Capillary Nozzle Research Articles

Soft ionization mechanisms in flexible µ-tube plasma—elucidation of He-, Ar-, Kr-, and Xe-FµTP

The soft ionization mechanism of helium-based plasma seems to be understood while it still remains challenging in argon-based plasma, although many studies have used argon plasmas as a soft ionization source with good ionization efficiencies. In this study, helium, argon, krypton, and xenon were fed into the same discharge geometry, a flexible micro-tube plasma (FµTP), to determine the ionization mechanisms. The FµTPs operated with the named noble gases obtained comparable ionization efficiencies by MS measurements. The optical emission results showed that N2+ were the dominant ions within the helium-FµTP and noble gas ions were dominant for the other plasmas. These ions support the development of excitation and eventually stop at the end of the capillary. Therefore, Penning ionization and charge transfer between plasma and ambient air/analytes in the open atmosphere have been proven not to be the primary soft ionization mechanism. Furthermore, it was found that photoionization played a minor role in soft ionization. Using helium as a diagnosis gas in front of the discharge capillary nozzle of the FµTP, where the sample is usually positioned, shows that helium can be ignited by all of these FµTPs. This demonstrates that the excitation of a diagnosis gas as well as the ionization of analytes is independent of the type of the discharge gas. An alternative mechanism that a transient potential created by the ions is responsible for the soft ionization is subsequently proposed.

Improvement of Electrical Conductivity of In Situ Iodine-Doped Polypyrrole Film Using Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Reactor with Capillary Electrodes.

To improve the electrical conductivity of polypyrrole (PPy) nanostructure film through in situ iodine (I2) doping, this study proposes an atmospheric pressure plasma reactor (APPR) where heated I2 dopant vapor is fed through capillary electrodes that serve as electrodes for discharge ignition. A large amount of the heated I2 vapor introduced into the reactor separately from a monomer gas can be effectively activated by an intense plasma via capillary electrodes. In particular, intensive plasma is obtained by properly adjusting the bluff body position in the APPR. Based on the ICCD and OES results, the I2 vapor injected through the capillary nozzle electrode is observed to form I2 charge species. The formed I2 species could directly participate in growing in situ I2-doped PPy films. Thus, in situ I2-doped PPy nanostructure films grown using the proposed APPR exhibit higher thicknesses of 15.3 μm and good electrical conductivities, compared to the corresponding non-doped films.

Correlation between the rheology of electronic inks and the droplet size generated from a capillary nozzle in dripping regime

This study provides a complete rheological characterization of bidimensional (2D) nanomaterial dispersions, employed as 2D-inks precursors in printed electronics. Three different 2D nanomaterials [molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), graphene, and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN)] were dispersed in a Newtonian fluid (toluene) and a viscoelastic fluid (toluene + ethyl cellulose) with different polymer concentrations. The presence of nanosheets does not change the shear rheology of the carrier fluid. Regarding the extensional rheology, the results showed that the pinch-off phenomenon is present in all toluene suspensions; however, the presence of the ethyl cellulose introduces elasticity in the system, even leading to the formation of beads-on-a-string, and the relaxation times of the suspensions depend on the kind of nanosheets present in the fluid. As controlling the droplet size when dispensing 2D-inks is of paramount importance for printed electronics as well as for many other applications, here it is presented a correlation between the rheological properties of these 2D-inks precursors and their droplet size when generated from a capillary nozzle in the dripping regime.

Numerical study of electrohydrodynamic atomization considering liquid wetting and corona discharge effects

In this paper, the behavior of the cone-jet mode of fluid by electrohydrodynamic atomization (electrospray) is numerically simulated and investigated with the effect of liquid wetting and corona discharge effects. The simulation was performed with contact angle condition to fit the Taylor cone shape by experiments. Experimental data are provided to verify and validate the numerical method, followed by additional analyses on the effects of electrical conductivity, surface tension, flow rate, and fluid viscosity on the electrospray characteristics, including spray current and jet diameter. Numerical results by simulations are in reasonable agreement with experiments and consistent with the literature. Analyses on different contact angles suggest potentially major impacts of this factor on the cone-jet mode in high voltage and low flow rate circumstances. Furthermore, the influence of corona discharge on electrospray is also investigated by both electrospray–corona simulation and experiment using a high-speed camera, yielding a significant improvement in the numerical prediction for Taylor cone formation. Numerical results indicate that liquid wetting on capillary nozzles would be a vital factor for the Taylor cone formation in numerical electrospray–corona discharge studies.

