In pursuit of a chemical and phenomenological understanding of long-living atmospheric pressure water-based ball plasmoids

Atmospheric pressure water-based plasmoids have been studied for over a decade now, however a large amount of information regarding how the plasmoid is impacted by the parameters of the plasmoid generator and environment, and what chemical species are present in the plasmoid has not been reported. To fill this gap, the geometry and the materials of the plasmoid generator were varied greatly in order to determine how the plasmoid changes in response to each of these parameters. Furthermore, the effect the atmosphere’s and environment’s parameters have on the rising plasmoid was studied in a controlled environment. Mass spectrometry of these plasmoids was also performed using an ion trap and an orbitrap in order to identify the ions present in the plasmoid. These spectra revealed the presence of (H2O)nH+ (n=2, 3), (H2O)nNO+ (n=0, 1), and several small molecules including H2O, NH3, and NO3 bound to metal ions. Using isotopic labeling, these ions provided quantitative evidence showing the plasmoid’s unique ability to protect its contents from mixing with the ambient air.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Chemistry

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2014

Author dc:creator

• Friday, David

Contributors dc:contributor

• McCall, Benjamin J.

• Plasma
• Atmospheric Pressure
• Mass Spectrometry
• Water
• Non-Equilibrium Plasma
• Plasmoids
• Plasmoid Generator
• Humid Plasma

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2014 David M. Friday

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/49634

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/49634