurity
Bocková, Ivana ; Mazánková, Věra (referee) ; Krčma, František (advisor)
The bachelor´s thesis deals with the optical emission spectroscopy of the nitrogen post-discharge with metal trace impurity. The analysed sample introduced to the low-temperature plasma was zinc vapor and stannic chloride. As a diagnostic method was choosen optical emission spectroscopy as one of the simplest plasma diagnostic methods. The teoretical part is aimed to information about plasma and processes in the plasma. The special focus is deald for post-discharged plasma and the optical emission spectroscopy. Measurement itself is implemented in flowing regime of DC post-discharge under low pressure. The intensities of selected nitrogen bands and atomic lines are observed as a function of metal vapor presence. The simplified mechanism of the observed phenomen is presented. The possible excitation mechanisms are shown of metallic atoms during the post-discharge.
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Study of plasmachemical reduction of corrosive layers on bronze
Miková, Petra ; Selucká, Alena (referee) ; Krčma, František (advisor)
One of the important stages of the human history is certainly Bronze Age, on our territory dated 1900 - 800 BC. At that times, it was produced many objects of bronze, such as swords, spears, daggers, ornaments, jewelry. These artifacts are now found by archaeologists in excavations around the whole world. During the years there was an exposure to various types of substances and the environment and result in extensive corrosion of the used materials. To better understand the culture and traditions of our ancestors, it is necessary to carefully eliminate the corrosion and thorough inspection of these subjects. In this work, we consider the model corrosion layers removal by reduction in low-temperature hydrogen plasma. Plasma chemical reduction method was developed during the eighties years of last century and currently is further rapidly improved. Unfortunately, the process mechanism is not yet precisely known. Preparation of model corrosion layers were as follows: bronze blocks (weight approximately 80 g) were sharpend by electrical grinding machine (used paper 280 and then 600). Thus treated samples were rinsed in ethanol, dryed by hot dryer and stored in plastic bags. A Petri dish was placed at the bottom of the desiccator and it was poured by 20 ml of concentrated hydrochloric acid. Above the bowl has punched ceramic grid, on which the samples were placed. Closed desiccator was placed in darkness at the ambient laboratory temperature. To accelerate the samples corrosion process in a desiccator, the samples were sprinkled with acid. Plasma chemical treatment was carried out in a cylindrical reactor of quartz glass with outer copper electrodes. The RF (13.54 MHz) capacitivelly coupled plasma was used for the samples treatment. For each sample have been selected specific conditions: power (50 - 300 W), pulse (duty cycle of 10 – 25 %) or continuous mode. The optical emission spectroscopy monitored dependence of OH- intensity during the reduction. The decrease to the 1/10 of the maximum value leads to end the experiment. Based on this criterion, the treatment time of samples was in the range of 30 - 80 minutes. Corrosion has been removed from 7 samples. All the samples were covered by corrosion deep green color with a clearly visible crystalline structure before their inserting into the reactor. After the treatment, the color was dark black, and after leaving the air began to surface green, in some samples was observed in white and yellow tint. Surface top layer was removed on samples 1 and 5, where spontaneous dropout was reached. The pulse mode with duty cycle of 10 % and the powers of 200 and 300 W were applied for these two samples. The surface layer of samples treated with pulsed mode of 25 % was easily removable by spatula. The work demonstrated the applicability of hydrogen RF plasma in pulsed mode for the corrosion removal from bronze samples. The further work will be focused on the optimal treatment conditions search.
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Study of post-discharge in N2-H2 mixtures
Zedníčková, Petra ; Mazánková, Věra (referee) ; Krčma, František (advisor)
The presented Thesis deals on the nitrogen-hydrogen DC post-discharge observations by optical emission spectroscopy. The plasma was generated in Pyrex tube in flowing regime at pressure of 1 kPa at discharge current of 100 mA. The optical emission spectra were recovered at discharge times up to 50 ms in nitrogen containing 0 – 92 % of hydrogen; the gas mixture volume, i.e. the gas speed in the system was conserved for all mixtures. The experiments were carried out at two reactor wall temperatures at the spectra collecting point – at ambient temperature and at the wall temperature of liquid nitrogen (temperature in plasma was about 150 K). The nitrogen first and second positive and first negative spectral systems were identified in the spectra, the hydrogen atomic Balmer series lines were recorded, too. No molecular hydrogen emission was determined during the post-discharge. Some non-identified bands (but with high probability bands of nitrogen Herman infrared system) at 690 and 780 nm were detected, too, mainly at low temperature. The intensities of all determined radiating species decreased exponentially or more than exponentially with the decay time. The experimental data showed strong quenching of all nitrogen radiative states even at very a few percent hydrogen additions. The shape of the selected intensity dependencies on both hydrogen concentration, and the decay time are nearly the same for N2(C) and N2+(B) states, dependencies for N2(B) levels differs of them. The hydrogen line emission was nearly independent on the hydrogen content in the gas mixture up to about 50%, at highest hydrogen concentrations it slightly increased. The results obtained at the decreased wall temperature were very similar, only intensities of all nitrogen spectra increased by the factor about 3, the intensities of levels populated by the recombination of nitrogen atoms increased by factor about five. The atomic hydrogen alpha line (at 656 nm) was the most sensitive on temperature decrease; its intensity increased over one order in whole observed time interval. The obtained results will be confronted with numeric model of kinetic processes in the near future. After that, the specific conditions applicable for the technological applications of nitrogen-hydrogen gas mixtures under post-discharge conditions will be proposed.
