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L'air Liquide, Soci&#xe9;t&#xe9; Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Proc&#xe9;d&#xe9;s Georges Claude

Universitéde Montreal

L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des

L'air Liquide, Societe Anonyme a Directoire Et Conseil De Surveillance Pour L'etude Et L'exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude

Agence Nationale De Valorisation De La Recherche (anvar)

Michel Moisan

Jean-Christophe Rostaing

Zenon Zakrzewski

Roxane Etemadi

Jacques Henri Pelletier

Daniel Guerin

Francis Bryselbout

Jean-Claude Parent

Claude De Saint Etienne

Ana Lacoste

Christian Larquet

Maryam Tabrizian

Fran&ccedil;ois Coeuret

L'Hocine Yahia

Yves Alban-Marie Arnal

Emile Bloyet

Francedillaois Coeuret

Philippe Leprince

Nicolas Philip

Bachir Saoudi

Jerome Pollak

Zakrzewski Zenon

Danielle Keroack

Thierry L&eacute;on Lagarde

Pierre Levif

Jean Barbeau

St&eacute;phane Moreau

Jacynthe Séguin

Dariusz Czylkowski

Mariusz Jasinski

Carlos Fernando De Mello Borges

Francois Roy

Claude Beaudry

There are provided methods for sterilizing and/or disinfecting an object. The methods can comprise exposing the object disposed in a packaging material having at least one open end to an afterglow plasma, wherein the packaging material is non-porous and is transparent to UV radiation. There are also provided methods for using a packaging material. The methods can comprise disposing an object to be sterilized into the packaging material, the packaging material being non-porous, transparent to UV radiation, and having at least one open end; and exposing the object and the packaging material having at least one open end, to an afterglow of a plasma, thereby at least substantially protecting the object to be sterilized.

Methods for plasma sterilization using packaging material

The invention concerns a method of sterilization and/or inactivation of at least one surface of at least one contaminated object. The method being characterized in that one subjects the surface to the discharge plasma generated from an applicator of electromagnetic field of linear type, the plasma having a temperature and an absorbed power per unit of volume predetermined by the operating conditions, so as to sterilize the surface without significantly degrading it. The invention also concerns a device enabling the sterilization and/or inactivation of at least one surface of at least one contaminated object by means of a plasma. This method and this device can be used to sterilize or inactivate several types of objects, such as packages, films, metal plates, dielectric plates, prosthesis used in the medical field, etc.

Device and method for inactivation and/or sterilization using plasma

The invention relates to a microwave plasma exciter device which includes a waveguide () for concentrating the microwaves; and a plasma generator () for forming a plasma, which are disposed in a microwave concentration zone.

Microwave plasma exciters

The present invention relates to a process for sterilizing a contaminated object. The process comprises the insertion of the object in a sterilization chamber having at least one discharge tube in communication therewith. Then, the tube is fed with a liquid or gas stream, and the stream is subjected to an electric field so as to generate a plasma, thereby exposing the contaminated object to the action of sterilizing species that are present in a post-discharge zone or in a zone of excitation of the plasma. A device for carrying such a process is also provided.

Processes and devices for sterilizing contaminated objects

Provided is a device for the microwave-sustained plasma treatment of gases, which comprises a hollow structure forming a waveguide intended to be connected to a microwave generator, and means for making the gas to be treated flow through the said structure in a region in which the amplitude of the electric field associated with the incident wave is high. The means for making the gas flow comprise a plasma torch for producing a plasma in the gas. The torch comprises an injector made of an electrically conducting material mounted on a first large face of the said structure and extending so as to project through an orifice made in a second large face opposite the said first large face. A gap for passage of the incident waves lies around the injector.

Device for the plasma treatment of gases

The invention concerns a system including a microwave generator and a rectangular guide connected with the generator. The system is adapted to operate in fundamental (H ) or transverse electrical (TE ) mode, and associated with means providing a standing wave pattern. The system also includes many power connectors arranged in the guide at zones of maximum amplitude for one of the components of the electromagnetic field for splitting the generator power. The power connectors are adjusted so that the sum of their reduced admittance levels brought to the splitter input formed by the guide is in a single unit and many sources, respectively connected to a connector of the guide, via insulating means ensuring a power transmission of the connector to the source without reflecting towards the connector and a device adapting impedance of each source, located downstream of the insulating means, between the latter and associated source.

