Herein we report about the ammonia to hydrogen conversion induced at ambient conditions in a ferroelectric barrier discharge plasma. Decomposition yields of 40% have been found at 2.5 kV of applied voltage in a packed-bed reactor moderated with ferroelectric PZT pellets, bared and coated with layers of agglomerated Al2O3 and Ru/Al2O3 powders. The electrical…
Plasma treatment is increasingly being explored as an effective presowing treatment improving seed germination. This study examines the synergetic effect of the irrigation condition and the physicochemical surface properties of wheat seeds subjected to atmospheric dielectric barrier discharge plasma activation on their water uptake and germination. Extensive surface analysis revealed a remarkably enhanced wettability of…
In this communication, we report on an innovative solvent-free method that allows for the design of nano-/micropatterns with tuneable dimensions. Our approach is based on the spontaneous wrinkling phenomenon taking place in a bilayer system formed by a mechanically responsive bottom plasma polymer layer and a top aluminum thin film. The dimensions of the wrinkles can be adjusted in a wide range (i.e., from nanometer to micrometer range) by modulating the cross-linking density as well as the thickness of the plasma polymer layer. Finally, it is demonstrated that these wrinkled…
The influence of one dimensional substrate patterns on the nanocolumnar growth of thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering at oblique angles is theoretically and experimentally studied. A well-established growth model has been used to study the interplay between the substrate topography and the thin film morphology. A critical thickness has been defined, below which the…
Wedge-shaped materials are currently employed for optical analyses and sensing applications. In this paper, we present an easy to implement plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition procedure to grow wedge-shaped thin films with controlled slope at the scale of few hundred microns. The method relies on the use of few tenths micron height obstacles to alter…
Plasma reactions offer an attractive alternative route for the synthesis of a variety of valuable chemical compounds. Here we investigate the parameters that determine the efficiency of ammonia synthesis in a ferroelectric packed bed dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor. The effects of varying the operating frequency, the size of the ferroelectric pellets and the inter-electrode…
The deposition of SiOx (x <= 2) compound thin films by the reactive magnetron sputtering technique at oblique angles is studied from both theoretical and experimental points of view. A simple mathematical formula that links the film stoichiometry and the deposition conditions is deduced. Numerous experiments have been carried out to test this formula at…
Target poisoning in reactive magnetron sputtering deposition of thin films is an undesired phenomenon, well known for causing a drastic fall of the process efficiency. We demonstrate that when this technique is operated at oblique angles, films with composition raging from pure metallic to stoichiometric compound can be grown in non-poisoned conditions, thus avoiding most…
In this paper the fabrication of highly porous 1D nanostructures by a vacuum and plasma etching combined protocol is presented. Zn-phthalocyanine (ZnPc) is utilized as a solid precursor to form the ZnO. First the ZnPc is sublimated in low argon pressure. Depending on the substrate temperature and microstructure, polycrystalline films or single crystal ZnPc nanowires…
The growth of nanoporous layers by plasma-assisted deposition techniques is strongly mediated by the ion fluxes in the reactor. To analyze their influence we have deposited different nanostructured thin films by the magnetron sputtering technique at oblique angles, modulating the ion fluxes in the plasma by tuning the frequency of the electromagnetic signal from pure…