A large-scale cold plasma jet: generation mechanism and application effect

Atmospheric pressure cold plasma jets (APCPJs) typically exhibit a slender, conical structure, which imposes limitations on their application for surface modification due to the restricted treatment area. In this paper, we introduce a novel plasma jet morphology known as the large-scale cold plasma jet (LSCPJ), characterized by the presence of both a central conical plasma jet and a peripheral trumpet-like diffuse plasma jet. The experimental investigations have identified the factors influencing the conical and the trumpet-like diffuse plasma jet, and theoretical simulations have shed light on the role of the flow field and the electric field in shaping the formation of the LSCPJ. It is proved that, under conditions of elevated helium concentration, the distributions of impurity gas particles and the electric field jointly determine the plasma jet’s morphology. High-speed ICCD camera images confirm the dynamic behavior of plasma bullets in LSCPJ, which is consistent with the theoretical analysis. Finally, it is demonstrated that when applied to the surface treatment of silicone rubber, LSCPJ can achieve a treatment area over 28 times larger than that of APCPJ under equivalent conditions. This paper uncovers the crucial role of impurity gases and electric fields in shaping plasma jet morphology and opens up the possibility of efficiently diversifying plasma jet generation effects through external electromagnetic fields. These insights hold the promise of reducing the generation cost of plasma jets and expanding their applications across various industrial sectors.