Offer for patent licensing:
New encrypted tag system for tagging and tracking objects

encrypted-tag-system The technique used for the tag manufacture is the plasma polymerization, never used before for that purpose. The layer is deposited in vacuum by sublimating a dye in the downstream region of a plasma. The plasma interaction produces the fragmentation of a dye molecules fraction. Finally, the molecules deposition on a substrate creates a polymeric nanometer thick layer with unique luminescent properties. These properties allow, using a laser, to record micrometer scale patterns that become visible under illumination at specific wavelength.

 

Offer for patent licensing:
Versatile and economical method of manufacturing mixed oxides thin films

rms-pd_offer2 Methods based on magnetron sputtering technique that are used nowadays to make thin films doped with cations of other elements have some limitations that the patented process has largely solved. Many of these methods utilize solid sources that are evaporated onto the substrate reacting with the plasma to convert the evaporated metal atoms in their corresponding oxides. Thus, to prepare thin layers of mixed oxides of various cations is necessary either to use a mixed source or various «magnetrons», each of them providing a different metal to be incorporated into the layer. This presents various problems regarding the availability of metal sources or, for certain metals, their stability on exposure to atmosphere.

 

Plasma surface functionalization

 surfatron-reactor

Plasma is a dry technology intrinsically ecological and environment friendly. It can be used to modify surface properties (at room temperature!)

  • Chemical inertia and affinity
  • Biocompatibility
  • Adhesion
  • Cleanliness and sterility
  • Increase surface roughness
  • Modify surface chemical groups
  • Improve/taylor wettability
  • Surface polymerization

Several plasma technologies are available at our group:

  • Low pressure RF/MW plasma treatments
  • Low pressure atom source treatments
  • Atmospheric pressure dielectric barried discharge (DBD) treatments

 

Thin film growth capabilities

thin film growth

Experience in:

  • Compact and porous thin film growth
  • Thin film plasma polymerization
  • Diamond like carbon
  • Transparent oxides (ZnO, TiO2, SiO2, ZrO2, Ta2O5)
  • Mixed oxides (TiSixOy, ZrSixOy, AlSixOy)
  • Luminescent oxides (Y2O3:RE, ZnO:RE, SiO2:Eu; RE:Rare earth element)
  • Electrochromic oxide thin films (WSixOy, CoSixOy)
  • Silicone coating (SiOxCyHz)

Thin films growth equipment:

  • PVD Magnetron sputtering
  • PVD Electron beam evaporation
  • Capacitively coupled RF plasma CVD
  • ECR-MW plasma CVD
  • MW surfatron plasma CVD
  • Thermal CVD
  • Spin coating

 

Surface and thin film analysis

 
  • Roughness analysis (perfilometry)
  • Surface morphology (AFM, SEM)
  • Chemical surface analysis (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy)
  • Wettability, surface energy (contact angle measurements)
  • Structure of thin films and bulk materials (XRD)
  • Cross section analysis (SEM, EDAX)
  • Elemental in-depth profiling by TOF-SIMS and RBS
  • Local chemistry, bonding structure (FTIR, Raman)

 

Offer for patent licensing:
Procedure and reactor for the reformation of fuels

mini-opticalcoat The present invention relates to a procedure for the reformation of gaseous or liquid fuels in mixtures with water and/or CO2 in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor. It is differentiated from other reformation procedures based on plasma techniques in that the design and characteristics of the reactor are conducive to having virtually the entire process lead to the production of mixtures of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, with virtually no contribution from higher hydrocarbons. This process takes place at low temperatures and has low electrical power consumption requirements. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a barrier discharge plasma reactor for the reformation of fuels comprising a power supply source, a cylindrical electrode and a dielectric device.

 

Offer for patent licensing:
Device for determining the porosity of thin films and use thereof

patent-MMM The invention relates to a device which can be used to determine the adsorption/desorption isotherms and porosity in thin films, supported membranes and directly supported nanostructured materials. For this purpose, the adsorption and desorption isotherms of the sample are determined and subsequently used to determine the type of porosity of the sample, as well as the pore volume and pore size distribution thereof, using solid surface thermodynamic and physicochemical concepts.

 

Decorative coatings

TO-decorativecoatings  

 

Offer for patent licensing:
Method for preparing thin porous layers of inorganic oxides

porous-films The invention relates to a method for preparing thin layers of inorganic oxides on substrates by means of plasma-assisted vapour phase deposition. The inventive method is different from other common methods in that organic layer deposition steps are included between the successive inorganic oxide deposition steps such that, during the inorganic layer deposition step, the previously-deposited organic part is eliminated by combustion. This method is suitable for developing selective membranes that are used to separate and purify fluids and to produce and modify sensors for gases and humidity and electronic components.

 

Environmental Applications of Plasma Technology:
Plasma Assisted Catalysis Applied to Decontamination Processes

TOI-plasma_catalysis

Up to very recently, plasma and catalysis have been considered as separated investigation fields. In the last years, especially in the field of noxious gas treatments, it has been found that synergetic effects can be obtained if heterogeneous catalysts are used in conjunction with plasma processes.

Related publications:
Evaluation of Different Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Configurations As an Alternative Technology for Green C-1 Chemistry in the Carbon Dioxide Reforming of Methane and the Direct Decomposition of Methanol

Hybrid catalytic-DBD plasma reactor for the production of hydrogen and preferential CO oxidation (CO-PROX) at reduced temperatures

Hydrogen production by reforming of hydrocarbons and alcohols in a dielectric barrier discharge