SFB 1316: Transient atmospheric plasmas - from plasmas to liquids to solids

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The main goal of the Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) 1316 “Transient atmospheric plasmas – from plasmas to liquids to solids” is the realisation of flexible energy and mass efficient species conversion schemes by combining non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasmas with catalysis, with electrolysis, and with biocatalysis. Thereby, flexible solutions will be provided as a building block for the use of renewable energies in decentralised scenarios. The use of plasma for species conversion exhibits the advantage of a high energy density and very flexible control possibilities, which allows the creation of systems of very different sizes and scales as well as control schemes to respond to varying species input.The non-equilibrium character of plasmas at atmospheric pressure is controlled by large gas flows or by short pulsed excitation assuring strong cooling mechanisms, or a combination of both. This is generalised to variable waveform tailoring of the electric fields by applying and combining different excitation frequencies and schemes. Thereby, a huge variety of desired plasma chemistries or emission patterns can be adjusted. The strong coupling to surfaces implies a very direct exchange of catalytically active surfaces with the chemistry in the plasma bulk. Especially, non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure plasmas are optimally suited for bringing them in contact with liquids or solids. Many questions need to be answered such as how to reach and maintain a stable atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium discharge in a range of different gas mixtures or how to efficiently transport the produced species from the plasma to the catalytically active surface. In addition, the chemical non-equilibrium reaction routes differ strongly from equilibrium thermal chemistry and the transfer of species and energy occurs on vastly different length and time scales.The CRC 1316 addresses these challenges by combining expertise in plasma physics, surface physics, chemistry, biotechnology, and engineering. The CRC 1316 addresses the fundamentals of non-equilibrium transient atmospheric plasmas on timescales between nanoseconds and seconds for the various physical systems such as plasma excitation on the nanosecond scale, the conversion of the electronic excitation in rotational-vibrational states on the nanosecond to microsecond scale and the possible quenching by gas phase collisions. Finally, the transport of species to the confining surfaces and the flow patterns are investigated on timescales between milliseconds to seconds. Furthermore, the CRC 1316 addresses the fundamentals of non-equilibrium transient atmospheric plasmas on spatial scales between nanometres and millimetres for the various physical systems such as nanometre sized reactive surface structures, triggering catalytic reactions on oxidised metals or plasma streamers and plasmas in liquids on the micrometre scale.