Dissemin is shutting down on January 1st, 2025

Published in

IOP Publishing, Plasma Sources Science and Technology, 6(23), p. 065033

DOI: 10.1088/0963-0252/23/6/065033

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Post-discharge gas composition of a large-gap DBD in humid air by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy

This paper is available in a repository.
This paper is available in a repository.

Full text: Download

Red circle
Preprint: archiving forbidden
Red circle
Postprint: archiving forbidden
Red circle
Published version: archiving forbidden
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

Large gap dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) provide non-thermal, non-equilibrium plasmas that can generate specific gas chemistry with enhanced bactericidal effects when working in humid air. The present study investigates the post-discharge gas composition of such plasmas operated in humid air using UV-Vis (200-800 nm) absorption spectroscopy. Absorbance spectra have been de-convoluted using direct deconvolution and iterative methods and results are correlated to the DBD electrical parameters. The high-voltage (56 and 70 kV rms) DBD plasma generated at 50 Hz frequency in a closed container over a 20 mm gap in air with relative humidity (RH) of 5-70% has been characterized by I-V and capacitive methods. The post-discharge gas composition at each RH is assessed by UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy for plasma exposure times of 15-120 s. The concentration of ozone and nitrogen oxides (O-3, NO2, NO3, N2O4) increases with plasma exposure time but a strong decrease in [O-3] levels is obtained with increase in RH. The decrease in [O-3] and an abundance of nitrogen oxides is ascribed to high specific power densities in the closed container and to increasing RH levels. The absorbance residual following deconvolution shows a strong band at 230-270 nm consistent with the presence of pernitric acid (HNO4) and other HNOx (x = 1, 3) species. Humid air large gap DBD plasmas in closed containers generate along with O-3, high levels of nitrogen oxides and HNOx (x = 1, 4) acids leading to increased bactericidal rates.