Recent Advancements in the Use of Aerosol-Assisted Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Deposition

Fabio Palumbo,Francesco Fracassi,Pietro Favia,Chiara Lo Porto

doi:10.3390/coatings10050440

Fabio Palumbo, Francesco Fracassi + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings10050440

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Abstract

Atmospheric pressure plasma allows for the easy modification of materials’ surfaces for a wide range of technological applications. Coupling the aerosol injection of precursors with atmospheric pressure plasma largely extends the versatility of this kind of process; in fact solid and, in general, scarcely volatile precursors can be delivered to the plasma, extending the variety of chemical pathways to surface modification. This review provides an overview of the state of the art of aerosol-assisted atmospheric pressure plasma deposition. Advantages (many), and drawbacks (few) will be illustrated, as well as hints as to the correct coupling of the atomization source with the plasma to obtain specific coatings. In particular, the deposition of different organic, hybrid inorganic–organic and bioactive nanocomposite coatings will be discussed. Finally, it will be shown that, in particular cases, unique core–shell nanocapsules can be obtained.

Highlights

The term aerosol refers to a mixture where liquid or solid particles are suspended in a gaseous medium for a time long enough to be observed
This review provides an overview of the state of the art of aerosol-assisted atmospheric pressure plasma deposition
Da Ponte et al found that, in the plasma deposition of Polyethyelene Oxide (PEO)-like coatings, when the precursor was introduced by atomization, the power had a mild effect on the monomer structure retention, while gas feed dilution was more effective in reducing the ethylene oxide content [52,54]

Summary

Introduction

The term aerosol refers to a mixture where liquid or solid particles are suspended in a gaseous medium for a time long enough to be observed. To overcome the main limitation of the DBD processing of materials, namely the treatment of 3D objects, and to extend the range of possible applications of AP plasma, jet source configurations can be suitably designed. In this setup, the plasma is ignited between two electrodes in a remote position and, it expands towards the substrate placed out of the inter-electrode region. The advantages and disadvantages of the various coupling approaches for aerosol-assisted plasma deposition (AAPD) will be discussed

Coupling Aerosols to Plasma Deposition

Methods

Plasma Deposition of Single-Component Coatings

Plasma Deposition of Composite Coatings

Findings

Conclusions