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Challenges exist regarding the bonding efficiency of polyaryletherketone (PAEK), a high-performance thermoplastic, attributed to its chemical inertness and hydrophobic surface, hindering effective bonding with resin-matrix cement. This research explored the impact of handheld nonthermal plasma (HNP), under varying operational parameters, on PAEK surface wettability and changes in bonding performance with cement. Three types of disc-shaped PEAK specimens were prepared, with surface treatments categorized as grinding, airborne-particle abrasion (APB), and HNP. Surface wettability was analyzed using a contact angle analyzer (n = 10). Specimens were bonded with resin cement and subjected to artificial aging tests: distilled water bath (NA), thermocycling, and highly accelerated stress tests (n = 10 for each test). Shear bond strength (SBS) was measured, failure modes were analyzed, and statistical analyses were conducted. The HNP markedly improved PAEK surface wettability, achieving superhydrophilicity (P < 0.05). This effect intensified with extended operation times (30 or 60 s) and reduced elapsed times (<30 s). HNP-treated PAEK exhibited higher SBS than APB (P < 0.05) and maintained bonding durability after artificial aging, particularly in ketone-enriched variants. Failure analysis revealed predominantly adhesive failure under APB–NA treatment, mixture failures under HNP–NA treatment and postaging, but no cohesive failure. The HNP device benefits dental settings by transforming the PAEK surface into superhydrophilic properties, thereby improving PAEK–cement bonding. It significantly enhances bond durability within 30 s of operation and after a 30 s elapsed period. It is noteworthy that ketone-enriched PAEK demonstrates markedly improved bonding performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonthermal atmospheric or low-pressure plasma (NTP) can improve the surface characteristics of dental materials without affecting their bulk properties. This study aimed to systematically review the available scientific evidence on the effectiveness of using NTP for the surface treatment of etchable, silica-based dental ceramics before cementation, and elucidate its potential to replace the hazardous and technically demanding protocol of hydrofluoric acid (HF) etching. A valid search query was developed with the help of PubMed's Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) vocabulary thesaurus and translated to three electronic databases: PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. The methodological quality of the studies was assessed according to an adapted version of the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS). Thirteen in vitro study reports published between 2008 and 2023 were selected for the qualitative and quantitative data synthesis. The implemented methodologies were diverse, comprising 19 different plasma treatment protocols with various device settings. Argon, helium, oxygen, or atmospheric air plasma may significantly increase the wettability and roughness of silicate ceramics by plasma cleaning, etching, and activation, but the treatment generally results in inferior bond strength values after cementation compared to those achieved with HF etching. The technically demanding protocol of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition was employed more commonly, in which the surface deposition of hexamethyl disiloxane with subsequent oxygen plasma activation proved the most promising, yielding bond strengths comparable to those of the positive control. Lack of power analysis, missing adequate control, absence of examiner blinding, and non-performance of specimen aging were common methodological frailties that contributed most to the increase in bias risk (mean MINORS score 15.3 ± 1.1). NTP can potentially improve the adhesive surface characteristics of dental silicate ceramics in laboratory conditions, but the conventional protocol of HF etching still performs better in terms of the resin-ceramic bond strength and longevity. More preclinical research is needed to determine the optimal NTP treatment settings and assess the aging of plasma-treated ceramic surfaces in atmospheric conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen (H 2) is recognized as a viable and environmentally friendly energy source, utilized across various domains, from large-scale chemical energy exports to small-scale power generation in remote areas. However, the storage and distribution costs of H 2 present significant challenges. Ammonia (NH 3) emerges as a carbon-free hydrogen carrier, backed by a robust international transport and storage infrastructure. On-site hydrogen production can be efficiently achieved through NH 3 decomposition, predominantly via thermal catalysis. One innovative approach involves plasma technology, which utilizes NH 3 , alcohols, or hydrocarbons to produce pure hydrogen in plasma reactors. Nonthermal plasma (NTP) in particular, for NH 3 decomposition and H 2 production, has garnered considerable interest owing to its higher energy efficiency than thermal plasma systems. Furthermore, integrating NTP with catalysis, termed plasma-assisted catalysis, creates a synergistic effect, enhancing NH 3 decomposition efficiency for H 2 production through improved plasma-catalyst interactions. Consequently, NTP-catalysis holds the potential to revolutionize NH 3 conversion and utilisation in the future. To date, there have been limited studies on NTP-assisted catalytic NH 3 decomposition. This review article compiles the latest NTP-assisted catalytic NH 3 decomposition methodologies for H 2 production. It delves into the basics of plasma-assisted NH 3 decomposition, including adsorption, desorption, and the synergistic processes during plasma catalysis. Additionally, it examines the impact of NTP on the chemical states and properties of various catalysts and provides a comprehensive analysis of the factors influencing NH 3 -plasma decomposition. • Nonthermal plasma-assisted catalysis NH3 decomposition for COx-free H2 production. • Full NH 3 decomposition achieved at ambient temperature and pressure by applied NTP. • Combining plasma with catalysis has improved the NH3 efficiency decomposition. • NTP catalysis can potentially revolutionize NH3 conversion and utilisation in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interest in nonthermal discharge plasma has recently increased over the last few decades due to the ability to generate new radicals at atmospheric pressure. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the dissociation processes and reaction rates of various water vapour samples by dielectric barrier discharge plasma (DBD). The influence of water contamination and the presence of ammonia (NH 3) on hydrogen production from water vapour was investigated. A novel reaction rate expression was proposed to fit the plasma-water vapour experiment results. The hydrogen production and conversion rate of pure reverse osmosis (RO) water samples showed greater results than the contaminated water samples in all experiments at different tested bubbling temperatures. The higher conversion rate was obtained from RO water combined with 1%NH 3 at a bubbling temperature of 50 °C and was 1.17%. The water contamination influenced the generated DBD plasma micro discharges, consequently decreasing the electron collisions, leading to lower water vapour conversion into constituent elements H 2 and O 2. It was also found that the influence of ammonia on the water vapour decomposition was related to the NH 3 concentration. Moreover, the reaction rate showed good agreement with the experimental results. It was observed that the energy efficiencies were obtained at an operating temperature of 50 °C for pure RO, GTW, and CTW water samples enhanced by adding 1%NH 3 , for example, the RO energy efficiency value at a bubbling temperature of 50 °C increased from 0.133% to 1.15% because of more hydrogen was generated. It implies that the water vapour decomposition processes are influenced by the following parameters: input gas temperature, reaction time, plasma power, oven or reactor heating temperature, the separation method, sampling method, and sampling collection time. [Display omitted] • The hydrogen production from various water types by DBD plasma is investigated. • The presence of ammonia enhanced the hydrogen production of water vapour. • The water contamination has a negative effect on the plasma water decomposition. • The new rate equation showed a good agreement with experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental performance of nonthermal plasma assisted dry reforming of methane (NTP-DRM) for hydrogen production from methane rich natural gas is investigated and compared with the current state of the art steam reforming technology through a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA). The NTP-DRM technologies studied in this analysis include dielectric barrier, microwave, and pulsed plasma discharges. Due to the level of technology the study is considered as the prospective LCA of selected types of NTP-DRMs for hydrogen production. Of these, the NTP-DRM using microwave and pulsed plasma presented better environmental performance. The impact categories include midpoints levels applying TRACI 2.1 and AWARE for the water scarcity, using ecoinvent 3.8 and US NETL databases. The scenario analysis regarding carbon dioxide, electricity, and natural gas sources, revealed the highly dependency of NTP-DRMs technologies environmental performance to the energy efficiency of the processes. In terms of steam reforming of methane (SRM) despite the main contribution of steam use in the technology environmental performance, the uncertainty analysis showed higher sensitivity to natural gas input. Investigation showed that using renewable energy sources can have significant improvement regarding NTP-DRMs environmental performance and specifically global warming potential. Accordingly, at their current reactant conversion and product selectivity reaching the energy use of eV per molecule of reactant equal or less than 2, can be a proper target for the studied best case NTP-DRM to make their environmental behavior competitive with the state-of-the-art SRM technologies. • Prospective cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) of selected nonthermal plasmas (NTP) for dry reforming of methane (DRM). • Comparative LCA between the NTP-DRM and the current state-of-the-art steam reforming of methane (SRM). • Uncertainty and scenario analysis, with a particular emphasis on critical hotspots. • Assessing NTP-DRM's energy efficiency requirement to make it environmentally acceptable compared to current SRM technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-thermal plasma (NTP) has been demonstrated as one of the promising technologies that can degrade volatile organic compounds (VOCs) under ambient condition. However, one of the key challenges of VOCs degradation in NTP is its relatively low mineralization rate, which needs to be addressed by introducing catalysts. Therefore, the design and optimization of catalysts have become the focus of NTP coupling catalysis research. In this work, a series of two-dimensional nanosheet Co-Ni metal oxides were synthesized by microwave method and investigated for the catalytic oxidation of benzene in an NTP-catalysis coupling system. Among them, Co 2 Ni 1 O x achieves 60% carbon dioxide (CO 2) selectivity (S CO2) when the benzene removal efficiency (RE benzene) reaches more than 99%, which is a significant enhancement compared with the CO 2 selectivity obtained without any catalysts (38%) under the same input power. More intriguingly, this S CO2 is also significantly higher than that of single metal oxides, NiO or Co 3 O 4 , which is only around 40%. Such improved performance of this binary metal oxide catalyst is uniquely attributed to the synergistic effects of Co and Ni in Co 2 Ni 1 O x catalyst. The introduction of Co 2 Ni 1 O x was found to promote the generation of acrolein significantly, one of the key intermediates found in NTP alone system reported previously, suggest the benzene ring open reaction is promoted. Compared with monometallic oxides NiO and Co 3 O 4 , Co 2 Ni 1 O x also shows higher active oxygen proportion, better oxygen mobility, and stronger low-temperature redox capability. The above factors result in the improved catalytic performance of Co 2 Ni 1 O x in the NTP coupling removal of benzene. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Two magnetically assisted GAD reactors were developed for biomass tar reforming. • MAGAD generates a larger discharge region and more reactive species. • Magnetic field in MAGAD creates a synergy between Lorenz force and gas thrust. • MAGAD exhibits superior reforming performance compared to MSGAD and NGAD. • MAGAD promotes C 2 H 2 formation while suppressing liquid by-products. Gliding arc discharge (GAD) holds significant potential for energy and environmental applications, particularly in biomass tar reforming. In this study, we developed two GAD reactors coupled with a magnetic field for biomass tar reforming. The reactors were designed with two different configurations by varying the magnetic field direction relative to the electrodes: magnetically accelerated gliding arc discharge (MAGAD) and magnetically stabilized gliding arc discharge (MSGAD). The reforming performance and discharge characteristics of these two configurations were systematically evaluated and compared with those of a normal GAD (NGAD). MAGAD demonstrated superior reforming performance, achieving the highest conversion for toluene (71.4 %) and phenol (87.5 %), as well as the highest yields of H 2 (22.4 %) and C 2 H 2 (12.6 %) at a magnetic field intensity of 133 mT. In contrast, MSGAD achieved the highest energy yield (47.1 g/kWh) but exhibited lower tar conversion due to reduced discharge power. In the MAGAD system, the magnetic field generates a synergistic effect between the Lorenz force and gas thrust, accelerating and elongating the arc along the electrodes. This results in increased discharge power and frequency, as well as an expanded discharge region. This leads to the generation of more reactive species, which enhances the breakdown of benzene rings into short-chain hydrocarbons and reduces the formation of liquid byproducts. These findings demonstrate the potential of manipulating magnetic fields to optimize GAD systems for efficient biomass tar reforming, offering a promising strategy to improve the performance of plasma-based chemical reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High CO 2 in packages significantly extends microbiological shelf life of poultry meat. Cold plasma is an emerging antimicrobial treatment, which generates various reactive gas species and inactivates microbials effectively. The objective of this study was to explore the potential effects of combining high CO 2 package and in-package cold plasma (IPCP) treatments on the quality and safety of raw chicken breast meat. Noninoculated samples and samples inoculated with Campylobacter jejuni and Salmonella Typhimurium were packaged in 0, 30, 70, or 100% CO 2 (with make-up gas N 2) and treated with IPCP at 70 kV for 3 min. Ozone formation, microbial counts, drip loss, pH, and color were measured. There was no interaction effect between high CO 2 package and IPCP on microbial counts, drip loss, and color measurements. IPCP reduced spoilage microbial growth by 0.43 log (from 7.00 log to 6.57 log, P = 0.033) and C. jejuni populations by 0.67 log (from 4.82 log to 4.15 log, P < 0.001) on meat surface but did not affect S. Typhimurium (P = 0.206). Increased CO 2 in packages had more effect on spoilage microbial growth (more than 1.5 log from 8.08 log to 6.35 log, P < 0.001) and S. Typhimurium populations (more than 0.5 log from 4.94 log to 4.39 log, P = 0.004) than IPCP but did not affect C. jejuni (P = 0.163). IPCP resulted in increases in changes in L* by 1.67 units (0.70 vs. 2.37, P = 0.016) and a* values by 0.56 units (0.73 vs. 1.29, P < 0.001) and decreases in b* values by 0.91 units (0.46 versus −0.45, P = 0.015). High CO 2 levels caused increases in changes in L* values by 4.35 units (−0.82 versus 3.53, P < 0.001) with no effects on a* and b* values (P > 0.05). Data demonstrate that there are no combined effects by high CO 2 package and IPCP on meat quality and safety of raw chicken breast meat under our experimental conditions. Either high CO 2 package or IPCP can retain microbial quality and safety, even though they may cause changes in appearance of stored chicken breast meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing resistance of biofilms to existing products and their predominantly negative impact on the environment, efforts are being made to find new alternatives to suppress microbial growth. One of them involves the use of a nonthermal plasma (NTP). This physical method of eradicating microbial growth has been well studied in terms of its application to bacteria and yeasts, while the effect of NTP on microscopic filamentous fungi has been neglected. However, NTP could serve as a viable alternative to existing disinfectants within food industry production facilities to eliminate the development of fungal contamination. This study investigates the effect of a NTP on the metabolic activity of spores regrowth and biofilms of filamentous fungi as well as on the morphological changes of microbial cultures after exposure to NTP. The morphological changes have been imaged using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It has been shown that high quality SEM images of the fungal spores can be obtained without a conductive coating, but in case of the fungal biofilms the use of the coating was necessary. In all examined microorganisms, the NTP treatment led to a reduction in the extracellular matrix of the biofilm and inflicted damage to the hyphae. Untreated samples displayed a layered biofilm structure, while post-treatment, the structure transitioned to a sparse, monolayered form. Particularly notable morphological alterations in the biofilm, as evidenced by SEM microscopy, were observed in Alternaria alternata. These changes align with the observed decrease in metabolic activity following NTP treatment, which was most prominent in this strain. • Nonthermal plasma is efficient alternative to currently used disinfectants. • SEM could serve as an effective tool to assess the impact of NTP on fungi. • Morphological changes of biofilms and spores occurred after exposure to NTP. • Effective eradication of spores and biofilms of filamentous fungi using NTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) have become an environmental and health threat to aquatic species and humans because they are small and can easily reach water bodies for municipal and agricultural uses. MPs have been traced in food commodities and products derived from animals and even found in bottles of drinking water. Current treatment techniques for permanently destroying MPs require high energy inputs and thus are generally cost-inefficient. Atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) is a low-cost energy-efficient technology to produce highly reactive species that can induce physicochemical changes in plastic polymers. This study, for the first time, used ACP as a novel method for MPs treatment. Polypropylene (PP) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) were used to prepare model MPs. The effects of plasma working gas (oxygen, nitrogen, or their mixture) and post-ACP treatment storage (24 h) on MPs were studied. ACP treatments for 30 min successfully degraded both MPs, by 1.4–11.3% in weight. PP MPs had larger weight reduction than LDPE and the ACP of mixture gas was most effective. PP MPs also showed increased carbonyl index after treatments, to up to 6.89, indicating hydrolytic degradation. For LDPE MPs, oxygen ACP caused more oxidation, but storage did not have an enhancing effect. The results of physicochemical analyses indicated that MPs degradation by ACP was possibly mainly through oxidative and hydrolytic reactions, but further characterizations are needed. This study proves that ACP is a promising strategy to remediate MPs pollution, and thus has great potential for addressing the severe challenges of MPs that the food and agriculture sectors are currently facing. [Display omitted] • Cold plasma is applied to degrade microplastics in water for the first time. • Plasma treatments of 30 min effectively reduce microplastics weight by up to 11.3%. • Storage after plasma treatment can enhance microplastics degradation. • Possible mechanisms of microplastics degradation include oxidation and hydrolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The suggested nonthermal plasma has been employed for organic pollutants remediation and bacterial inactivation with catalyst (CuFe 2 O 4) via reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, along with catalytic density functional theory processing. The plasma generated species O 2 − (g.), OH • (g.), H 2 O 2 (aq.), and NO x (aq.) are used for the remediation of organic pollutants, such as reactive black5 and bromocresol green with catalytic oxidative and reductive transformation, like as from Fe 2 + (aq.) to Fe 3 + (aq.) and from Cu 2 + (aq.) to Cu 1 + (aq.), respectively. In the presence of plasma with CuFe 2 O 4 , the pollutants remediation enhanced more, which is 95 ± 0.78%, rather than only plasma. After removal of pollutants, the plasma processing catalyzed by CuFe 2 O 4 was highly inactivated the E. coli. bacterial