Abstract: Methods for the treatment of textiles used for facial masks assure for the inactivation of viruses captured by the textile. The aerosol droplets are absorbed by the textile, and any viruses in the water droplets react with a virucidal substance. The surface of textile fibers is first exposed to gaseous plasma to assure appropriate wettability. The textile is then soaked in a diluted water solution of a virucidal substance. The excessive water solution is optionally removed by draining, and the drained textile is then dried. The methods enable uniform coating of the textile fibers with an extremely thin film of virucidal substance. A typical concentration of the virucidal substance in the textiles treated according to the methods of the aspects of disclosed embodiments is about 10 g/kg. Such a small concentration is benign to humans but effectively inactivates the viruses that might be captured by the textile.

Abstract: An energy-efficient disinfection or sterilisation of contaminated liquid, such as water contaminated with viruses or microbes includes an asymmetric configuration of a cavitation nozzle made from dielectric material that enables the formation of a single, stable cavitation bubble of a large volume. A low-pressure gaseous plasma is continuously formed inside the cavitation bubble by electrodes to prevent contact of the metallic electrode with liquid water and Ohmic heating of the contaminated water. The electrodes are connected to a high voltage power supply. The power supply enables formation of a continuous stable gaseous discharge inside the cavitation bubble and radicals and radiation useful for destruction of viruses to the levels below the current US EPA standard in few minutes, while the temperature of liquid water remains practically unchanged. Use is not only for hospitals and pharmaceutical companies but the food industry and agriculture as well.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods for depositing vertically oriented carbon nanowalls (CNWs) using non-equilibrium gases such as gaseous plasma. Methods are disclosed for rapid deposition of uniformly distributed nanowalls on large surfaces of substrates using ablation of bulk carbon materials by reactive gaseous species, formation of oxidized carbon-containing gaseous molecules, ionization of said molecules and interacting said molecules, neutral or positively charged, with a substrate. The CNWs prepared are useful in different applications such as fuel cells, lithium ion batteries, photovoltaic devices and sensors of specific gaseous molecules.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for depositing carbon nanostructures such as three-dimensional graphene mesh using non-equilibrium gaseous plasma of high power density. Methods are disclosed for rapid deposition of randomly distributed graphene sheets on surfaces of substrates using decomposition of CO molecules of a high potential energy, and said excited CO molecules interacting with a substrate. The three-dimensional graphene mesh prepared according to the methods are useful in different applications such as light absorbents, fuel cells, super-capacitors, batteries, photovoltaic devices and sensors of specific gaseous molecules.

Abstract: The aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods for energy-efficient destruction of organic toxins on the surface of any material, in particular on the surface of organic material. The material contaminated with toxins is exposed to NH2 and H radicals. Said radicals react chemically with toxins causing their transformation to less poisonous or less carcinogenic substances, or destruction to hydrocarbons and nitrogen-containing benign molecules. Exemplary usage for treatment of seeds, grains, beans, food, feedstock.

Abstract: Methods for modification of surface wettability of fluorine-containing polymers by sequential treatments first with gaseous plasma rich in ultraviolet radiation, and then oxidation using neutral reactive oxidative species. The methods are rapid and permit treatment of fluorine-containing polymers of any shape and size including ‘infinite’ materials such as foils. A surface layer of an object made from a fluorine-containing polymer is depleted of fluorine upon interaction with gaseous plasma rich in ultraviolet radiation. The depleted surface layer is then exposed to reactive oxygen species such as neutral oxygen atoms in the ground state. The wettability of objects made from or containing fluorine-containing polymers treated according to the methods of the present disclosure is close to the theoretical limit for smooth polymers well functionalized with polar functional groups.

Abstract: A method for deposition of nitrogen-doped nanocarbon comprises disposing molten polymer and a heated substrate in a plasma reactor; providing dense nitrogen-containing plasma in the plasma reactor in a space between the molten polymer and the heated substrate; and allowing the dense nitrogen-containing plasma to interact with both the molten polymer and the heated substrate to form a film of nitrogen-containing nanocarbon on the heated substrate.

Abstract: An energy-efficient disinfection or sterilisation of contaminated liquid, such as water contaminated with viruses or microbes includes an asymmetric configuration of a cavitation nozzle made from dielectric material that enables the formation of a single, stable cavitation bubble of a large volume. A low-pressure gaseous plasma is continuously formed inside the cavitation bubble by electrodes to prevent contact of the metallic electrode with liquid water and Ohmic heating of the contaminated water. The electrodes are connected to a high voltage power supply. The power supply enables formation of a continuous stable gaseous discharge inside the cavitation bubble and radicals and radiation useful for destruction of viruses to the levels below the current US EPA standard in few minutes, while the temperature of liquid water remains practically unchanged. Use is not only for hospitals and pharmaceutical companies but the food industry and agriculture as well.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods for depositing vertically oriented carbon nanowalls (CNWs) using non-equilibrium gases such as gaseous plasma. Methods are disclosed for rapid deposition of uniformly distributed nanowalls on large surfaces of substrates using ablation of bulk carbon materials by reactive gaseous species, formation of oxidized carbon-containing gaseous molecules, ionization of said molecules and interacting said molecules, neutral or positively charged, with a substrate. The CNWs prepared are useful in different applications such as fuel cells, lithium ion batteries, photovoltaic devices and sensors of specific gaseous molecules.

Abstract: Methods for modification of surface wettability of fluorine-containing polymers by sequential treatments first with gaseous plasma rich in ultraviolet radiation, and then oxidation using neutral reactive oxidative species. The methods are rapid and permit treatment of fluorine-containing polymers of any shape and size including ‘infinite’ materials such as foils. A surface layer of an object made from a fluorine-containing polymer is depleted of fluorine upon interaction with gaseous plasma rich in ultraviolet radiation. The depleted surface layer is then exposed to reactive oxygen species such as neutral oxygen atoms in the ground state. The wettability of objects made from or containing fluorine-containing polymers treated according to the methods of the present disclosure is close to the theoretical limit for smooth polymers well functionalized with polar functional groups.