CFD Modeling and Cold Physical Model Simulation on Single Molten Slag Ligament Disintegration into Droplets

Aiming at the mode of liquid ligament disintegration into droplets in the process of the centrifugal granulation of molten blast furnace slag using a spinning cup, in order to gain an in-depth understanding of the behavior and mechanism of droplet formation by liquid ligament disintegration and to obtain appropriate conditions to control the size of the produced slag granules, a three-dimensional CFD model describing water–air two-phase flow with a free surface was established in this work for simulating the process of a single water ligament breakup into droplets under the action of gravity, surface tension and inertial forces, so as to compare with the process of a molten slag ligament disintegration into droplets due to centrifugal force exerted by the spinning cup. By studying the disintegration behavior and mechanism of a single water ligament, the similar phenomenon of a molten slag ligament disintegration is examined. The numerical simulation results on the breakup of a single water ligament show that the length of the ligament before its disintegration and the diameter of the droplets formed both increase with the increase of the velocity of the ligament initially exiting a capillary nozzle. In addition, an experimental set-up was established in the laboratory to conduct cold physical model simulation experiments on single water or liquid paraffin ligament disintegration. The experimental results are compared with the numerical simulation results so that the reliability of the CFD model is verified. The results of the present study show that, in the centrifugal granulation process of blast furnace slag using a spinning cup operated in the ligament disintegration mode, the breakup of a single molten slag ligament is very similar to that of a single water or liquid paraffin ligament, and both approximately follow the Rayleigh Disintegration Mechanism, which provides a theoretical basis for analyzing the breakup process of the ligaments of different liquids as references for guiding the operation of centrifugal granulation of molten slag.

Experimental and numerical investigations of the jetting regime

In this paper we highlight the first stages of liquid injection through a capillary nozzle prior to the jet formation regime. We emphasize the asymmetry of water-air interface at the beginning of the injection of liquid and the axial symmetry which follows when the jet is fully formed. Numerical simulations are performed in order to estimate the relaxation of the velocity distribution of the liquid as it leaves the capillary nozzle. The plug flow condition for low-viscosity liquid jets is investigated in relation with the parabolic velocity distribution in the nozzle. The numerical data is also used to characterize the flow during the drop formation and pinch-off, both driven by the action of surface tension.

Simulation of self-induced capillary break up of a viscous liquid jet

The aim of the study is to reveal the patterns of self-induced disintegration of a viscous liquid jet flowing out at low speed from a capillary hole under microgravity conditions. The research method is numerical modeling of the regularities of self-induced capillary decay using the methods of Lagrange mechanics. Results. A verified technique for numerical simulation of a capillary jet of a viscous liquid based on the methods of Lagrange mechanics. Identified patterns of self-induced decay of a viscous jet under microgravity conditions. Dependence of the length of the undisintegrated part of the jet on the viscosity of the liquid and the velocity of its outflow from the capillary nozzle. Conclusion. The developed numerical simulation technique allows one to correctly and efficiently (from the point of view of the computing resource used) simulate the dynamics of a capillary jet, taking into account complex nonlinear and boundary effects. A pronounced effect of viscosity on the regularities of the disintegration of a jet moving at low speed has been established. The obtained spectral characteristics of perturbations in the jet make it possible to raise the question of the possibility of developing an asymptotic theory of the self-induced decay of a viscous jet.

Generation of the small tin-droplet streams with a manipulable droplet spacing via the forced velocity perturbation

In extreme ultraviolet (EUV) sources, small tin droplets are scattered into the tin mist/disk under the irradiation of the pulsed laser to produce the EUV light. Small droplet size and large droplet spacing are required to suppress debris production to protect expensive collector mirrors. To this end, a tin-droplet generator with a capillary glass nozzle was designed and built to produce uniform tin-droplet streams with the droplet diameter less than 50 μm. Meanwhile, a forced perturbation, generated by a sandwich piezoelectric transducer, was loaded into a liquid tin jet to manipulate the droplet spacing through a stepped rod. The mono-sized tin-droplet streams with an average diameter of 42 μm were successfully produced in both the Rayleigh and the forced jet breakup regimes. A two-dimensional (2D) axisymmetric model was proposed to reveal the influence of the velocity perturbation amplitude on jet breakup patterns at different wavelengths. An F*–λ* (The dimensionless perturbation velocity amplitude F*–The dimensionless wavenumber l*) map was built, and five different droplet breakup patterns were identified based on simulations. Numerical simulations indicated that the droplet spacing could be increased by providing extra momentum to droplets from the forced velocity perturbation. Finally, by increasing the velocity perturbation amplitude, the droplet spacing was increased from ∼9Dd (droplet diameter) to ∼19Dd without significantly increasing the droplet size. This work provides a novel approach to obtaining small mono-sized tin-droplet streams with manipulable droplet spacing.