growth, which inhibition rate is 100 ± 0.87% and 100 ± 0.69% for reactive black5 and bromocresol green, rather than only plasma, such as 86.41 ± 0.91% and 73.91 ± 0.56%, respectively. The CuFe 2 O 4 generated super oxides (O 2 − (aq.)) and hydroxides (H+(aq.), OH⦁(aq.), and OOH⦁(aq.)) are rapidly react with bacteria to damage the bacterial cell membrane via catalytic redox process. However, the plasma generated species were react with catalyst to produce the e − charge densities under the redox transformation of spin orientation (±) 0.58 e − , which is 0.007, 0.009, and 0.005 electrons per cubic Angstrom, for CuFe 2 O 4 , H 2 O 2 (aq.), and NO x (aq.). The plasma generated species concentrations were quantified in the deionized water, which are H 2 O 2 (aq.) (145 ± 0.91 μM) and NO x (aq.) (112 ± 0.56 μM), respectively. After eradication of pollutants, the water pH was observed, which is near to the neutral at 6.57 ± 0.27 under the catalytic binary redox process. Moreover, the catalytic stability examined via reusability test, which were four cycles for reactive black5 and three cycles for bromocresol green. Furthermore, the CuFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles conducted several characterizations to analyze the various properties, such as crystal, surface, functional, and elemental. [Display omitted] • The suggested hybrid cold plasma performed for remediation of RB & BG via DFT. • Bacterial inactivation analyzed by plasma catalyzed CuFe 2 O 4 via DFT processing. • Plasma RONS oxidative potentials were evaluated with CuFe 2 O 4 for binary oxidation. • Binary reductive & oxidative F e 2 + & C u 2 + to F e 3 + & C u 1 + charge density evaluated. • Polluted water pH controlled under neutral via plasma catalyzed by CuFe 2 O 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon dioxide captured from the atmosphere can be reduced to carbon monoxide, which can then be used as a fuel or material for conversion to organic compounds and for gas synthesis. However, currently, this energy source has low efficiency and its use is impractical because of the relatively low atmospheric CO 2 concentration, which disperses input energy. Therefore, it is important to concentrate atmospheric CO 2 during pretreatment. In this study, a plasma reactor is partially filled with an adsorbent and atmospheric air is allowed to flow into the reactor after the removal of water vapor using a condenser and silica gel to adsorb atmospheric CO 2 (i.e., the adsorption process). During desorption and reduction, nonthermal plasma flow is generated via dielectric barrier discharge, while nitrogen is flowed into the reactor to reduce atmospheric CO 2 (i.e., the desorption–reduction process). As a result, the CO 2 concentration reaches 545 ppm in 230 min during the adsorption process and 5519 ppm in 12 min during the desorption–reduction process. The CO concentration increases to 60 ppm in 12 min during the desorption–reduction process. The conversion and energy efficiencies are 1.1 % and 1.9 × 10−2 %, respectively. The introduction of the adsorption process not only increases the concentrates CO 2 but also decreases the concentration of water vapor in the reactor and generates more CO, thereby increasing the energy efficiency. Therefore, the introduction of an adsorption process is extremely important for improving the concentration and reduction of CO 2. • CO 2 of 545 ppm is concentrated to 5519 ppm by the adsorption and desorption processes. • Energy efficiency increases as CO 2 concentration increases with desorption process. • As CO 2 is reduced, energy efficiency increases via the removal of water vapor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • EMSI was established between Ag and MnO 2 by anchoring Ag onto hydroxyl groups. • EMSI intensity was regulated by oxygen vacancy concentration. • Enhanced EMSI promoted the generation of Ag0, converting O 3 to O* with better oxidizing ability. While nonthermal plasma (NTP) technology exhibits notable efficacy in removing volatile organic compounds (VOCs), its practical application is impeded by a restricted carbon dioxide (CO 2) selectivity. In this work, Ag-loaded α-MnO 2 nanorods with strong electronic metal-support interaction (EMSI) were synthesized to enhance the mineralization of toluene in post-plasma system (PPC). EMSI was constructed between Ag species and MnO 2 by anchoring Ag on hydroxyl groups. Increasing Ag loading facilitated the generation of oxygen vacancies, which promoted electron transfer from MnO 2 to Ag sites, reinforcing EMSI and favoring the formation of Ag0. The results showed that the 3% Ag-loaded α-MnO 2 nanorods exhibited better activity than bare MnO 2 , with a remarkable boost in CO 2 selectivity to 77.5%, far exceeding the 33% CO 2 selectivity of MnO 2. It was concluded that both oxygen vacancies and Ag0 affected the toluene conversion by enhancing the conversion of ozone (O 3) to reactive oxygen species (ROS). Through in-situ DRIFTS, it was found that Ag0 transformed O 3 to a higher concentration of atomic oxygen (O*), capable of degrading organic intermediates to CO 2. Additionally, Ag0 facilitated the direct ring-opening of adsorbed toluene. This research introduces a novel method for designing catalysts with EMSI to improve the mineralization of VOCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonthermal plasma (NTP) technology can oxidize and decompose diesel particulate matter (PM) under much lower temperatures (≤200 °C) without catalyst, showing promise for potential applications. A self-made NTP generator was used to produce NTP gas that reacted with PM at a certain reaction temperature and reaction time, and the concentration of O 3 in NTP was modified by adjusting the working parameters. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were used to analyze changes in the surface functional groups, component oxidation activity, removal effect, and the soluble organic fraction (SOF) of PM samples before and after processing. As the O 3 concentration increased, the effect of NTP on PM removal strengthened. PM surface functional groups can be converted from C–OH into C O under the action of NTP at high O 3 concentrations. The oxidation activity of the volatile fraction (VF) and soot in PM can be substantially improved under high O 3 concentrations. Higher O 3 concentrations resulted in increases in the number of oxygen-containing groups in the molecular formula of SOF and the ratio of components. This study provide a certain reference value for the strategy of removing PM pollutants from diesel engines and even the atmosphere. • Particulate matter was treated by NTP with various O 3 concentrations. • C C bonds in PM break and O atoms are added to the carbon chain to form C–OH. • Higher O 3 concentration promoted the conversion of C–OH into C O. • VF volatilization and soot oxidation activity were enhanced after NTP reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Developing a novel technique for synthesizing highly active and low-Pt catalysts. • Directional preparation of smaller size Pt NPs with (1 1 1) crystal faces. • The addition of NaOH significantly influences ORR activity of the catalyst. • Single-cell of PEMFC with designed catalyst outperforms commercial Pt/C. One important approach to address the cost issue of fuel cells is to maximize the utilization of Pt by reducing its loading and enhancing the performance for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) as well as durability of catalysts. In this work, a one-step synthesis of highly dispersed low-Pt (1 1 1) electrocatalysts (p-Pt/KBs) supported by Ketjenblack is conducted using interaction between solution and nonthermal plasma (SNP). The results show that the plasma-treated platinum precursor dispersion efficiently avoids particle agglomeration and increases more defects of the support surface, which are conducive to the trapping and anchoring of platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs). The catalyst (p-Pt/KB-NaOH) with a platinum load of 10.8 wt% is obtained by adding sodium hydroxide to the platinum precursor dispersion solution, showing better ORR performance (E 1/2 = 0.88 V) and stability compared to the commercial platinum on carbon (Pt/C) catalyst (20 wt%, E 1/2 = 0.86 V). This improvement is attributed to the fact that neutralizing chloroplatinic acid slows down the reduction rate of the platinum precursor, effectively controlling the rapid nucleation and slow crystal growth of platinum. As the cathode catalyst for PEMFCs, p-Pt/KB-NaOH exhibits remarkable mass-transfer performance in the high-current density domain (HCD), with maximum power density (P max) of 1131 mW cm−2 at 2500 mA cm−2, which is 9.1 % higher than commercial Pt/C. Moreover, the single-cell operates stably for at least 100 h at 1000 mA cm−2 with a negligible decay (1.9 %) of the working voltage, ensuring long-term durability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Removal of toluene examines with honeycomb catalyst for industrial application. • Uniform corona plasma with a high flowrate with negligible pressure drop. • The surface resistance of dielectric monolith reduces by the water vapor coat. • Plasma strength largely depends on the humidity of the inlet gas. • Metal clusters on the honeycomb surface can act as floating grounds. Efficiently processing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with nonthermal plasma and honeycomb catalyst for practical industrial applications presents a sizable challenge. An attempt has been made to generate a large volume of uniform plasma at atmospheric pressure in a practical-scale honeycomb catalyst. H-ZSM-5, a type of zeolite, was washcoated on a commercial bare honeycomb monolith as the catalyst-supporting material, after which the monolith was impregnated with Pd. The plasma discharge power can be controlled by controlling the humidity in the feed gas, metal content, applied voltage, and total flow rate of the feed gas. The plasma was characterized by the voltage and current waveforms, and optical emission spectroscopy (OES). In this study, 85% of dilute toluene (15 ppm) was successfully removed from an airstream at a large flow rate of 60 L/min with an energy density of 84 J/L. Under this condition, the selectivity of CO 2 was 76%. This investigation demonstrated the practical applicability of the plasma-honeycomb catalytic reactor to process a fast-flowing feed gas without resulting in a significant large pressure drop, which can hardly be achieved with typical packed-bed plasma reactors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Degradation of four PFAS in (waste)water was investigated in a hybrid nonthermal plasma-ozonation cascade reactor. • The PFAS degradation efficiency increased in the order of PFBA (11 %) < PFHxA (32 %) < PFOA 80 %) < PFDA (90 %) after