Lecture "Unusual plasma processing of materials"

 

In the framework of its activities in Materials Research and Technology (MRT), the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) organises the lecture entitled "Unusual plasma processing of Materials" on its Belvaux site.

The talk will be given by Dr Fabio Palumbo from Institute of Nanotecnology – National Research Council c/o Department of Chemistry, Università degli Studi di Bari, Bari (Italy). The aim of the lecture is to address some unusual plasma processing of materials, where “unsusual” refers to the obtained morphology and/or to the application. Such processes are:

• Sphere-on-pyramids plasma engraved in PTFE
• aerosol assisted plasma deposition of nanocapsules
• plasma deposited multilayers for seeds protection

Abstract

Plasma is very common in nature; beside flames, though, men had to wait the 19th century to create plasmas in controlled environment. Widely employed for a steadily increasing number of academic researches and commercial products, Plasma Technology is certainly one of the most established, pervasive, yet still promising technologies of our time. The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor is expected to succeed in confining and controlling a thermonuclear plasma within the next decade, for a decisive advance toward the virtually infinite production of clean energy for civil use. Thermal plasmas are already used for high temperature applications in metallurgy, welding, metal cutting and waste abatement, as well as in the production of refractory layers and biocompatible hydroxyapatite ceramic coatings on orthopedic and dental implants. Cold plasmas today are the core technology for the production of UV lights, plasma TVs, Integrated Circuits in Microelectronics, and Solar Cells, and offer continuously newer applications for Advanced Materials, Communications, Energy, Environment, Food, Health and Transport. Technological developments have led to the ignition of non equilibrium plasmas also in liquids largely extending the application fields of plasma processing. And many possible other examples could be listed to highlight the potential of PST for the next decades.