Electrospray characteristics and cooling performance of dielectric fluid HFE-7100

Electrospray (ES) cooling is a promising route of efficient heat removal for electronic components with powerful cooling capacity, a small liquid supply, and precise temperature control. In this study, we experimentally investigated the electrohydrodynamic (EHD) disintegration and ES cooling performance of the dielectric fluid HFE-7100. The stainless-steel capillary nozzle was connected to a high voltage direct current (DC) power supply, whereas the hot copper surface was grounded. A high-speed camera was used to capture the spray morphology of the coolant. The results indicated that a small amount of ethanol significantly improved the charging performance of HFE-7100 by increasing the liquid electrical conductivity. An uncharged column liquid jet was stretched into a thin liquid film by the EHD forces, generating numerous ultrafine droplets along the lower edge. The ES cooling heat flux was increased by about 2.2 times compared with the neutral condition. In addition, the influences of the applied voltage, flow rate, spray height, liquid subcooling, and ethanol concentration on the ES cooling capacity were discussed. Finally, correlations of the ES cooling heat transfer based on the Reynolds number, Weber number, Prandtl number, electric Weber number, Jacob number, and normalized surface temperature were established.

Modeling and Experimental Verification of Plasma Jet Electromagnetic Signals

Herein, we discuss the modeling and verification of RF sensed signals in a simple plasma channel (plasma jet) at the generator frequency of f = 13.56 MHz, assuming plasma discharge at atmospheric pressure. The actual experiment was preceded by a basic numerical analysis and evaluation of several variants of the geometric/numerical model of a simple plasma channel formed in a glass capillary chamber; this step was performed with different electrode configurations. The analyses also included the impact of the location of the sensing element (i.e., the antenna) on the resulting evaluated electromagnetic signal. Furthermore, a numerical model with concentrated parameters facilitated a comparative analysis centered on the impact of plasma concentration and composition in the monitored electromagnetic RF spectrum of the channel. The theoretical outputs were verified via experiments and compared. This methodology finds use in the radio-frequency evaluation of plasma parameters in both simple capillary nozzles and more complex, slit-designed plasma chambers.

Emission spectra of molecular gases CHF-=SUB=-3-=/SUB=-, CCl-=SUB=-2-=/SUB=-F-=SUB=-2-=/SUB=-, SF-=SUB=-6-=/SUB=- in the range 3-20 nm under pulsed laser excitation using various gas jets as targets

The article considers the results of studies of the emission spectra of CHF3, CCl2F2, SF6 upon excitation by pulsed laser radiation. We used Nd : YAG laser, λ = 1064 nm, tau = 5 ns, and Epulse = 0.8 J. The spectral range of 3-20 nm was studied. We used capillary and supersonic conical nozzles with dcrit = 145 μm, 2α = 12o, L = 5 mm, and dcrit = 450 μm, 2α = 11o, L = 5 mm to form an atomic cluster beam. The emission spectra for various gas targets were obtained, the obtained spectra were deciphered, and the ions emitting in this spectral range were determined. We observed that with increasing particle concentration in the zone of laser spark, the radiation intensity increases. In this case, the intensity of ion lines with high degrees of ionization increases faster. Keywords: cluster beams, extreme ultraviolet radiation, emission spectra, laser spark, x-ray spectrometer-monochromator.

Эмиссионные спектры молекулярных газов CHF-=SUB=-3-=/SUB=-, CCl-=SUB=-2-=/SUB=-F-=SUB=-2-=/SUB=-, SF-=SUB=-6-=/SUB=- в диапазоне 3-20 nm при импульсном лазерном возбуждении с использованием различных газовых струй в качестве мишеней

The article considers the results of studies of the emission spectra of CHF3, CCl2F2, SF6 upon excitation by pulsed laser radiation. We used Nd:YAG laser, λ = 1064 nm, τ = 5 ns, and Epulse = 0.8 J. The spectral range of 3-20 nm was studied. We used capillary and supersonic conical nozzles with dcrit = 145 μm, 2α = 12o, L = 5 mm, and dcrit = 450 μm, 2α = 11o, L = 5 mm to form an atomic cluster beam. The emission spectra for various gas targets were obtained, the obtained spectra were deciphered, and the ions emitting in this spectral range were determined. We observed that with increasing particle concentration in the zone of laser spark, the radiation intensity increases. In this case, the intensity of ion lines with high degrees of ionization increases faster.

