(Invited) Bio-Inspired High-Performance and Multi-Functional Surfaces Tailored By Atmospheric Pressure Plasmas

Abstract

This talk will highlight our recent work on the development of atmospheric pressure plasma tools and methods to modify the roughness, surface chemistry, and wettability of dielectric, polymer, and textile surfaces. Dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) at both low (60 Hz) and high frequency (10s kHz, pulsed), along with RF (13.56 MHz) microplasma jets, were used to directly create hydrophobic/philic areas and bio-reactive groups (-COOH, -CFx, -NH2) on surfaces for subsequent immobilization of enzymes and bioactive compounds for sensing, environmental threat detection, and chemical agent destruction. The goal of the work is to provide fundamental understanding of how interfacial properties, namely chemical termination and surface area, roughness geometry and length scale, and incorporation of 2D/3D nanostructures, can impart multi-functionality to different material surfaces. The effect of various plasma operating conditions (e.g., streamer density, frequency, gas atmosphere, power) on wettability contrast, roughness, surface chemistry, and enzyme grafting and viability for different model surfaces will be discussed.