University of California

Apjet, Inc.

Hans W Herrmann

Gary S Selwyn

Ivars Henins

Jaeyoung Park

Matthew R Barnes

An apparatus and method for generating gas-phase active chemical species suitable for selectively processing one side of a textile or nonwoven material are described. Processing includes etching or stripping coatings, as examples. A low-temperature plasma is used to produce an ionized gas containing radical species, atoms, ions, and electrons, some of which are suitable for removing or modifying the coating. For the purposes of the present invention, the plasma may be generated in a vacuum, or at atmospheric pressure. Dielectric-barrier discharges, atmospheric-pressure plasma jets, micro hollow-cathode discharges, coronas, or plasmas produced by a microwave discharge or laser-supplied energy may be used to generate the required species.

Side-specific treatment of textiles using plasmas

Apparatus for the processing of materials involving placing a material either placed between an radio-frequency electrode and a ground electrode, or which is itself one of the electrodes. This is done in atmospheric pressure conditions. The apparatus effectively etches or cleans substrates, such as silicon wafers, or provides cleaning of spools and drums, and uses a gas containing an inert gas and a chemically reactive gas.

Processing materials inside an atmospheric-pressure radiofrequency nonthermal plasma discharge

An atmospheric-pressure plasma decontamination/sterilization chamber is described. The apparatus is useful for decontaminating sensitive equipment and materials, such as electronics, optics and national treasures, which have been contaminated with chemical and/or biological warfare agents, such as anthrax, mustard blistering agent, VX nerve gas, and the like. There is currently no acceptable procedure for decontaminating such equipment. The apparatus may also be used for sterilization in the medical and food industries. Items to be decontaminated or sterilized are supported inside the chamber. Reactive gases containing atomic and metastable oxygen species are generated by an atmospheric-pressure plasma discharge in a He/O,mixture and directed into the region of these items resulting in chemical reaction between the reactive species and organic substances. This reaction typically kills and/or neutralizes the contamination without damaging most equipment and materials. The plasma gases are recirculated through a closed-loop system to minimize the loss of helium and the possibility of escape of aerosolized harmful substances.

Growing community of inventors

Los Alamos, NM, United States of America

Hans W Herrmann