Dynamic mechanical interaction between injection liquid and human tissue simulant induced by needle-free injection of a highly focused microjet

This study investigated the fluid–tissue interaction of needle-free injection by evaluating the dynamics of the cavity induced in body-tissue simulant and the resulting unsteady mechanical stress field. Temporal evolution of cavity shape, stress intensity field, and stress vector field during the injection of a conventional injection needle, a proposed highly focused microjet (tip diameter much smaller than capillary nozzle), and a typical non-focused microjet in gelatin were measured using a state-of-the-art high-speed polarization camera, at a frame rate up to 25,000 f.p.s. During the needle injection performed by an experienced nurse, high stress intensity lasted for an order of seconds (from beginning of needle penetration until end of withdrawal), which is much longer than the order of milliseconds during needle-free injections, causing more damage to the body tissue. The cavity induced by focused microjet resembled a funnel which had a narrow tip that penetrated deep into tissue simulant, exerting shear stress in low intensity which diffused through shear stress wave. Whereas the cavity induced by non-focused microjet rebounded elastically (quickly expanded into a sphere and shrank into a small cavity which remained), exerting compressive stress on tissue simulant in high stress intensity. By comparing the distribution of stress intensity, tip shape of the focused microjet contributed to a better performance than non-focused microjet with its ability to penetrate deep while only inducing stress at lower intensity. Dynamic mechanical interaction revealed in this research uncovered the importance of the jet shape for the development of minimally invasive medical devices.

Electrohydrodynamic disintegration of dielectric fluid blended with ethanol

Engineered fluid HFE-7100 is an outstanding detergent and coolant with excellent thermal and chemical stability. Electrohydrodynamic jet disintegration and subsequent droplet formation of HFE-7100 dielectric liquid mixed with ethanol were experimentally investigated in this study. Contact-type charging was employed with the capillary nozzle directly connected to a negative high-voltage power supply, while the counter electrode was grounded. High-speed photography was utilized to capture the liquid breakup and droplet formation behaviors. The results showed that an ethanol content of 8% by volume visibly improved the charging performance of HFE-7100 due to the increase in the liquid electrical conductivity. In addition, with the increase in the applied voltage, the jet breakup was found to transform from the dripping/jetting mode to the ramified mode, which is characterized by a steady liquid sheet with fine droplets forming at the edge. Two distinct ramified breakup configurations, called the pudgy-ramified and lanky-ramified modes, are proposed, and their detailed structural parameters and droplet size distributions are discussed. The diameters of the droplets produced under the permanent ramified configuration could be as small as a few micrometers. Finally, a jet breakup regime map based on the Reynolds number Re and electric bond number BoE was established. Overall, the electrospray technique has shown promise for spray cooling enhancement, and the main results of this paper may be useful for the development of electrospray cooling with a dielectric coolant.

Micromachining of polymers using atmospheric pressure inductively coupled helium plasma localized by a scanning nanopipette probe microscope

We developed a local irradiation system for atmospheric pressure inductively coupled plasma (ICP) using a quartz capillary nozzle (nanopipette) with a sub-micrometer diameter tip aperture for fine processing of material surface. Using this system, a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) film coated on a glass substrate was etched at the micrometer scale. Fine etching was achieved by the ICP localized by the nanopipette precisely placed near the surface, using the positioning capability of a homemade scanning probe microscope. The locally etched surface of the PMMA film was confirmed by imaging immediately after the etching process by scanning the nanopipette. For quantitative evaluation, the topographical image of the same location of the surface was then acquired using an atomic force microscope. The etching rate of the ICP was 20 times higher than that of the low-frequency atmospheric pressure plasma jet. The depth of the etched holes increased with increasing applied power and irradiation time and decreasing irradiation distance. In addition, line groove patterning with sub-micrometer width was successfully achieved. The proposed system is expected to be used in various applications such as processing and repairing of microdevices.

Engineered cell-laden alginate microparticles for 3D culture.

Advanced microfabrication technologies and biocompatible hydrogel materials facilitate the modeling of 3D tissue microenvironment. Encapsulation of cells in hydrogel microparticles offers an excellent high-throughput platform for investigating multicellular interaction with their surrounding microenvironment. Compartmentalized microparticles support formation of various unique cellular structures. Alginate has emerged as one of the most dominant hydrogel materials for cell encapsulation owing to its cytocompatibility, ease of gelation, and biocompatibility. Alginate hydrogel provides a permeable physical boundary to the encapsulated cells and develops an easily manageable 3D cellular structure. The interior structure of alginate hydrogel can further regulate the spatiotemporal distribution of the embedded cells. This review provides a specific overview of the representative engineering approaches to generate various structures of cell-laden alginate microparticles in a uniform and reproducible manner. Capillary nozzle systems, microfluidic droplet systems, and non-chip based high-throughput microfluidic systems are highlighted for developing well-regulated cellular structure in alginate microparticles to realize potential drug screening platform and cell-based therapy. We conclude with the discussion of current limitations and future directions for realizing the translation of this technology to the clinic.