Power splitter for plasma device

A system and a method for sterilizing objects, in particular medical instruments and accessories, using gas plasma, also called ionized gas. The gases used to form the plasma do not require to exhibit an intrinsic sterilizing activity. The sterilizing properties result from the passage through an electric field generating the plasma, an electric field which is provided by microwaves, a gas stream including oxygen in molecular form (O ) or as a gas element, and atomic or molecular species capable of emitting UV radiation once they have been energized. The system and method provide the advantage of making it possible to treat heat-sensitive and thermolabile objects at temperatures less than 50&deg; C. using gases presenting no risks for the operator.

Low temperature plasma sterilising system and method

A section of pipe, for a device for treating a gas by exciting the latter by way of incident microwave radiation suitable for producing a surface-wave plasma in the gas, including a discharge tube made of dielectric material intended to pass through the device in a region for concentrating the incident radiation. The tube comprises, over at least part of its length, a double wall.

Section of pipe for a gas treatment device and device incorporating such a section of pipe

The invention concerns a device for exciting a gas comprising a hollow structure (,) forming a waveguide to be connected to a microwave generator and means for circulating a gas through the structure. The gas circulating means comprise an assembly of at least two hollow tubes (,) made of dielectric material respectively passing through said structure (,) in the zones wherein the amplitude of the electric field associated with the incident wave is substantially the same.

Device for exciting a gas by a surface wave plasma

An apparatus for the treatment of perfluorinated and/or hydrofluorocarbon gases, for the purpose of destroying them, is provided. The apparatus includes at least one high-frequency surface-wave exciter which produces surface waves, a waveguide designed to guide the surface waves produced by the at least one wave exciter to at least one hollow dielectric tube for (i) creating, when supplied with a carrier gas an atmospheric-pressure plasma and (ii) for dissociating the molecules of the perfluorinated and/or hydrofluorocarbon gases within the plasma in order to form reactive compounds, and at least one treatment unit for the reactive fluorinated compounds which is arranged on an exit side of a corresponding hollow dielectric tube.

Process and apparatus for the treatment of perfluorinated and hydrofluorocarbon gases for the purpose of destroying them

Device for exciting a gas comprising a hollow structure forming a waveguide, made of an electrically conductive material, connected to a microwave generator and including a passage for a hollow dielectric tube adapted for flow of the gas to be excited, the hollow structure further including a wave-concentrating region designed to concentrate microwave radiation produced by the generator onto the tube, during operation of the device, for the purpose of producing a surface wave plasma in the gas, at least one electromagnetic screening sleeve made of a conductive material, fastened to the hollow structure and extending along the extension of the passage so as to surround the hollow tube.

Device for exciting a gas by a surface wave plasma and gas treatment apparatus incorporating such a device

Provided are a process and apparatus for purifying a gas. In accordance with the process, the gas to be purified flows through a hollow dielectric tube. An electric field is created in the gas to be purified by a traveling electromagnetic wave which travels in the dielectric tube and creates, in the gas, an atmospheric-pressure plasma which is not in local thermodynamic equilibrium, for the purpose of dissociating impurities in the gas to form reactive compounds. The formed reactive compounds are reacted with a corresponding reactive material for eliminating the reactive compounds from the gas to be purified.

Process for purifying a gas and apparatus for the implementation of such a process

Provided is a process for purfying a gas. In the process, the gas to be purified flows through a hollow dielectric tube. An electric field in the gas to be purified is created by a traveling electromagnetic wave which travels in the dielectric tube and is suitable for creating, in the gas, an atmospheric-pressure plasma which is not in local thermodynamic equilibrium, for the purpose of dissociating impurities in the gas in order to form reactive compounds. The formed reactive compounds are reacted with a corresponding reactive material for eliminating the reactive compounds from the gas to be purified.

Process for purifying a gas and apparatus for the implementation of such

A process for treating perfluorinated and/or hydrofluorocarbon gases, comprising the steps of

Process and apparatus for the treatment of perfluorinated and

A method for depositing a thin film of diamond on the surface of a Fe-based substrate comprises the step of pre-treating the surface of the Fe-based substrate prior to the deposition consisting of nucleating carbon atoms on the Fe-based substrate to grow the thin film of diamond. The pre-treatment consists of supersaturating the surface of the Fe-based substrate with carbon atoms and heating it to form a diffusion barrier layer. During the pre-treatment, at least a portion of the carbon atoms are diffused into the Fe-based substrate. During the deposition process, carbon atoms are prevented by the diffusion barrier layer previously formed to diffuse into the Fe-based substrate whereby these carbon atoms remain available for the nucleation and growth of the thin film of diamond. A portion of the carbon atoms diffused into the Fe-based substrate during the pre-treatment are nucleated during the deposition process and act as anchors to provide a high adhesion between the thin film of diamond and the surface of the Fe-based substrate.

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Outremont, Canada

Michel Moisan