A new strategy of using dielectric barrier discharge plasma in tubular geometry for surface coating and extension to biomedical application

Abstract

There has always been a quest for nanotechnology to develop inexpensive coating methods with the capability of depositing biocompatible nanomaterials on biomedical and surgical tools. In this mini-report, a plasma-based innovative idea of coating a solid surface with antibacterial/antimicrobial nanosilver is floated and experimentally realized. The desired antibacterial nanosilver was obtained from laser ablation and directly entrained in an outflowing plasma jet, excited in the flow of argon at 10 l min−1 using 20 kV/20 kHz. Under these conditions, the jet can protrude 15 mm deeply into ambient air. The quality of the surface coating can be described by sparsely distributed particles or densely agglomerated clusters, controlled by the plasma length and the surface separation. Apart from the coating, plasma interaction leads to the sterilization of the exposed surface. The idea is essentially important to extend and upscale for coating biomedical and surgical devices in a flexible open processing environment.

Theoretical–Computational Study of Atmospheric DBD Plasma and Its Utility for Nanoscale Biocompatible Plasmonic Coating

“…This approach seems effective for biomedical applications since the coating surface and treating objects are placed far beyond the main discharge active region to facilitate the plasma deposition process. Previously, a DBD plasma jet was used, and interesting properties of the coated surface were reported [ 4 , 15 , 18 ]. The coated surfaces produced were particulate and worked well as a sensitive substrate for the enhanced chemical detection in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) [ 18 ].…”

“…Over the last couple of decades, DBD plasma technologies have moved into every pore of daily life. In view of enormous leverage, the divulging trend of using these plasmas is obvious from their expanding volume in terms of biomedical, pharmacy, surgical, and biomedical environments, materials synthesis, supported metal catalysts, textiles, surface modification and etching, sterilization, and so forth [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. From direct surface sterilization and tailored surface activation to in-line coating deposition of antibacterial/antimicrobial plasmonic active material on surgical tools and medical devices, it has now become one of the paramount needs.…”

“…DBD plasma devices are configured in different electrode and geometrical arrangements to strike a surface or volumetric discharge [ 13 , 14 , 15 ]. In DBDs, this discharge is also known as “silent discharge”, and it usually occurs between the two electrodes with one or both the electrodes are covered with a layer of a dielectric material such as quartz, as described in our previous reports [ 4 , 15 , 18 ]. The dielectric layer is acting as a ballast resistor to the discharge current, preventing arc formation and keeping the plasma in the nonthermal regime.…”

“…Processing particle aerosol with the free gas jet has been reported before and interesting results were reported [ 28 ]. Processing particle aerosols with the DBD plasma in the surface discharge configuration for biocompatible coating is relatively less reported, though recently, atmospheric plasma jets were employed to entrain the particle aerosol for the deposition on a solid surface, and interesting results were reported [ 4 , 15 , 18 ].…”

Silver nanoparticle films by flowing gas atmospheric pulsed laser deposition and application to surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy

“…Further significance of the proposed method as an alternative route for the fabrication of substrates with plasmonic effect for applications in SERS could be read elsewhere. 31,32 4 | CONCLUSION The APLD method was described using a flowing gas approach for energy harvesting plasmonic silver NP films. The method was workable with the gas flow rate of 7 L min −1 , theoretically simulated and found effective to transport ablation material over 20 mm to the substrate to make a NP film.…”