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Optical emission spectoscopy of the nitrogen-argon post-discharge
Žáková, Marie ; Kudrle, Vít (referee) ; Krčma, František (advisor)
The study of plasmas generated in pure nitrogen and their afterglows are a subject of many hundreds works bringing a lot of information about the kinetic processes and energy transfer reactions. The effect of nitrogen pink afterglow has a specific position among the other kinds of discharges and post-discharges. The post-discharge, and especially the pink afterglow, is extremely sensitive to the presence of various impurities and experimental conditions (total gas pressure in a discharge tube, temperature, etc.) because of their significant influence on all kinetic processes. That is the reason, why it is so important to study this processes. The DC flowing afterglow (generated using the hollow molybdenum electrodes in the distance of 12 cm, power ± 290 W) was used for the experimental part of this work. The discharge was created in Pyrex discharge tube at different concentration ratio of nitrogen and argon. The total gas presure was in range from 500 Pa to 5000 Pa. The emission spectra of post-discharge were recorded by TRIAX 550 spectrometer with CCD detector in the range of 320-780 nm. The vibrational populations at individual vibrational levels were calculated using the emission bands of the first (N2 (B 3g) N2 (A 3u+)) and the second (N2 (C 3u) N2 (B 3g)) positive and the first negative (N2+ (B 2u+) N2+ (X 2g+) nitrogen spectral systems. The dependencies of intensity on decay time and relative vibrational populations on argon concentration and pressure were obtained. The pink afterglow was very sharp in pure nitrogen at low pressure. With the increasing total pressure it was shifted to the later decay times and it was visible for longer time, too. The same effect was observed with the increase of argon concentration in the gas mixture. At the highest argon concentrations, especially at lower pressure, the effect of pink afterglow dissapeared. The knowledge of these processes can give the solution of all kinetic reactions in plasma and this can be used in plasma chemistry and for development of new technologies. This will be a subject of further intensive studies.
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Study of volatile hydrocarbon decomposition in non-thermal plasma of surface discharge at atmoapheric pressure
Věrná, Jana ; Rašková, Zuzana (referee) ; Kozáková, Zdenka (advisor)
The main goal of this thesis was to study plasma generated by surface discharge and its application in volatile organic compound destruction. Introduction of this thesis deals with the issue of volatile organic compound. The term of volatile organic compound was defined and explained. Summary of the most important sources of volatile organic compound emissions and possible technics for their elimination was presented. This thesis drew attention on negative aspects of volatile organic compounds on human organism and on the whole environment. The problems of surface discharge and its possible application in various branches are known only few years therefore construction of plasma reactor itself was the first independent step of this work. The plasma reactor was consisted of electrode, which was created from the series of metal stripes each other separated by dielectric barrier. On the surface of the electrode, discharge was regulated and distributed. For the reason of technical limits experiment time was limited up to one minute. The experimental part describes reactor for surface discharge and other parts of apparatus in which degradation volatile organic compound was carried out. Nitrogen was used as carrier gas and it was mixed with air before entering into the reactor. Samples of compounds after degradation process were taken from reactor for the subsequent analysis. Analysis of the products proceeded in a gas chromatogram linked to mass spectrometer. The decomposition products were adsorbed in the SPME filaments or in sorption tubes. The decomposition products were analysed also through the mean of Testo 350 M/XL. This apparatus provided the information on the concentration of small molecules such as CO, H2, NO, NO2 and CxHy Hexane, cyclohexane and xylene were used as VOC examples. Analysis of GC-MS showed decomposition products of hexane, cyclohexane and xylene. The decomposition products were especially various alcohols, ketones, aldehydes and benzene compounds. The apparatus Testo 350 M/XL was unable to detect any CxHy, only large quantity of NO2. This thesis was further focused on possible factors which could have an influence on degradation of compounds, for example input power or different flow of oxygen. It was found that increasing power declined the removal efficiency. The maximum removal efficiency was 87 % for degradation of hexane at the lowest input power. Next part of this thesis was focused on diagnostics of plasma generated in the surface discharge form. The optical emission spectroscopy has been chosen as the best method for plasma characterisation. By this method, various important discharge parameters can be determined, e.g. vibration and rotation temperature. The obtained numeric value of rotation temperature was 840±80 K and vibration temperature was 1880±140 K. The obtained results may be used as a fundament for further study of VOC decomposition in surface discharge.
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