plasma-ozonation treatment. • The reactions occurring in the plasma chamber are responsible for PFAS degradation. • Reductive species (such as e aq − and Ar+) are mainly responsible for PFAS defluorination. • Without additional ozone dosing, the ozonation chamber enhances ozone utilization efficiency (55%) in the degradation of bulk organics. The widespread use of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the last century has caused serious pollution of water bodies around the world, threatening the health of humans and other organisms. In this work, a novel cascade reactor configuration, comprised of a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma chamber connected with an ozonation chamber was used to treat municipal secondary effluent loaded with several PFAS. The electrical energy per order (EE/O) for degradation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) amounts 180 and 100 kWh/m3, respectively. While the short-chain PFAS (perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)) were difficult to be degraded, i.e. degradation percentage < 32 % after 60 min, 80–90 % of the longer PFAS (PFOA and PFDA) were degraded within 60 min. The degradation of PFAS mainly occurred in the plasma chamber rather than in ozonation chamber. This is because that reductive species produced in plasma chamber, such as hydrated electrons (e aq −) and Ar+, played a direct role in defluorination, while oxidative species, including OH, O, O 2 −, 1O 2 , O 3 , and H 2 O 2 , has a very limited contribution for defluorination. Enhancing the utilization of reductive species is crucial to degrade PFAS. Perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCA) generated during the plasma reactions may have a potential risk for environment. As such, further optimization should focus on full mineralization. This study provides an approach to solve the problem of PFAS-contaminated wastewater, which is of the importance to promote the application of nonthermal plasma technique in water treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ammonia synthesis reaction is examined in a nonthermal plasma reactor. • Fe or Co oxides are loaded on boron-doped g-C 3 N 4 are examined as catalysts. • Among the tested catalysts, Co-BCN exhibited maximum production rate for ammonia. • Langmuir-Hinshelwood and Mars-van krevelen mechanisms co-exist to generate ammonia. We report nonthermal plasma-assisted catalytic ammonia synthesis from N 2 and H 2 molecules at near ambient conditions in a custom-built coaxial dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor. Here, we strategically designed catalysts to facilitate dissociation of strong nitrogen bond and desorption of NH 3 molecules. This work demonstrates the use of empty orbitals of boron doped in graphitic carbon nitride (BCN) to activate nitrogen molecules, by creating electron-deficient sites, under nonthermal plasma conditions. Transition metals (Co and Fe) further contribute to the ammonia generation by altering the amount of weak acid sites of the BCN catalyst. As a result, at 20.16 kJ L−1, the maximum ammonia synthesis rate of ∼ 2.48 m m o l g − 1 h − 1 was achieved by Co-BCN that corresponds to energy efficiency of 2.09 g-NH 3 kWh−1, which was ca. 2.89-folds higher than that of plasma only. Evidently, dual mechanisms at play, leading to enhanced ammonia synthesis rates. Our strategy of tailoring catalyst structure provides a roadmap for engineering synergy with nonthermal plasma towards targeted applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Si nanocrystals (NCs) are synthesizable in low-pressure plasmas with narrow diameter distributions because of unipolar negative charging in the plasma. However, NCs must pass into a spatial afterglow, where NCs may decharge and aggregate. We use both low-pressure differential mobility analysis and quantitative TEM image analysis to examine Si NCs sampled from a 2 Torr Ar-SiH 4 plasma reactor. We find that Si NCs are incorporated into aggregates largely composed of 20 and fewer primary particles with nearly equal concentrations of negatively and positively charged NCs. The projected areas of aggregates scale with aggregate volume in similar manner to the scaling observed for aggregates from atmospheric pressure systems. Higher aggregate concentration is observed with increasing flow rate, while larger aggregate size is found with increasing precursor concentration. Measurements show that the spatial afterglow has a significant influence on the charge and extent of NC aggregation. Unlabelled Image • The size structures of Si Nanocrstyals (NCs) are characterized from a plasma. • Characterization combines differential mobility analysis and TEM image analysis. • Influence of spatial afterglow on NC charge levels and aggregation is quantified. • Aggregate structure is similar aggregates from atmospheric pressure systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of multiple sublethal doses of non-thermal plasma treatments on fungal cells phenotypical changes and the reduction in phytopathogenicity of Fusarium oxysporum , Botrytis cinerea, and Alternaria alternata was examined. The intensity of these changes depended on the species of fungus and the number of exposures of the mycelia to the DBD plasma. Microscopic observations showed that the plasma damaged the surface of the hyphae, increased their thickness and decreased overall dry biomass of the organisms. A decrease in pectinolytic activity was found in F. oxysporum and A. alternata , in contrast to B. cinerea , where an increase in pectinolytic activity was observed after the fifth plasma treatment. Changes in specific xylanase activity varied and were dependent on the species of fungus. The percentage of cucumber seeds germinated artificially infected with mycelium after multiple plasma treatments increased compared to those that were mycelium infected prior to plasma exposure. Plants that developed from seeds after plasma exposure were characterized by a higher biomass and longer roots and stems. Multiple treatments of the studied fungi with plasma, followed by seed infection, increased the SWVI and SWVI indexes of cucumber seedlings, but they did not reach the characteristic value of the control seeds (not infected with fungi). The reduced phytopathogenicity of the tested fungi was confirmed by artificial infestation of tomato fruits. • Nonthermal plasma effectively destroys phytopathogenic fungi. • Multiple treatments of the mycelium with plasma cause a reduction in pathogenicity. • Phenotypic changes in fungal cells are the result of multiple exposures to plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Plasma actuator using magnetic fluid as an electrode. • Plasma actuator with electrode arrangement controllable by a magnetic field. • Ionic wind generation using different electrode configurations investigated. • Ozone generation with different electrode configurations investigated. • Efficient ionic wind generation. Plasma actuators are compact wind power generators without mechanical power mechanisms. Plasma actuators have been investigated and developed. In a previous study of the authors, a single dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma actuator using magnetic fluid (MF), termed "MF-DBD plasma actuator," was proposed for application to fanless air purification devices that can collect low-resistive particulate matter, such as diesel particulate, by electrostatic force without re-entrainment. The fundamental characteristics of the MF-DBD plasma actuator, such as ionic wind, temperature distribution, and ozone and ion concentrations, were investigated in the previous study. The advantage of an MF-DBD plasma actuator is that the position and shape of the MF electrode can be controlled using a magnetic field. In view of this advantage, in this study, ionic wind and ozone generation in a single MF-DBD plasma actuator with different electrode configurations is investigated for the future development of MF-DBD plasma actuators and their application in fanless air purification. In these experiments, the width of the insulated electrode and the distance between the exposed and insulated electrodes are varied. As a result, in the case of a constant applied voltage, the ionic wind velocity and ozone concentration depend only on the overlap between the magnetic fluid and the insulated electrode, and these values increase as the overlap increases. It is clarified that a large overlap between the MF and insulated electrodes can generate an efficient ionic wind in terms of wind velocity and energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Plasma partial oxidative reforming of the tar model compound was carried out. • A detailed kinetics model was established based on the calculated G-values of active species. • Performance was evaluated under pure N 2 and gasification gas atmospheres. • The highest toluene conversion was 100.0 % with an energy efficiency of 25.7 g/kWh, without catalysts usage. In this study, partial oxidation of toluene as a biomass tar surrogate was carried out in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor. In order to understand the reaction characteristics and thus potential of the approach, the effect of reaction temperature, O 2 /toluene molar ratio (OTR) and discharge power on performances was investigated by experiments and kinetic modeling. The results showed that the three factors could change the E/n and hence the G-values of species, as well as alter O 2 concentration in background gas and input energy, leading to the variation in active species production and thus, the performance. Appropriate high temperatures, as well as higher OTRs and discharge power obtained better performances by promoting toluene destruction and gas product production. Excited N 2 species play a crucial role in the process, by means of participating in reactions directly and strongly influencing on the production of secondary active species. At 300 °C, the highest toluene conversion of 100.0 % with an energy efficiency of 25.7 g/kWh was achieved without catalysts usage, a comparable performance as compared to the steam reforming by plasma catalysis, demonstrating the potential of this method for the purification of gasification gases. Furthermore, based on the rate of production (ROP) and sensitivity analyses of the model developed, as well as experimental results, the reaction mechanism was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonthermal plasma treatment has been proven effective in decontaminating microorganisms in various foods on a laboratory scale. Various techniques for creating plasma have been investigated extensively due to their potential application in multiple settings; one of these methods is dielectric barrier discharge. This article summarizes our current understanding of