The Effect of Oxygen Admixture with Argon Discharges on the Impact Parameters of Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet Characteristics

Dry argon (Ar) discharge and wet oxygen/argon (O-2/Ar) admixture discharge for alternating current atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs) were studied for Ar discharges with flow rates ranging from 0.2 to 4 slm and for O-2/Ar discharges with different O-2 ratios and flow rates ranging from 2.5 to 15 mslm. The voltage-current waveform signals of APPJ discharge, gas flow rate, photo-imaging of the plasma jet length and width, discharge plasma power, axial temperature distribution, optical emission spectra, and irradiance were investigated. Different behavior for varying oxygen content in the admixture discharge was observed. The temperature recognizably decreased, axially, far away from the nozzle of the jet as the flow rate of dry argon decreased. Similar behavior was observed for wet argon but with a lower temperature than for dry argon. The optical emission spectra and the dose rate of irradiance of a plasma jet discharge were investigated as a function of plasma jet length, for dry and wet Ar discharges, to determine the data compatible with the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) data for irradiance exposure limits of the skin, which are suitable for the disinfection of microbes on the skin without harmful effects, equivalent to 30 mu J/mm(2).

Automated summary

Different behavior was observed for dry argon and wet argon discharges with varying oxygen content. As the flow rate of dry argon decreased, the temperature noticeably decreased along the axis, while wet argon exhibited lower temperature compared to dry argon. The study also investigated optical emission spectra and irradiance dose rate for plasma jet discharges, aiming to meet ICNIRP exposure limits for skin disinfection without harmful effects.