Electrospray propelled by ionic wind in a bipolar system for direct delivery of charge reduced nanoparticles

We present a conceptual design to generate and deliver nanoparticles in one unique system based on electrohydrodynamic atomisation (EHDA) without the restriction of the collector. The present EHDA bipolar configuration consists of a capillary nozzle and a pin, both act as emitters and as the reference electrodes of each other. Under an applied voltage, the capillary nozzle sprays droplets while the pin generates ion wind via corona discharge. During spraying process, droplets’ charge is significantly reduced by interacting with counter ions and propelled away from the electrodes by the momentum of ion winds accumulated from corona discharge. Thus, the present technique can yield promising applications in effective respiratory delivery of nanomedicine.

Effect of laser power on conductivity and morphology of silver nanoparticle thin films prepared by a laser assisted electrospray deposition method

Silver nanoparticle-based electrodes were studied extensively in recent years as an electrode material for wearable and flexible electronics due to their stability and conductivity. A wet chemical deposition technique is considered as a low-cost scalable technique. The current wet chemical-based nanoparticle deposition techniques include electrospray deposition, drop casting, spin coating, and the inkjet printing process. These techniques generally require a separate postdeposition annealing step. This can be a problem for substrates with a low melting point. In addition, some of the above-mentioned methods require physical contact, which increases the probability of cross-contamination. In this research, we present a technique that combines electrospray and laser radiation to deposit and sinter nanoparticles simultaneously on a rigid or flexible substrate. In this process, the microdroplets of aqueous silver nanoparticle suspension ejected in what is known as the microdripping mode from a metallic capillary nozzle, which can be controlled by an electric potential. A conical hollow laser beam is used to vaporize the liquid and sinter the nanoparticles at desired locations on a substrate. This is a promising technique compared to the traditional methods to fabricate conductive micropatterns due to its simplified one step deposition, suppressed cross-contamination, and applicability to various surfaces. Thin-film micropatterns of silver nanoparticles were fabricated using a Nd:YAG laser with powers from 5 to 13 W. The correlation between the grain size distribution, composition, and electrical resistivity was studied using a scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive x ray, and four-point probe analysis. The results are comparable to the conventional thermal sintering method.

Эмиссионные спектры легких инертных газов Ne и Ar в диапазоне 3-20 nm при импульсном лазерном возбуждении с использованием различных газовых струй в качестве мишеней

The article considers the results of studies of the emission spectra of Ne and Ar upon excitation by pulsed laser radiation. We used Nd: YAG laser, λ = 1064 nm, τ = 5 ns, and Epulse = 0.8 J. The spectral range of 3-20 nm was studied. We used capillary and supersonic conical nozzles with dcr = 145 μm, 2α = 12o, L = 5 mm, and dcr = 450 μm, 2α = 11o, L = 5 mm to form an atomic cluster beam. The emission spectra for various gas targets were obtained, the obtained spectra were deciphered, and the ions emitting in this spectral range were determined. We observed that with increasing particle concentration in the zone of laser spark, the radiation intensity increases. In this case, the intensity of ion lines with high degrees of ionization increases faster.

Эмиссионные спектры молекулярных газов N-=SUB=-2-=/SUB=- и CO-=SUB=-2-=/SUB=- в диапазоне 3-20 nm при импульсном лазерном возбуждении с использованием различных газовых струй в качестве мишеней

The article considers the results of studies of the emission spectra of N2 and CO2 upon excitation by pulsed laser radiation. We used Nd: YAG laser, λ = 1064 nm, τ = 5 ns, and Epulse = 0.8 J. The spectral range of 3-20 nm was studied. We used capillary and supersonic conical nozzles with dcr = 145 μm, 2α = 12o, L = 5 mm, and dcr = 450 μm, 2α = 11o, L = 5 mm to form an atomic cluster beam. The emission spectra for various gas targets were obtained, the obtained spectra were deciphered, and the ions emitting in this spectral range were determined. We observed that with increasing particle concentration in the zone of laser spark, the radiation intensity increases. In this case, the intensity of ion lines with high degrees of ionization increases faster.