plasma physics, different methods for producing plasma, the resulting reactive species, and their role in microbial degradation. The effect of plasma treatment on the inactivation of microorganisms is discussed, along with the intrinsic and extrinsic factors involved. In addition, the use of dielectric barrier discharge plasma in microbial destruction in various foods, as well as the effect of the treatment on other relevant properties, is also addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PM low-temperature decomposition assisted by NTP technology has been tested. • The SOF proportion declined, and the DS proportion of PM increased. • New oxygen-containing functional groups (C O) were generated as intermediates. • High-carbon-atom-number components becamelow-carbon-atom-number components. • NTP can improve PM oxidizing activity and promote low-temperature combustion of PM. Nonthermal plasma (NTP) technology can oxidize and decompose diesel particulate matter (PM) under much lower temperatures (≤200 °C), showing promise for potential applications. A test bench for the treatment of diesel PM using an NTP injection system was constructed, and PM samples before and after NTP reaction were accumulated on filter papers. The apparent morphology, oxidative activity, surface functional groups, and soluble organic fractions (SOF) components of PM samples were investigated using modern techniques (i.e., SEM, TGA, FT-IR, and GC–MS). Results show that after NTP reactions, the amount of PM declined substantially and the surface stacking structure became relatively smooth; the proportion of SOF reduced and that of DS increased. Carbon atoms and functional groups on the edge or surface of the carbon layer were first oxidized by the NTP active substance (O 3 , O) to form CO or CO 2 , causing carbon atoms to fall off the original bond and new oxygen-containing functional groups to be generated as intermediates. After the NTP reaction, the oxidation characteristic temperatures decreased and high-carbon-atom-number components were transformed into low-carbon-atom-number components. Results reveal that NTP can improve PM oxidizing activity and promote low-temperature combustion of PM; PM decomposition can be regarded as a process of constantly removing carbon atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were loaded onto commercial filter paper using a simple "suspending-discharging-washing" process. Nanosecond pulse dielectric barrier discharge (NP-DBD) plasma was used to perform the in-situ reduction-loading process in a plate-to-plate DBD reactor during the five-minute fabrication process. Gaseous ethanol was used as the reducing agent under an argon gas plasma treatment. There was no thermal treatment, which prefers the formation of small nanoparticles. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the synthesized AgNPs were well-dispersed over the surface of the filter paper. The synthesized nanoparticles were hemispherical and crystalline. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that the cellulose skeletons had been mostly maintained after the plasma discharge. The catalytic activity of the AgNPs paper was evaluated by the reduction reaction of methylene blue (MB) with sodium borohydride (NaBH 4) using a straightforward filtration process. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • No toxic chemical reagents or thermal treatment are used. • Commercial filter paper is used as the support and no more treatments on the filter paper is necessary. • The fabrication is realized by a simple "suspending-discharging-washing" process. • The use of filter paper allows the liquid-phase reaction to be catalyzed through a straightforward filtering process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • More reactive species can be generated from the sliding DBD than surface DBD. • Ag doping on Mn catalyst enhanced the content of surface-adsorbed oxygen. • Coupling of sliding DBD with Ag-Mn mixed catalysts improved plasma oxidation of VOC. • Ag-Mn oxide with Ag/Mn molar ratio of 1:2 presented the best catalytic activity. • Undesired byproducts were substantially reduced by using Ag-Mn mixed catalysts. Abstract Plasma-assisted catalytic degradation of xylene was performed in a pulsed sliding dielectric barrier discharge (SLDBD) reactor based on three-electrode geometry over Ag-Mn bimetallic oxides catalysts at room temperature. Experimental results showed that more active species were distributed uniformly in the SLDBD plasma than traditional surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD), contributing to higher degradation and energy performance. The xylene degradation efficiency and energy yield in the SLDBD reactor driven by both + pulse (+ 18 kV) and –DC (–10 kV) were 40% and 2.3 g/kWh higher, respectively, than in the SDBD reactor energized by +pulse alone. The combination of SLDBD plasma with catalysts significantly improved the xylene degradation efficiency and CO 2 selectivity than the plasma-only system. The incorporation of Ag into Mn oxide further enhanced its catalytic activity for xylene degradation, and the catalytic activity of Ag-Mn oxides was closely correlated with the Ag/Mn molar ratio. Ag-Mn/γ-Al 2 O 3 (1:2) presented the best performance in plasma-catalysis process, with 91.5% of degradation efficiency and 80.1% of CO 2 selectivity at 4.6 W. The higher proportion of surface O ads and better reducibility through the interaction between Ag and Mn species can explain the excellent reactivity of Ag-Mn/γ-Al 2 O 3 (1:2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this study, a rotating nonthermal plasma (NTP) reactor was designed and its practical use for the inactivation of microorganisms on dried granular agricultural products such as black pepper was investigated. As the target microorganism to inactivate in the rotating NTP reactor, Aspergillus spores were artificially inoculated on whole black peppers. Inactivation treatments were carried out under several conditions. Rotating the NTP reactor facilitated the inactivation of the Aspergillus spores on the whole black peppers, and a decrease in the survival ratio of three orders (3 Log) was achieved after 4 min treatment. Using humidified gases for inactivation treatment in the rotating NTP reactor also facilitated the inactivation of the Aspergillus spores on the whole black peppers, and no viable spores of Aspergillus sp. were detected after 4 min treatment. The quality of the NTP- and dry-heat-treated whole black peppers was compared with that of untreated peppers in terms of the piperine content and antioxidative activity. The piperine contents of the NTP- and dry-heat-treated black peppers showed no significant difference, but the antioxidative activity in the NTP-treated peppers was higher than that in the dry-heat-treated peppers. Highlights • A rotating non-thermal plasma (NTP) reactor was constructed and applied to the inactivation of Aspergillus sp. spores. • Rotating the NTP treatment reactor improved the inactivation efficiency of Aspergillus sp. spores. • The NTP treatment using humidified gases also enhanced the inactivation of Aspergillus sp. spores. • The antioxidative activity in NTP-treated whole black peppers remained relatively unaffected by the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Gallium nitride (GaN) nanoparticles are synthesized by the gallium particle trapping effect in a N 2 nonthermal plasma with metallic Ga vapor. A proposed method has an advantage of synthesized GaN nanoparticle purity because the gallium vapor from the inductively heated tungsten boat does not contain any impurity source. The synthesized particle size can be controlled by the amount of Ga vapor, which is adjusted using the plasma emission ratio of nitrogen to gallium, owing to the particle trapping effect. The synthesized nanoparticles are investigated by electron microscopy studies. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) studies confirm that the synthesized GaN nanoparticles (10–40 nm) crystallize in a single-phase wurtzite structure. Room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurements indicate the band-edge emission of GaN at around 378 nm without yellow emission, which implies that the synthesized GaN nanoparticles have high crystallinity. Highlights • We synthesize the gallium nitride(GaN) nanoparticle with nitrogen nonthermal plsma and metallic gallium(Ga) vapor using Ga particle trapping method. • Metallic Ga vapor could be controlled using temperature of Ga heating boat and Ga emission from the plasma. • GaN nanoparticle are formed on Ga particle surface during particle trapping in dark sheath. • According to electron microscopy studies, the synthesized nanoparticles are crystallized as single-phase wurtzite structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A low power plasma reactor assisting with mullite supported perovskite catalysts for six volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were carried out. Mn-series catalysts demonstrate the highest activity. The effectiveness of plasma enhancing for the catalysis is obviously, particularly at low reaction temperature range. The intermediates for decomposition of isooctane and toluene reactions in the plasma reactor were analyzed. Their energy constants and kinetic parameters were obtained by kinetic study. The semi-empirical model of the conversion of VOCs for plasma-enhanced catalysis was developed. The results demonstrate that the semi-empirical model accurately predicted the conversion–temperature curves in plasma-enhanced catalysis of VOCs. