Plasma is an ionized gas that can conduct electrical charges and absorb energy from a source of electricity. Manmade plasma formation takes place in a low-pressured atmosphere by emptying a reaction chamber, replenishing it with a low-pressured gas, and stimulating the gas. Overall, plasma is a gas that has enough energy to deliver for releasing the electrons from atoms or molecules so both atoms and molecules can exist together.
Lightning is a form of plasma; however, examples of synthetic plasma are fluorescent lights (how they compare with LED’s for example read here)and microwave frequencies. Medical instruments and surfaces must undergo a plasma surface cleaning and sometimes polishing before utilizing them. Here you find Solar-Powered Medical Instrument Sterilization, another great part how environmentally friendly medical technology works. A stent must undergo a cleaning process before it is implanted.
A stent is an artificial tube used to hold open various body configurations such as the arteries. The medical industry uses Plasma Cleaning to sterilize stents and implants before implantation. Plasma Cleaning uses energetic plasma created from gaseous species. Gases that be used are argon and oxygen, as well as mixtures such as air and hydrogen/nitrogen. Before implanting a stint, it must be biocompatible. This means that it must be able to exist alongside living organisms and tissues without causing harm.
Bio-medical applications must utilize a plasma cleaner machine to treat surfaces containing silicones, grease, oxide layers, and residual fluids. This process must take place in order to maintain biological compatibility with living tissue, sterilize surfaces and to prevent the risk of opposing reactions like infection and inflammation.
This type cleaning systems removes contaminants from surfaces using aggressive plasma activated by diverse types of gases. Since there are no chemical baths involved, there is no chance of cross contamination. Furthermore, there is nothing dangerous about this process because there are no hazardous materials to throw away. The result is surface modifications that are exceptionally manageable.
Sterilizing surfaces with plasma deters wearing down of exterior layers. These solutions work to clean optical devices (some good tips under dns-direct.typepad.com), pre-treat biomedical applications, and to clean slides. Overall, plasma cleaning is gentle yet thorough enough to evaporate, clean and sterilize all contaminants.
Various mechanisms are set in motion during the cleaning process. When plasma activation occurs and begins, oxygen plasma responds by depositing molecules on the work piece surface. It immediately starts breaking down the molecules and transforming them into elevated vapor pressured and environmentally safe organic chemicals.
Plasma cleaning is now a popular environmentally friendly medical technology that continues to make positive impacts concerning the cleansing and disposal of medical waste. These Technology is also used to decontaminate metallic waste. How this work you can read here. However, not all plasma systems have the same technology. Typically, there are atmospheric and low-pressured systems of various sizes and designs.
Atmospheric systems generate plasma inside a nozzle that jet streams it out using compressed air. This system cleans and activates surfaces before any molding, soldering, or gluing takes place. Since there is no chamber, this method works best for smaller in-line applications.
The applicator connects with a flexible line to the unit supply; therefore, it is easy to hook up to production lines that already exist. Low-pressure plasma systems allows two and three-dimensional parts into a chamber that creates a vacuum and generates plasma. Three-dimensional parts that are hollow or have openings obtain a detailed cleaning using this system.
Some of the advantages of plasma surface sterilization include cost-effectiveness, uncomplicated to use, consistency and significantly flexibility. The system not only cleans, but also sterilizes, activate, modify, treat, and prepare surfaces for bonding. Because most systems are compact, they are excellent space savers. Saving space entails cutting operating cost.