Microplasmas: from applications to fundamentals

Abstract

Microplasmas are receiving increasing attention in the scientific literature and in recent conferences. Yet, few analytical applications of microplasmas for elemental analysis using liquid samples have been described in the literature. To address this, we describe two applications: one involves the determination of Zn in microsamples of the metallo-enzyme Super Oxide Dismutase. The other involves determination of Pd-concentration in microsamples of Pd nanocatalysts. These applications demonstrate the potential of microplasmas and point to the need for future fundamental studies.

Microfluidics for spectrochemical applications

“…In particular, the micro-channels fabricated on glass substrates were characterized under a microscope. As can be concluded from the photographs obtained using an optical microscope, the micro-channels fabricated as described here were of high quality may be used for a variety of applications including development of microplasmas [8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20], and for sample processing and sample introduction. For this to occur, however, the micro-channels must first be covered by a plate and development of in-house wafer-bonding methodology is in progress.…”

Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) for Spectral Interference Correction Using a Large-Size Spectrometer and ANN-Based Deep Learning for a Miniature One

“…We have been developing and characterizing miniaturized plasmas in the form of microplasmas [41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48] that we fabricated using a variety of fabrications technologies [49][50][51][52] for taking part of lab to the sample types of applications [53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60]. Microplasmas are arbitrarily defined as those with one critical dimension in the micrometer regime.…”

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Applied to a Glass Vaporization Chamber for Introduction of Micro- or Nano-Size Samples into Lab-Based ICPs and to a CFD-Derived (and Rapidly Prototyped Via 3D Printing) Smaller-Size Chamber for Portable Microplasmas

“…Unlike ICPs discussed thus far that are tethered to a lab floor because they are bulky and heavy and because they require 1-2 kW of electrical power and consume about 20 L/min of expensive Ar gas (Figure 1), we have been developing battery-operated microplasmas we made using a variety of technologies ranging from semiconductor fabrication to 3D printing [24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35]. Microplasmas are those with one critical dimension in the micrometer (i.e., sub-mm) regime.…”

“…Microplasmas are those with one critical dimension in the micrometer (i.e., sub-mm) regime. We have been characterizing them [24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35], primarily for "taking part of the lab to the sample" types of applications, i.e., for analytical measurements on-site. Future microplasmabased spectrometers are envisioned to have wireless capability [36,37] and (some) energy autonomy [38][39][40][41][42].…”