Tutorial MF01—Introduction to Atmospheric-Pressure Plasma Processes for Energy, Environmental and Medical Applications

Plasma processes are mostly applications of plasma-material interaction. In addition to the conventional plasma-solid interaction using low-pressure plasmas, the plasma-liquid, catalyst, living body, soft-matter interactions using atmospheric pressure plasmas have been intensively studied.

In atmospheric pressure plasmas, a variety of high-density radicals are generated due to the high plasma and gas densities, forming a new reaction field useful for the realization of a sustainable society at the plasma-material interface. This tutorial session covers the fundamentals and recent developments of atmospheric-pressure plasma processes for energy, environmental and medical applications, which are emerging fields with rapid growth in recent years.

Alexander Fridman will give an introductory talk on the modern development of atmospheric-pressure plasma discharges for energy and environmental applications. He will also discuss these new plasma applications from the perspective of energy efficiency, which is sometimes a weak point in the use of plasmas in industry. Kenji Ishikawa will discuss the plasma-induced reactions in gas, liquid and living cells as a chemical reaction network for medical application of plasma. In-situ real-time measurement techniques of electron dynamics, plasma chemistry and surface reaction dynamics are also an important part of this talk.

Plasma in Energy Systems, Fuel Reforming and Environmental Control
Alexander Fridman, Drexel University

This tutorial is focused on novel plasma and material science applications to energy systems, fuel reforming processes, and environmental challenges related to the cleaning of air, water and industrial exhausts. Major attention is to be paid to the modern development of atmospheric and high-pressure plasma discharges, such as non-equilibrium gliding arcs, dielectric barrier and other pulsed power plasma sources, permitting to be effectively scaled up to the industrial level. Energy efficiency of plasma sources and energy cost of relevant plasma processes will be reviewed and analyzed from the point of view of competitiveness of the plasma technologies in the modern world.

Plasma Medicine and Plasma Bio Related Pheonomena
Kenji Ishikawa, Nagoya University

Plasma medicine is an application of the interaction between plasma and living body. The mechanism by which low-temperature plasma (LTP) induces changes in the living body is clearly different from that of other physical methods. In plasma medicine, LTP controls the induction of intracellular and extracellular physicochemical stress through the dose or dose rate of radicals such as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. In this tutorial, the non-thermal effects of plasma on the biological responses will be argued by consideration of stress intensity. Plasma-based processing is regarded as a process of plasma activation and chemical relaxation (PACR), involving complex secondary reactions proceeding via the kinetically driven formation of radicals.

To understand the dynamic and irreversible plasma-induced reactions in the living body, electron dynamics, plasma chemistry and surface reaction dynamics are examined by a hierarchical analysis of in situ real-time measurements. An understanding of the mesoscopic-scale chemical reaction network bridges the gap between the microscopic molecular level and the macroscopical phenotype characteristics in plasma medicine.