Photocatalytic Plasma Jet

Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to design and develop a novel photocatalytic plasma jet to address the needs of the Air Force (and the other services) to destroy chemical and biological warfare agents on surfaces ranging from human skin toconcrete and soil using electromagnetic field emitters. The proposed Photocatalytic Plasma Jet (PPJ) will generate a non-thermal, ambient-pressure plasma discharge of a high velocity water-borne effluent stream of highly reactive chemical species. Thenovel key concept is preionization of the water by semiconductor-aided photocatalysis to decrease dielectric barriers to the ignition of the corona discharge. The PPJ design is grounded on patented POC technologies developed for fabrication of plasmadiagnostics, light guiding systems, and sol-gel coating, and will be more power- and cost-efficient than current experimental devices. In Phase I, POC will develop a PPJ benchtop prototype for laboratory proof-of-concept demonstration and analysis of itsperformance at a DOD facility. In Phase II POC will produce a portable prototype device to demonstrate destruction of the CBWAs in in vitro experiments. These will be followed by additional evaluations of exposure parameters to prevent damage to skin andmucous membranes.The successful completion of this project will result in a reliable, mobile, and cost-efficient device and novel technology for non-thermal plasma decontamination of biological and chemical warfare agents on surfaces, including skin, alsosuitable for a wide range of commercial applications, notably hospital infection control, sterilization, and decontamination of instruments and clothes.