Influences of guide-tube and bluff-body on advanced atmospheric pressure plasma source for single-crystalline polymer nanoparticle synthesis at low temperature

• Published in: Physics of plasmas 2017-02, Vol.24 (2)
• Main Authors: Kim, Dong Ha, Park, Choon-Sang, Kim, Won Hyun, Shin, Bhum Jae, Hong, Jung Goo, Park, Tae Seon, Seo, Jeong Hyun, Tae, Heung-Sik
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atmospheric pressure; Chemical synthesis; Computer simulation; Cracking (fracturing); Crystal structure; Crystallinity; Flow velocity; Fracture mechanics; Gas flow; Guide tubes; Low temperature; Nanoparticles; Nucleation; Plasma; Plasma physics; Process parameters; Single crystals; Substrates
• ISSN: 1070-664X; 1089-7674
• DOI: 10.1063/1.4975313

The use of a guide-tube and bluff-body with an advanced atmospheric pressure plasma source is investigated for the low-temperature synthesis of single-crystalline high-density plasma polymerized pyrrole (pPPy) nano-materials on glass and flexible substrates. Three process parameters, including the position of the bluff-body, Ar gas flow rate, and remoteness of the substrate from the intense and broadened plasma, are varied and examined in detail. Plus, for an in-depth understanding of the flow structure development with the guide-tube and bluff-body, various numerical simulations are also conducted using the same geometric conditions as the experiments. As a result, depending on both the position of the bluff-body and the Ar gas flow rate, an intense and broadened plasma as a glow-like discharge was produced in a large area. The production of the glow-like discharge played a significant role in increasing the plasma energy required for full cracking of the monomers in the nucleation region. Furthermore, a remote growth condition was another critical process parameter for minimizing the etching and thermal damage during the plasma polymerization, resulting in single- and poly-crystalline pPPy nanoparticles at a low temperature with the proposed atmospheric pressure plasma jet device.