• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.191-198
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential use of a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma system to improve microbial safety of sliced cheese. The atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) effect on visual appearance and a sensory evaluation were also carried out. The number of Escherichia coli inoculated on cheese slices decreased by 0.09, 0.47, 1.16 and 1.47 log cycles with helium (4 liters/min [lpm]) and 0.05, 0.87, 1.89 and 1.98 log cycles with He/$O_2$ mixture (4 lpm/15 standard cubic centimeters per minute), after being treated with plasma for 1, 5, 10, and 15 min, respectively. Significant reductions were also observed in Staphylococcus aureus inoculated onto cheese slices ranging from 0.05 to 0.45 log cycles with He and from 0.08 to 0.91 log cycles with He/$O_2$-treated samples, respectively. Adding oxygen resulted in a significant increase in inactivation of both pathogens. No visible change in the plasma-treated cheese slices was observed even though the instrumental analysis showed a significant decrease in the $L^*$-value and an increase in the $b^*$-value. The cheese slices were damaged after 10 and 15 min of plasma treatment. In addition, significant reductions in sensory quality including flavor, odor, and acceptability of plasma-treated cheese slices were observed. The results indicate that the DBD plasma system has potential for use in sanitizing food products, although the effect was limited. Further development of the APP system is necessary for industrial use.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.218-225
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• 2011

Objectives: In this paper, a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor was investigated for degrading the dye Rhodamine B (RhB) in aqueous solutions. Methods: The DBD plasma reactor system in this study consisted of a plasma component [titanium discharge (inner), ground (outer) electrode and quartz dielectric tube], power source, and gas supply. The effects of various parameters such as first voltage (input power), gas flow rate, second voltage (output power), conductivity and pH were investigated. Results: Experimental results showed that a 99% aqueous solution of 20 mg/l Rhodamine B is decolorized following an eleven minute plasma treatment. When comparing the performance of electrolysis and plasma treatment, the RhB degradation of the plasma process was higher that of the electrolysis. The optimum first voltage and air flow rate were 160 V (voltage of trans is 15 kV) and 3 l/min, respectively. With increased second voltage (4 kV to 15 kV), RhB degradation was increased. The higher the pH and the lower conductivity, the more Rhodamine B degradation was observed. Conclusions: OH radical generation of dielectric plasma process was identified by degradation of N, N-dimethyl-4-nitrosoaniline (RNO, indicator of OH radical generation). It was observed that the effect of UV light, which was generated as streamer discharge, on Rhodamine B degradation was not high. Rhodamine B removal was influenced by real second voltage regardless of initial first and second voltage. The effects of pH and conductivity were not high on the Rhodamine B degradation.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Illuminating and Electrical Installation Engineers
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.184-190
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• 2009

Tri-acetyl-cellulose(TAC) film surface was modified by atmospheric-pressure plasma technique to obtain the hydrophilic functional groups and improve the contact angle. TAC film was modified with N2 plasma ionized in dielectric barrier discharge(DBD) reactor under atmospheric pressure. We measured the change of the contact angle and the surface energy with respect to the plasma treatment conditions such as plasma treatment power, discharge gap and Ｎ2 gas flow rate. As the plasma treatment speed of 100[mm/sec], the plasma treatment power of 1.5[kW], discharge gap 2[mm] and the $N_2$ gas flow rate 140[LPM], the best contact angle and the highest surface energy were obtained. The degree of hydrophilization depended strongly on the plasma-treating time and discharge power.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.222-227
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• 2017

This study aimed to explore the potential for food-industry application of atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge plasma (atmospheric pressure DBD plasma) as a non-thermal sterilization technology for microorganism. The effects of the key parameters such as power, oxygen ratio, exposure time and distance on Escherichia coli KCCM 21052 sterilization by the atmospheric pressure DBD plasma treatment were investigated. The experimental results revealed that increasing the power, exposure time or oxygen ratio and decreasing the exposure distance led to an improvement in the sterilization efficiency of E. coli. Furthermore, the atmospheric pressure DBD plasma (1.0 kW power, 1.0% (v/v) $O_2$, 5 min exposure time and 20 mm exposure distance) treatment was very effective for the sterilization of food-borne pathogenic bacteria. The sterilization rate of E. coli, Bacillus cereus KCCM 40935, Bacillus subtilis KCCM 12027, Bacillus thuringiensis KCCM 11429 and Bacillus atrophaeus KCCM 11314 were 72.3%, 74.6%, 88.5%, 84.7% and 91.3%, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.262.1-262.1
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• 2014

Lipid peroxidation induces functional deterioration of cell membrane and induces cell death in extreme cases. These phenomena are known to be related generally to the change of physical properties of lipid membrane such as decreased lipid order or increased water penetration. Even though the electric property of lipid membrane is important, there has been no report about the change of electric properties after lipid peroxidation. Herein, we demonstrate the molecular energy band change in red blood cell membrane through peroxidation by air-based atmospheric pressure DBD plasma treatment. Ion-induced secondary electron emission coefficient (${\gamma}$ value) was measured by using home-made gamma-focused ion beam (${\gamma}$-FIB) system and electron energy band was calculated based on the quantum mechanical Auger neutralization theory. The oxidized lipids showed higher gamma values and lower electron work functions, which implies the change of surface charging or electrical conductance. This result suggests that modified electrical properties should play a role in cell signaling under oxidative stress.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.3-11
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• 2004