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Develop corona-enhanced catalytic technique using mullite supported catalysts. • The mullite supported catalysts has high activity for various organic exhausts. • Establish an accurate theoretical model to fit the corona-enhanced catalysis. • The results benefit to deal with organic exhaust from high variation operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formaldehyde as one of the typical indoor pollutants has long been concerned as it can pose a threat to human health. TiO 2 /CNTs composite with oxygen vacancies and multitype carbon doping (C–TiO 2 /CNTs) was fabricated using nonthermal plasma for the photocatalytic degradation of formaldehyde. The maximum degradation rate of formaldehyde was 93% and 83% via the new catalyst (with 5% CNTs content) under solar and visible light, respectively. The characterization of the catalyst confirmed the in-situ multitype carbon doping and oxygen vacancies: interstitial carbon doping and oxygen vacancies could dramatically reduce the bandgap and contribute to the improved absorption capability of formaldehyde and electrons. Interfacial carbon doping in the form of C– O –Ti bonds provided a migration channel, whereby photogenerated electrons could efficiently transfer from CNTs to TiO 2 and then quench the holes left in the VB of TiO 2. Therefore, the multitype carbon doping and oxygen vacancies can expand the light response as well as promote the separation of photo-generated electron/hole pairs. EPR results and experiment section indicated that O 2 · − plays the most significant role in formaldehyde removal due to the reverse transfer of the electrons. This work advances the understanding of photo-degradation of TiO 2 /CNTs composite and provides a new route for the abatement of formaldehyde. [Display omitted] • Ar nonthermal plasma was employed for CNTs/TiO 2 synthesis for the first time. • C–O–Ti bonds were detected at the interface as well as surface. • Multi-carbon doping and oxygen vacancies reversed the electrons' transfer direction. • A new mechanism of the enhanced photoactivity of C–TiO 2 /CNTs was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalyst poisoning problems limit the application of gas-solid non-thermal plasma (NTP) catalyzed decomposition of chlorinated volatile organic compounds (Cl–VOCs). To mitigate the catalyst deactivation, catalyst iron-loaded activated carbon (Fe–C) was added to the UV-activated liquid phase downstream of the NTP reactor (NTP + UV/Fe–C(L)) for the degradation of chlorobenzene (CB) in this study. The CB removal efficiency and mineralization efficiency (MR) of NTP + UV/Fe–C(L) were up to 94% and 68%, respectively, which were increased by 39% and 30% compared with the single NTP system. Compared with the conventional gas-solid NTP + UV/Fe–C(S) system, the stability of the NTP + UV/Fe–C(L) system was significantly improved due to the dissolved organic intermediates and low residuals on the catalyst surface. Reactive oxygen species ·OH and ·O 2 − dominated the decomposition of CB in the liquid phase, and with the help of UV, much more ·OH and ·O 2 − were produced by Fe–C catalytic O 3. In addition, Fe–C improved the removal of CB by increasing its absorption mass transfer coefficient from 0.0016 to 0.0157 s−1. The degradation pathway of CB in the NTP + UV/Fe–C(L) system was proposed based on the detected organic intermediates. Overall, this study provides a new tactic to solve the catalyst poisoning problem in the NTP catalytic oxidation of Cl–VOCs. [Display omitted] • NTP-coupled liquid UV/Fe–C systems removed CB with up to 94.8% efficiency. • Fe–C increases the CB mass transfer coefficient by 9.8 times in the NTP + UV/Fe–C(L) system. • The solution prevented organic intermediates accumulation on catalysts surface. • UV activated O 3 produced more ·OH in solution for CB oxidation. • Organic intermediates outlet of coupled systems were much less than that of NTP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes the plasma degradation process of toluene in the sliding dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor based on three-electrode configuration energized by +pulse, −pulse, and ±pulse, respectively. The overall aim of this investigation is to explore the streamer propagation characteristic, spatial distribution of reactive species, and VOC degradation performance of the sliding DBD plasma under different pulsed energization conditions. The experimental result shows that the sliding DBD plasma can be ignited when the discharge electrode (electrode #1) and counter electrode (electrode #3) are energized by ±pulse (or +pulse) and −DC, respectively, while the electrode #2 is grounded. However, the sliding DBD phenomenon cannot be observed when the two air-exposed electrodes are driven by −pulse and +DC, respectively, which can be explained on the basis of different evolution mechanisms of positive and negative streamers. Optical analysis results indicate that bipolar pulse is beneficial to the ignition of DBD plasma, which can generate more reactive species compared with unipolar pulse. The toluene degradation efficiency and energy yield increase in the sequence −pulse < +pulse < ±pulse in the three-electrode DBD reactor. It is worth noting that remarkable improvements in toluene degradation efficiency, energy yield, and CO 2 selectivity can be observed for positive pulsed discharge when a three-electrode DBD reactor is employed instead of a two-electrode one, which can be attributed to the increased amount of reactive species within the entire inter-electrode distance due to sliding DBD effect. The postdischarge gas was monitored by FT-IR analysis, the main decomposition products including CO, CO 2 , H 2 O, HCOOH and discharge products such as O 3 , N 2 O, and HNO 3 can be identified regardless of the pulsed power and discharge reactor used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonthermal plasma-assisted reactions at ambient temperature hold promise for applications in upcycling of polymer wastes. Transient studies showed that the H 2 response led that of D 2 , indicating that C H breaking occurred earlier than D-OD bond breaking in D 2 O-rubber and D 2 O-CO 2 -rubber reactions. The CH 4 response led that of C 2 H 6 , indicating that Ni-based catalyst is highly favorable for catalyzing the formation of CH 4. CO 2 plasma produced oxygen which could oxidize part of CH 4 and C 2 H 6 from rubber. This study demonstrated that the transient kinetic (response) method, for the first time, is effective in producing data for elucidating mechanisms of nonthermal plasma-assisted catalysis. [Display omitted] • Nonthermal plasma assisted the D 2 O-CO 2 -rubber reaction on nickel catalyst at 25 °C. • C H scission in rubber took place prior to D-OD bond breaking. • H 2 , HD, CO, CH 4 , C 2 H 4 , and C 2 H 6.are the main products. • The evolution of products occurred on a time scale of second. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel and green method combining plasma with peracetic acid (plasma/PAA) was developed to simultaneously remove antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in wastewater, which achieves significant synergistic effects in the removal efficiencies and energy yield. At a plasma current of 2.6 A and PAA dosage of 10 mg/L, the removal efficiencies of most detected antibiotics in real wastewater exceeded 90 % in 2 min, with the ARG removal efficiencies ranging from 6.3 % to 75.2 %. The synergistic effects of plasma and PAA could be associated with the motivated production of reactive species (including •OH, •CH 3 , 1O 2 , ONOO-, •O 2 - and NO•), which decomposed antibiotics, killed host bacteria, and inhibited ARG conjugative transfer. In addition, plasma/PAA also changed the contributions and abundances of ARG host bacteria and downregulated the corresponding genes of two-component regulatory systems, thus reducing ARG propagation. Moreover, the weak correlations between the removal of antibiotics and ARGs highlights the commendable performance of plasma/PAA in the simultaneous removal of antibiotics and ARGs. Therefore, this study affords an innovative and effective avenue to remove antibiotics and ARGs, which relies on the synergistic mechanisms of plasma and PAA and the simultaneous removal mechanisms of antibiotics and ARGs in wastewater. [Display omitted] • Plasma and PAA synergically removed antibiotics and ARGs and saved energy. • Plasma/PAA increased reactive species and inhibited ARG conjugative transfer. • Plasma/PAA changed contributions and abundances of ARG host bacteria. • Plasma/PAA inhibited ARG-related gene expression and reduced ARG propagation. • Plasma/PAA effectively removed antibiotics and ARGs simultaneously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Nonthermal plasma treatment transforms phosphonate to Ortho-P in real textile and synthetic by up to 79% and 93%. • Subsequent iron-coated sand (ICS) granules adsorption to recover phosphorus. • Lava rock packing increases O 3 and free radicals exposure during oxidative treatment. • Plasma carrier gas composition affects Ortho-P production as O 2 > Ar > N 2 > air. • Up to 53% and 85% Ortho-P recovery from real textile and synthetic wastewater. Phosphonate contamination of water resources has drawn much attention. Advanced oxidation combined with phosphorus recovery is considered as a promising solution, but the development of a cost-efficient process remains challenging. This work demonstrates an effective two-step process including a plasma-based oxidation of phosphonate, followed by phosphate adsorption on granular iron-coated sand (ICS). In the first step, a tandem reactor configuration, which consists of a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma chamber and an ozonation chamber, was used to transform 1-hydroxyethane-1,1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP) to Ortho-phosphate (Ortho-P). When lava rock was added as a packing material in the ozonation chamber, the Ortho-P production was enhanced by 10–35%, due to an increased exposure of reactive species (O 3 ,OH and O 2 •-) by 120%, 20% and 30%, respectively. The use of O 2 as carrier gas in the plasma reactor resulted in the highest Ortho-P production efficiency (86%), followed by Ar (48%), N 2 (21%) and air (13%). Humic acids present in the wastewater can compete with phosphonates for reactive species, decreasing the Ortho-P production efficiency by 30%. In the second step, ICS granules were used to adsorb the produced Ortho-P. The final recovery efficiency of Ortho-P from synthetic and real textile wastewater was 85% and 53%, respectively. The treatment performance of this novel two-step process is better compared to that of ozone-based AOPs, while the associated operational treatment costs are still somewhat higher. This indicates that optimizing energy consumption is still the biggest challenge for further industrial applications of nonthermal plasma-based AOPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The fluidized-bed DBD plasma reactor has been employed for the continuous treatment of contaminated soil. • The ATZ degradation efficiency and energy efficiency achieved 91.2% and 0.342 mg/kJ within 6 min. • The possible pathways of ATZ degradation in the fluidized-bed DBD plasma were proposed. • The toxicity evaluation of ATZ decomposition intermediates was evaluated. In this study, an innovative approach combining dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma and fluidized-bed techniques is proposed and employed to remediate atrazine (ATZ) contaminated soil. Compared with traditional fixed-bed plasma soil remediation system, the fluidized-bed DBD plasma soil remediation system ensures sufficient and uniform contact between the chemically reactive species and the fluidized soil particles, thereby improving the migration and infiltration of reactive species in the soil layer and achieving high-efficiency remediation of contaminated soil. The optimum removal efficiency of 91.2% and energy efficiency of 0.342 mg/kJ were achieved, respectively, after