Generation of solution plasma over a large electrode surface area

Abstract

Solution plasma has been used in a variety of fields such as nanomaterials synthesis, the degradation of harmful substances, and solution analysis. However, as existing methods are ineffective in generating plasma over a large surface area, this study investigated the contact glow discharge electrolysis, in which the plasma was generated on the electrode surface. To clarify the condition of plasma generation, the effect of electrolyte concentration and temperature on plasma formation was studied. The electrical energy needed for plasma generation is higher than that needed to sustain a plasma, and when the electrolyte temperature was increased from 32 to 90 °C at 0.01 M NaOH solution, the electric power density for vapor formation decreased from 2005 to 774 W/cm2. From these results, we determined that pre-warming of the electrolyte is quite effective in generating plasma at lower power density. In addition, lower electrolyte concentrations required higher power density for vapor formation owing to lower solution conductivity. On the basis these results, a method for large-area and flat-plate plasma generation is proposed in which an initial small area of plasma generation is extended. When used with a plate electrode, a concentration of current to the edge of the plate meant that plasma could be formed by covering the edge of the electrode plate.