The IUCRC Center for High Pressure Plasma Energy, Agriculture, and Biomedical Technologies (C-PEAB) has been established by the C&J Nyheim Plasma Institute (NPI) at Drexel University (DU), George Washington University (GWU) andUniversity of Michigan (UM). This university- industrial partnership provides a  structure for advancing the plasma science  in the targeted industries in applications areas of energy and environment, agriculture, and biomedicine. The key focus of the C-PEAB is to improve the fundamental knowledge base critical to applications relevant to modern industries seeking to harnessthe chemical selectivity enabled by LTPs. The IUCRC C-PEAB currentlyincludes 12 Industrial Members, 11 Industrial members are full members of the IUCRC C-PEAB. IUCRC C-PEAB also includes 2 mentors from USDA and FDA.

The major C-PEAB outcomes can be classified by the C-PEAB Center key areas of research:

• PLASMA MEDICINE: Development of scientific basis for standardization and certification of plasma-medical devices in wound healing (IEC, FDA) for their translation to medical practice, which represent the key national scientific challenge for plasma medicine:

1. Development of physical dosimetry of plasma-medical devices, based on energy and active specifies diagnostics, combiningcharacterization of nano- and micro-second pulsed dielectric barrier discharges (DBD), as well as RF and DBD -based plasma jets.
2. Development of biochemical dosimetry of plasma-medical devices, based on bio-chemical diagnostics of major biological responses of cells and tissues to the plasma treatment
3. Defining key engineering parameters of nano- and micro-second pulsed dielectric barrier discharges (DBD), as well as RF and DBD-based plasma jets for required their standardization.

• PLASMA MEDICINE: Characterization and optimization of efficacy and safety of plasma-medical equipment for their applications and clinical tests in wound healing and dermatological offices:

1. Experimental characterization as well as efficacy and safety optimization of the pulsed dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) and plasma jets for applications in wound healing.
2. Experimental characterization as well as efficacy and safety optimization of the pulsed dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) and plasma jets for applications in dermatology and cosmetics, including treatment of actinic keratosis, stimulation of hair growth, and treatment of warts.

• PLASMA MEDICINE: Characterization and optimization of plasma-mist devices for anti-COVID- 19 masks regeneration with the product translation to industrial practice:

1. Demonstration and optimization of efficacy of the dielectric barrier discharge DBD-based plasma-mist devices for anti-COVID-19 masks regeneration.
2. Optimization of aerosol parameters (sizes, charges, number densities) for maximizing efficacy of DBD- based plasma-mist devices applied for anti-COVID-19 masks regeneration.
3. Engineering analysis and optimization of the DBD-based plasma-mist devices applied for anti-COVID- 19 masks regeneration.

• PLASMA AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING: Development of the enlarged and indus- trial-prototype scale plasma systems for plasma-based hydroponics and plasma-based fresh produce washing:

1. Demonstration of efficacy and optimization of the reverse-vortex non-equilibrium gliding arc-based plasma systems for plasmahydroponics, and plasma-activated water production for stimulation of different plant growth.
2. Characterization, analysis, and design of the reverse-vortex non-equilibrium gliding arc-based plasma systems focused on their scaling up to industrial level for plasma hydroponics, and plasma-activated water production for stimulation of different plant growth.
3. Demonstration of efficacy and optimization of the reverse-vortex non-equilibrium gliding arc-based plasma systems for plasma washing of different fresh produce.
4. Design of the reverse-vortex (tornado-flow) non-equilibrium gliding arc-based plasma systems focused on their scaling up to industrial level for plasma washing of different fresh produce.

• PLASMA AGRICULTURE AND FOOD PROCESSING: Optimization and development of the DBD-based enlarged plasma misting systems for large-volume fresh produce transportation as well as control and stimulation of the fresh produce growth:

1. Demonstration and optimization of efficacy of the dielectric barrier discharge DBD-based plasma-mist devices for fresh produce transportation and control of the fresh produce growth.
2. Optimization of liquid aerosol parameters (sizes, charges, number densities) for maximizing efficacy of DBD-based plasma-mist devices applied for fresh produce transportation and control of the fresh produce growth.
3. Engineering analysis, optimization, and design of the DBD-based plasma-mist devices for their scaling to the level required for industrial applications in the fresh produce transportation and control of the fresh produce growth.

• PLASMA ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT: Optimization and development of the enlarged scale non- equilibrium gliding arc plasma systems for water cleaning from the PFAS contamination.

1. Demonstration of efficacy and optimization of the reverse-vortex non-equilibrium gliding arc-based plasma systems for water cleaning from the PFAS (PFOS/PFOA) contamination.
2. Characterization, analysis, and design of the reverse-vortex non-equilibrium gliding arc-based plasma systems submerged in water focused on their scaling up to industrial level for water cleaning from the PFAS (PFOS/PFOA) contamination with possibility of complete mineralization of the PFAS (PFOS/PFOA) contamination.

The Center Industrial Advisory Board IAB together with the C-PEAB leadership concluded that the major goals and objectives of the Center has been achieved: the Center has been effectively operating for 6 years, capitalizing on the effective relationships between companies and universities, resulting mutual submissions of proposals not only to NSF, but also to several other prestigious agencies and foundation. 

Last Modified: 02/28/2024
Modified by: Alexander Fridman