Plasma treatment is frequently used to increase surface functionality and surface activity. It enables to improve various surface properties such as catalytic selectivity, printability, and interfacial adhesion between various materials. Surface or the ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) is exposed under an atmospheric pressure plasma torch (APPT), generated by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD), and the treated surfaces are systemically investigated. Argon, air, and oxygen are used as a processing gas. Properties of the treated EVA surfaces are investigated by the zeta-potential measurements and surface free energies. It is shown that the plasma treatment leads to a drastic increase of surface functional groups of EVA, as the increase of its adhesion energy ($G_{IC}$). Therefore, it is concluded that the APPT process is an effective means to improve adhesion of EVA and polyurethane (PU).

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.797-804
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• 2012

A dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor was investigated for the inactivation of Ralstonia Solanacearum which causes bacterial wilt in aquiculture. The DBD plasma reactor of this study was divided into power supply unit, gas supply unit and plasma reactor. The plasma reactor consisted of a quartz dielectric tube, discharge electrode (inner) and ground electrode (outer). The experimental results showed that the optimum 1st voltage, 2nd voltage, air flow rate and pH were for 100 V (1st voltage), 15 kV (2nd voltage), 4 L/min, and pH 3, respectively. At a low 1st voltage, shoulder and tailing off phenomena was observed. The shoulder phenomenon was decreased as the increase of 1st voltage. R. Solanacearum disinfection in the lower air flow rate was showed shoulder and tailing off phenomenon because the active species generated less. Under optimum condition, shoulder and tailing off phenomenon was reduced. When the 2nd voltage was less than 7.5 kV, tailing off phenomenon was observed and this was not vanishes even though the increase of the disinfection time. The inactivation efficiency increased as the increase of air flow rate, however, the efficiency decreased when the air flow rate was above 4 L/min. R. Solanacearum disinfection at pH 3 showed somewhat higher than in pH 11. The pH effect of R. Solanacearum deactivation is less than the impact on other factor.

• Journal of electromagnetic engineering and science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 2018

This work demonstrates attenuation effects of plasma on waves propagating in the 26.5-40 GHz range. The effect is investigated via experiments measuring the transmission between two Ka-band horn antennas set 30 cm apart. A dielectric-barrier-discharge (DBD) plasma generator with a size of $200mm{\times}100mm{\times}70mm$ and consisting of 20 layers of electrodes is placed between the two antennas. The DBD generator is placed in a $400mm{\times}300mm{\times}400mm$ acrylic chamber so that the experiments can be performed for plasma generated under various conditions of gas and pressure, for instance, in air, Ar, and He environments at 0.001, 0.05, and 1 atm of pressure. Attenuation is calculated by the difference in the transmission level, with and without plasma, which is generated with a bias voltage of 20 kV in the 0.1-1.4 kHz range. Results show that the attenuation varies from 0.05 dB/m to 9.0 dB/m depending on the environment. Noble gas environments show higher levels of attenuation than air, and He is lossier than Ar. In all gas environments, attenuation increases as pressure increases. Finally, electromagnetic models of plasmas generated in various conditions are provided.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.581-587
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• 2005

Commercial polyurethane film (PU) was modified with Ar plasma ionized in dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plate-type reactor under atmospheric pressure. We measured the change of the contact angle and the surface fee energy with respect to the plasma treatment conditions such as treatment time, RF-power, and Ar gas flow rate. We also optimized the plasma treatment conditions to maximize the surface peroxide concentration. At the plasma treatment time of 70 sec, the power of 120 W and the Ar gas flow rate of 5 liter per minute (LPM), the best wettability and the highest surface fee energy were obtained. The 1,1 diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method confirmed that the surface peroxide concentration was about 2.1 nmol/$\cm^{2}$ at 80 W, 30 sec, 6 LPM.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.337-345
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• 2009

When the drill hole diameter for the package substrate is under $100{\mu}m$, the smear in the drill hole cannot be eliminated by wet desmear process only. We intended to change the substrate's hydrophobic characteristics to hydrophilic characteristics by adapting the atmospheric pressure plasma prior to the wet desmear process. Atmospheric pressure plasma process was made as the inline type equipment which is adequate for the package substrate's manufacturing process and remote DBD type electrodes were used for the equipment. As the result of atmospheric pressure plasma processing, the contact angle of the substrate was enhanced from 71 degree to 30 degree. Dielectric film thickness, drill hole diameter and surface roughness were measured to evaluated the characteristics of the wet desmear process in case of plasma processing and in case of none. By the measurement, it was analyzed that the process uniformity within the whole panel was largely enhanced. Also, it was verified that the smear in the drill hole was eliminated efficiently which was analyzed by the SEM image of the drill hole.