only 6 min fluidized-bed DBD plasma treatment, which were 35.5% and 38.9% higher than those in a fixed-bed DBD plasma system. The primary organic intermediates after fluidized-bed DBD plasma treatment were identified, and the toxicological evaluation of intermediates was performed. Additionally, possible degradation pathways of ATZ in the fluidized-bed DBD plasma reactor were proposed. This system may offer an ideal approach to facilitate mass transfer between chemically reactive species and contaminants on the surface of soil particles, which is expected to achieve efficient, rapid, and continuous treatment of actual contaminated soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A reactor combining plasma treatment with ozonation was used to remove micropollutants (µPs). • A response surface methodology model (RSM) was applied to optimize the removal efficiency and energy consumption. • The energy consumption of µPs treatment is in range of 2.4 - 5.3 kW/m³. • Reactive oxygen species (ROS) including H 2 O 2 , O 3 , · OH , · O 2 − and 1O 2 were detected. Emerging micropollutants (µPs) appearing in water bodies endanger aquatic animals, plants, microorganisms and humans. The nonthermal plasma-based advanced oxidation process is a promising technology for eliminating µPs in wastewater but still needs further development in view of full-scale industrial application. A novel cascade reactor design which consists of an ozonation chamber preceding a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor with a falling water film on an activated carbon textile (Zorflex®) was used to remove a selection of µPs from secondary municipal wastewater effluent. Compare to previous plasma reactor, molecular oxidants degraded micropollutants again in an ozonation chamber in this study, and the utilization of different reactive oxygen species (ROS) was improved. A gas flow rate of 0.4 standard liter per minute (SLM), a water flow rate of 100 mL min−1, and a discharge power of 25 W are identified as the optimal plasma reactor parameters, and the µP degradation efficiency and electrical energy per order value (EE/O) are 84–98% and 2.4–5.3 kW/m³, respectively. The presence of ROS during plasma treatment was determined in view of the µPs removal mechanisms. The degradation of diuron (DIU), bisphenol A (BPA) and 2-n-octyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (OIT) was mainly performed in ozonation chamber, while the degradation of atrazine (ATZ), alachlor (ALA) and primidone (PRD) occurred in entire cascade system. The ROS not only degrade the µPs, but also remove nitrite (90.5%), nitrate (69.6%), ammonium (39.6%) and bulk organics (11.4%). This study provides insights and optimal settings for an energy-efficient removal of µPs from secondary effluent using both free radicals and molecular oxidants generated by the plasma in view of full-scale application. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the removal of air pollutants containing nanoparticles with a wet-type plasma reactor that generates a gas-liquid interfacial nonthermal plasma. To evaluate the performance of this reactor, we prepare a simulated exhaust gas using polystyrene latex particles, as well as gas cylinders of synthesized air and mixed gas of nitric oxide (NO) and sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ). We achieve a partial collection efficiency of more than 99% for nanoparticles. Moreover, we obtain removal efficiencies exceeding 99% and 81% for SO 2 and NO x , respectively. We confirm that the proposed reactor is useful for the simultaneous removal of nanoparticles, NO x , and SO x . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The microwave and the laser-induced plasma interaction were analyzed using an alumina target. • Delayed microwave-plasma interaction slowed down the plasma expansion. • At maximum absorbed power, the microwave enlarged the plasma. • The microwave also enhanced the emission of the laser-induced plasma. • The microwave did not influence the ablation crater generated by laser ablation. In laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), when the target material is radioactive, the total amount of ablated materials presents a challenge. High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters prevent the release of the fumes of radioactive materials into the atmosphere. Microwave enhances LIBS without increasing the number of laser shots, potentially reducing the production of fumes. In this study, we analyzed the interaction of microwaves with an alumina target surface during laser ablation. Time-series images of the plasma evolution on the surface of an alumina target were captured. Moreover, the ablation crater characteristics and temporal temperature profiles were measured to evaluate the non-equilibrium plasma characteristics of the microwave-enhanced laser-induced plasma. The results show no direct correlations of the ablation crater depth and volume with the microwaves, and the number of laser shots primarily influences the volume of the crater. The absorption of microwaves by the plasma took 100 µs after the laser shot, suggesting that microwaves did not contribute to the ablation process. Although laser ablation was not influenced by the microwave input, it is the primary cause of the volume expansion of the plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • PtM/p-GO requires an overpotential of only 130 mV to reach 1000 mA cm−2. • PtM/p-GO can stably work at 1400 mA cm−2 for 24 h without performance degradation. • PtM/p-GO with a Pt loading of 1.89 wt% outperforms commercial 20 wt% Pt/C. • Nonthermal plasma provides a fast and environmental-friendly means for synthesis. • DFT reveals the working mechanism of PtM/p-GO at low and high currents. "Green hydrogen" is the production of hydrogen through the electrolysis of water with renewable energy, which is an ideal form of hydrogen energy generation with zero carbon emissions. Platinum (Pt)-based catalysts have the highest catalytic efficiencies, but their application is limited by the high price and low reserves of Pt. Therefore, developing high-performance catalysts with low platinum loadings is a desirable way to reduce the cost of hydrogen production. Single atom platinum can achieve 100 % atomic utilization, but does not perform well at high current density. Here, we synthesized a catalyst composed of platinum single atoms and nanoparticles by nonthermal plasma technique. The catalyst exhibits an overpotential of 18, 89 and 130 mV at a current density of 10, 300 and 1000 mA cm−2, respectively. This performance far exceeds that of the commercial 20 wt% Pt/C and the loading is only one tenth (1.89 wt%). Nonthermal plasma technique offers an effective means to promote the synthesis of high-current hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts with low costs and the development of their industrialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of nonthermal plasma in the clinic has gained recent interest, as the need for alternative or supplementary strategies are necessary for preventing multi-drug resistant infections. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of a novel plasma reactor based on a high current version of sliding discharge and operated by nanosecond voltage pulses without an applied gas flow. This modification is advantageous for both portability and convenience. Bacterial inactivation was determined within a chamber by direct quantification of colony Jing units. Plasma exposure significantly inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis following a 1-min application ( p < 0.001). S. epidermidis was more susceptible to the plasma after a 5-min exposure compared to E. coli . Temperature and pH measurements taken immediately before and after plasma exposure determined neither heat nor pH changes play a role in bacterial inactivation. Because of the notable effect on S. epidermidis , the effect of plasma exposure on several isolates and strains of the related opportunistic pathogen Staphylococcus aureus was quantified. While S. aureus isolates and strains were efficiently inactivated on an agar surface, subsequent testing on other clinically relevant surfaces demonstrated that the inactivation level, although significant, was reduced. This reduction appeared to depend on both the surface texture and the surface moisture content. These findings suggest this novel plasma source lacking an applied gas flow has potential application for surface bacterial decontamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasma-catalysis is a highly promising renewable-energy-based solution for decarbonization of industrial and environmental catalysis. However, urgent insights how to develop plasma-specific catalysts and synergize with the unique plasma effects are vitally needed for CO 2 /CH 4 utilization. Herein we provide guiding principles for catalysts design enabling discriminative production of liquid oxygenates. Comprehensive tests revealed that metallic Co was critical to enhance the CH 3 COOH generation, while oxygen vacancies (O v) contributed to the formation of CH 3 OH. The gaseous and interfacial simulations verified the strong chemisorption of CO 2 and key O-containing radicals (O, OH, COOH) on O v , thereby shifting the reaction from high-barrier surface to the gas phase via the barrierless Eley-Rideal mechanism. The specifically O v -assisted pathways for R-COOH/R-OH generation over the custom-designed Co-MgAlO-O v multiphase structures are proposed. This study confirms that the microstructure design can modulate the radical adsorption and kinetic factors of the plasma-induced interfacial catalysis leading towards the plasma-electrified energy conversion. [Display omitted] • Plasma-enabled CO 2 /CH 4 conversion using custom-designed Co-based catalysts. • Basic sites, metallic Co, and oxygen vacancies O v synergistically increase CO 2 /CH 4 conversion. • Multiphase Co-MgAlO-O v structure greatly improved the oxygenates selectivity. • Co is critical to CH 3 COOH formation, while O v controls CH 3 OH generation. • New O v -assisted reaction pathways are proposed for synergistic plasma-catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Atmospheric nonthermal plasma modifies the starch without destroying birefringence. • Helium plasma has more impact on flow behavior of gelatinized starch than argon. • Plasma cleavages starch molecules causing higher amylose and reducing sugar content. Starch modification utilizes a substantial amount of water. This research aimed to investigate the effect of nonthermal dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) argon and helium plasma on tapioca starch's physicochemical properties and techno-functionality. Dry starch samples were treated with plasma generated from argon and helium gases at different voltage levels (10 and 15 kV) for 5, 10, and 15 min. The treatment did not destroy the starch's crystalline structure, as evidenced by the birefringence under polarized light. Scanning electron micrographs showed dented starch granules. A marginal decrease in pH value of all treated samples was noted. A reduction in amylose and amylopectin molecular weight and increased reducing sugars were observed in the treated samples. