Tubular Floating Electrode Dielectric Barrier Discharge For Applications In Sterilization and Tissue Bonding

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016193373-A1
Application number	US-201615067715-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 11, 2016
Priority date	Mar 16, 2009
Publication date	Jul 7, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed is a device and method for contacting a biological substrate. A non-thermal plasma device delivers a non-thermal plasma discharge using a dielectric conduit, an igniter electrode and a RF electrode. The dielectric conduit fluidicly communicates a gas therethrough and an igniter electrode ionizes at least a portion of the gas. The RF electrode, disposed circumferentially proximate to the exterior of the dielectric conduit, generates non-thermal plasma from the ionized gas. The non-thermal plasma is discharged from the dielectric conduit and contacts a biological substrate. The non-thermal plasma discharge may be suitable for tissue bonding and sterilization applications.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A non-thermal plasma device for contacting a substrate, comprising:
a dielectric conduit capable of fluidicly communicating a gas, plasma, or both, therethrough, the dielectric conduit characterized as comprising an upstream end and a downstream end, the upstream end having an opening capable of receiving gas from a gas source, and the downstream end having an opening capable of transmitting non-thermal plasma therethrough; a floating igniter electrode disposed within an upstream portion of the dielectric conduit; and an RF electrode disposed circumferentially adjacent to an exterior wall of the dielectric conduit, the RF electrode disposed downstream relative to the floating igniter electrode and the gas source, the RF electrode capable of ionizing at least a portion of the gas to form a non-thermal plasma.

2 . The non-thermal plasma device of claim 1 , further comprising: the gas source connected to the upstream end of the dielectric conduit.

3 . The non-thermal plasma device of claim 1 , wherein the gas comprises helium, argon, nitrogen, air, or any combination thereof.

4 . The non-thermal plasma device of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric conduit comprises glass, quartz, plastic, ceramic, porcelain, or any combination thereof.

5 . The non-thermal plasma device of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric conduit has a diameter in the range of about 0.2 mm and about 1 cm.

6 . The non-thermal plasma device of claim 1 , wherein the RF electrode comprises water, aluminum foil, stainless steel, stainless steel mesh, copper, silver, any other conducting material, or any combination thereof.

7 . The non-thermal plasma device of claim 1 , wherein the RF electrode has a length in the range of about 1 mm to about 20 cm.

8 . The non-thermal plasma device of claim 1 , further comprising a power supply configured to supply RF power to the RF electrode.

9 . The non-thermal plasma device of claim 8 , wherein the RF power comprises alternating current at a frequency in the range of about 0.5 kHz to about 500 kHz.

10 . The non-thermal plasma device of claim 8 , wherein the RF power comprises power output at a range between about 0.5 Watt/cm 2 to about 2 Watt/cm 2 .

11 . The non-thermal plasma device of claim 1 , wherein the floating igniter electrode comprises tungsten, copper, gold, silver, iron, titanium, platinum, aluminum, any other metal, or any combination thereof.

12 . The non-thermal plasma device of claim 1 , wherein the floating igniter electrode comprises a wire.

13 . The non-thermal plasma device of claim 1 , wherein the floating igniter electrode is located proximate to the center of the lumen of the dielectric conduit.

14 . The non-thermal plasma device of claim 1 , wherein the floating igniter electrode is positioned relative to the RF electrode so as to be entirely upstream of the RF electrode.

15 . The non-thermal plasma device of claim 1 , wherein the floating igniter electrode is positioned relative to the RF electrode such that at least a portion of the floating igniter electrode overlaps the RF electrode.

16 . The non-thermal plasma device of claim 1 , wherein the floating igniter electrode is shaped as a tube, cylindrical tube, rectangular prism, or pyramid.

17 . An operating non-thermal plasma device for contacting a substrate, the device comprising:
a dielectric conduit fluidicly communicating a gas therethrough, the dielectric conduit characterized as comprising an upstream end and a downstream end, the upstream end having an opening receiving gas from a gas source, and the downstream end having an opening transmitting non-thermal plasma therethrough; a floating igniter electrode disposed within an upstream portion of the dielectric conduit; and an RF electrode disposed circumferentially adjacent to an exterior wall of the dielectric conduit, the RF electrode disposed downstream relative to the floating igniter electrode and the gas source, the RF electrode energized and ionizing at least a portion of the gas to form a non-thermal plasma; wherein the plasma device is positioned such that the downstream opening of the dielectric conduit is at a first distance from the substrate and the non-thermal plasma discharge transmitted from the opening of the downstream end is impinging on a surface of the substrate.

Assignees

• Univ Drexel

Inventors

• Fridman Gregory
• Fridman Alexander
• Gutsol Alexander F
• Friedman Gennady
• Staack David

Classifications

• A61L2/02

  using physical processes · CPC title

• A61L2103/05

  Living organisms or biological materials · CPC title

• H05H1/2406

  using dielectric barrier discharges, i.e. with a dielectric interposed between the electrodes · CPC title

• H05H2245/34

  Skin treatments, e.g. disinfection or wound treatment · CPC title

• H05H2245/32

  Surgery, e.g. scalpels, blades or bistoury; Treatments inside the body · CPC title