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis showed a slight change in the 1047/1022 cm−1 absorbance ratio, indicating a change in short-range ordered degree of starch, while X-ray diffractometry showed a decrease in crystallinity. A significant reduction in peak viscosity, breakdown, and setback was observed. The gelatinized plasma-treated starch dispersion showed less shear-thinning and less thixotropic with increasing voltage and treatment times. This research proved that modification of starch in the solid-state using nonthermal plasma is feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A plasma-based Ozone Generator has been constructed using non-thermal plasma technology and taking oxygen as a precursor. Ozone has generated by the electric discharge of molecular oxygen. Optimum conditions of ozone production were tested by varying applied voltage (1kV–16kV) and plasma discharge time (3–40min) keeping a constant flow rate of 2 l/min. The maximum obtained gaseous ozone concentration was 490 ppb in 15sec at a maximum applied voltage of 16 kV. Ozone has been treated with 0.00003 M indigo dye solution to measure dissolved ozone amount, analyzed by UV–Visible spectroscopy, and has calculated maximum dissolved ozone concentration of 51.74 ppm at 16 kV for a maximum time of 40min. Bandgap energy has also been analyzed for all ozone-treated indigo samples. Sewage, Canal, and Tap water have been treated with ozone for time 5min–60min at 16 kV. Water purification has been analyzed by UV–Visible spectroscopy, Optical microscopy, and digital TDS meter. After ozonation, total dissolved solids for sewage water have reduced from 462 ppm to 282 ppm. This value was reduced from 355 ppm to 212 ppm for tap water. • Simple design portable and very economical. • Feeding gas air, no additional consumables are required. • Quantifiable production of Ozone. • Equally useful for water and air purification, microbial inactivation, food preservation, and textile waste degradation. • To the best of our knowledge, first time finding of the Energy-gap value of Ozone treated indigo dye solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Catalytic activity of defective TiO 2 -exposed {0 0 1} facets was higher than TiO 2 P25. • Synergistic factor significantly increased with increasing TiO 2-x dosage. • The contribution of 1O 2 was the most significant in NOR degradation. • NOR degradation achieved by ring opening, defluorination and mineralization. • The GA-ANN model had high accuracy in predicting the NOR degradation efficiency. The wide band gap of titanium dioxide (TiO 2) photocatalyst leads to its narrow optical response, which seriously affects the application of TiO 2. In order to enhance its catalytic efficiency, defective TiO 2 -exposed {0 0 1} facets (TiO 2-x) was prepared and applied to pollutants degradation by combing with the dielectric barrier discharge nonthermal plasma (DBD-NTP), so as to use the ultraviolet light and other active species produced by DBD-NTP. Taking aqueous norfloxacin (NOR) as a model pollutant, the degradation performance of NOR by DBD-NTP and TiO 2-x was evaluated, the synergistic catalytic mechanism and degradation pathways of NOR based on heterogeneous catalysis were proposed. An artificial neural network model based on genetic algorithm optimization (GA-ANN) was constructed to predict the NOR degradation efficiency. The characteristics of TiO 2-x were characterized, and the effects of influencing factors on the NOR degradation efficiency were investigated. The results showed a significant synergistic catalytic effect in NOR degradation by DBD-NTP combined with TiO 2-x. The synergistic catalytic effect substantially increased with increasing TiO 2-x dosage, and the synergistic factor increased by 3.3 times. The reactive agents 1O 2 , OH, O 2 −, h+ and e− played an essential role in NOR degradation, with the contribution of 1O 2 being the most significant. TiO 2-x had good catalytic stability. The degradation pathways of NOR mainly included breakage of the piperazine ring and quinoline ring, decarboxylation, benzene ring defluorination and mineralization. The established GA-ANN model showed high accuracy (mean square error = 0.0016, correlation coefficient = 0.9956) and could be used to predict the degradation efficiency of aqueous NOR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Removal of micropollutants from reverse osmosis (RO) brines of wastewater desalination by oxidation processes is influenced by the scavenging capacity of brines components, resulting in the accumulation of transformation products (TPs) rather than complete mineralization. In this work the iodinated contrast media diatrizoate (DTZ) was used as model compound due to its relative resistance to oxidation. Identification of TPs was performed in ultrapure water (UPW) and RO brines applying nonthermal plasma (NTP) and UVA-TiO 2 as oxidation techniques. The influence of main RO brines components in the formation and accumulation of TPs, such as chloride, bicarbonate alkalinity and humic acid, was also studied during UVA-TiO 2 . DTZ oxidation pattern in UPW resulted similar in both UVA-TiO 2 and NTP achieving 66 and 61% transformation, respectively. However, DTZ transformation in RO brines was markedly lower in UVA-TiO 2 (9%) than in NTP (27%). These differences can be attributed to the synergic effect of RO brines components during NTP. Moreover, reactive species other than hydroxyl radical contributed to DTZ transformation, i.e., direct photolysis in UVA-TiO 2 and direct photolysis + O 3 in NTP accounted for 16 and 23%, respectively. DTZ transformation led to iodide formation in both oxidation techniques but it further oxidized to iodate by ozone in NTP. In total 14 transformation products were identified in UPW of which 3 were present only in UVA-TiO 2 and 2 were present exclusively in NTP; 5 of the 14 TPs were absent in RO brines. Five of them were new and were denoted as TP-474A/B, TP-522, TP-586, TP-602, TP-628. TP-522 (mono-chlorinated) was elucidated only in presence of high chloride titer-synthetic water matrix in NTP, most probably formed by active chlorine species generated in situ. TPs accumulation in RO brines was markedly different in comparison to UPW. This denotes the influence of RO brines components in the formation of reactive species that could further attack DTZ/TPs and/or scavenging performed by these brine components that could limit further TPs degradation. Five plausible degradation pathways are proposed for DTZ transformation in UPW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Removal of dilute N 2 O from gas streams by a cyclic adsorption–decomposition using Ca13X (Ca 2+ exchanged 13X) in combination with N 2 nonthermal plasma was studied in this work. Zeolite 13X was found to be the best for N 2 O uptake among tested commercial zeolites including 4A, H-β and 13X. By modifying 13X with Ca 2+ cation using ion-exchange method, the N 2 O adsorption capacity was greatly enhanced from ca. 3.5 × 10 −6 to 80 × 10 −6 mol g zeolite - 1 due to the stronger interaction of N 2 O with Ca 2+ cation than that with Na + cation. Ca. 96% of N 2 O removal efficiency at a SIE eq (equivalent specific input energy) of 1116 J L −1 was obtained under the cyclic operation of 60-min N 2 O adsorption (initial concentration: 510 ppm, gas flow rate: 0.5 L min −1 ) over Ca13X followed by 20-min plasma decomposition of adsorbed N 2 O in stationary N 2 atmosphere. In comparison, a similar performance was reached at a relatively high SIE of 1700 J L −1 as the reactor was operated under continuous plasma condition. The time period of plasma step and therefore the energy consumption could be reduced by properly circulating N 2 gas in the reactor. Also, SIE eq was found to decrease with increasing the adsorption time, whereby ca. 95% of N 2 O removal efficiency could be achieved at a SIE eq of 298 J L −1 as the adsorption time was 180 min. The regeneration of N 2 O-adsorbed Ca13X by N 2 plasma was initiated by plasma-induced desorption of adsorbed N 2 O followed by decomposing the desorbed N 2 O in plasma gas phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the recent stringent regulations governing diesel NO x emission, an aftertreatment system for the reduction of NO x in the exhaust gas has been proposed and studied. The proposed system is a hybrid method combining nonthermal plasma and NO x adsorbent. The system does not require precious metal catalysts or harmful chemicals such as urea and ammonia. In the present system, NO x in diesel emission is treated by adsorption and desorption by adsorbent as well as nonthermal plasma reduction. In addition, the remaining NO x in the adsorbent is desorbed again in the supplied air by residual heat. The desorbed NO x in air recirculates into the intake of the engine, and this process, i.e., exhaust gas components’ recirculation (EGCR) achieves NO x reduction. Alternate utilization of two adsorption chambers in the system can achieve high-efficiency NO x removal continuously. An experiment with a stationary diesel engine for electric power generation demonstrates an energy efficiency of 154 g(NO 2 )/kWh for NO x removal and continuous NO x reduction of 70.3%. Considering the regulation against diesel emission in Japan, i.e., the new regulation to be imposed on vehicles of 3.5–7.5 ton since 2016, the present aftertreatment system fulfills the requirement with only 1.0% of engine power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By definition, the nonthermal plasma (NTP) is partially ionized gas where the energy is stored mostly in the free electrons and the overall temperature remains low. NTP is widely used for many years in various applications such as low-temperature plasma chemistry, removal of gaseous pollutants, in gas-discharge lamps or surface modification. However, during the last ten years, NTP usage expanded to new biological areas of application like plasma microorganisms' inactivation, ready-to-eat food preparation, biofilm degradation or in healthcare, where it seems to be important for the treatment of cancer cells and in the initiation of apoptosis, prion inactivation, prevention of nosocomial infections or in the therapy of infected wounds. These areas are presented and documented in this paper as a review of representative publications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]