A hydroxyl enhanced cold plasma comb and method of generation thereof

Abstract

The application discloses a hydroxyl enhanced cold plasma comb and a generation method thereof. The plasma comb comprises an adsorption type air water capturing module, comb teeth, a comb body, a cold plasma generator and the like. The adsorption type air water capturing module is embedded in the comb body or attached to the outside of the comb body and is provided with a hygroscopic material for capturing water molecules in air. The comb teeth are arranged at intervals at the bottom of the comb body. A charging port is connected with a power supply part through a power line. The cold plasma generator is one or more groups and is arranged in the middle of the comb body in an array. The cold plasma generator is of an SDBD structure and comprises an insulating dielectric layer, a first plasma electrode and a second plasma electrode. The first and second plasma electrodes are connected with a power source through a power line and are separated by the insulating dielectric layer. The cold plasma is formed in the air gap around the first plasma electrode. The application can improve the generation amount of hydroxyl radicals in the cold plasma and optimize the sterilization effect of the cold plasma.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma comb and its generation method. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, pet ownership has become a popular hobby, and the pet health industry is gaining increasing popularity, leading to a surge in demand for pet grooming. Pet fur is prone to bacterial growth, and current pet disinfection and deodorization methods typically involve applying or soaking medications or chemical cleaners. However, due to the dense fur of pets, most of the medications are absorbed, making it difficult for them to reach deep into the fur and onto the skin surface, resulting in incomplete disinfection.

[0003] Cold plasma is a mixed system of various particles, including electrons, positive and negative ions, ultraviolet light, and ground-state or excited-state atoms or molecules. It is the fourth state of matter and has excellent sterilization effects, making it suitable for sterilization and care of pet hair.

[0004] Among the many components of cold plasma, hydroxyl radicals (·OH) are one of the key components affecting the sterilization properties of cold plasma, exhibiting extremely high cytotoxicity to bacteria. They effectively cause oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids on cell membranes, leading to cell membrane rupture, leakage of cell contents, and other irreversible damage to cells, thus achieving highly efficient sterilization. Studies have shown that the time required for ·OH to kill microorganisms is approximately one-thousandth that of commonly used disinfectants, and the dosage is approximately one ten-thousandth that of commonly used disinfectants. ·OH in air-cooled plasma is formed by the dissociation of water molecules, and its synthesis pathway is shown in formulas (1) to (6).

[0005] H₂O + e⁻ → H⁺·OH⁻ + e⁻ (1)

[0006] H₂O + e⁻ → H₂O - +·OH (2)

[0007] H₂O + e⁻ → H₂O + +·OH+2e (3)

[0008] H2O + +e→H+·OH (4)

[0009] M2* + H2O → 2M + H + +·OH (5)

[0010] H₂O + O → 2·OH (6)

[0011] As can be seen from the ·OH synthesis pathway, the presence of water molecules is crucial for the generation of ·OH in cold plasma. Existing technologies employ atomizers, water spray devices, etc., to increase the water molecule content in the cold plasma discharge region, thereby increasing the amount of ·OH generated in the cold plasma. However, the aforementioned methods all require water storage containers, water spray devices, and driving sources, resulting in increased generator size and mass, and reduced portability and reliability. Compared with the aforementioned methods, novel adsorption-type air-capturing materials are more suitable for developing small-scale hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma generators. These materials utilize temperature and humidity differences to capture and release water molecules from the air, requiring no additional energy input.

[0012] In the field of cold plasma generators, a reasonable design is key to improving the generation of active particles and is a prerequisite for applying cold plasma technology to pet hair care. Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) structures are one of the common cold plasma generator structures, which can be divided into spatial DBD, surface DBD, and floating electrode DBD. Spatial DBD structures require a discharge gap and are not suitable for pet hair care scenarios. Surface DBD structures have advantages such as high diffusivity, large surface area, and no discharge gap constraint, solving the problem that the discharge space of spatial DBD structures is located inside the electrode and cannot directly act on the surface of biological tissue. They can be applied to the development of hair care products, such as the plasma generator and plasma comb disclosed in patent document 202210593808.X. Floating electrode DBD structures involve a high-voltage electrode suspended and the object being treated as the ground electrode, without the limitation of a discharge gap, and can be applied to hair care scenarios, such as a floating electrode type dielectric barrier discharge method disclosed in patent document CN110536531A. In addition, jet structures are also a common type of cold plasma generator structure. They utilize the effects of electric and flow fields to transport active particles generated by ionization in the discharge region to an open area. This is suitable for hair care products, such as a plasma comb disclosed in patent document CN109602141A.

[0013] Regarding the gain of hydroxyl content in cold plasma, existing technologies increase the water molecule content in the discharge region by introducing water mist into the discharge region, thereby increasing the amount of hydroxyl generated. For example, the sterilization device for generating plasma and hydroxyl radicals disclosed in patent document CN115666663 A.

[0014] Plasma combs with jet structures similar to those disclosed in patent document CN109602141A have the problem that short-lived active particles such as ·OH have difficulty reaching the surface being treated, resulting in poor sterilization and deodorization effects.

[0015] Similar to the surface DBD reactor disclosed in patent document No. 202210593808.X, due to the characteristics of surface micro-discharge, there is a problem of insufficient formation of key active components such as ·OH.

[0016] Similar to the floating electrode reactor disclosed in patent document CN 110536531 A, the problem is that pets have abundant fur, which has an excellent shielding effect on pet skin. However, plasma cannot be formed on the contact surface of non-biological tissues such as fur. This makes it difficult for the floating electrode DBD structure to form stable and effective plasma for sterilization, disinfection and deodorization of pet fur.

[0017] The water mist-introduced hydroxyl enhancement method disclosed in patent document CN 115666663 A requires modules such as a water storage container, a mist generator, and a drive source, which reduces the portability, practicality, and reliability of the device and is not suitable for the development of pet combs. Summary of the Invention

[0018] To address the aforementioned problems in the existing technology, this invention proposes a hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma comb and its generation method.

[0019] This invention can be implemented using the following technical solutions:

[0020] A hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma comb includes an adsorption-type air-water-capturing module, comb teeth, comb body, switch, fan, charging port, cold plasma generator, power supply unit, and power supply. The adsorption-type air-water-capturing module is embedded in the comb body or attached to the outside of the comb body and is provided with a moisture-absorbing material for capturing water molecules in the air. The comb teeth are arranged at intervals at the bottom of the comb body. The switch is connected to the power supply unit and the power supply via a power cord and is used to turn on or off the supply of low-voltage DC power to the power supply. The charging port is connected to the power supply unit via a power cord. The cold plasma generator is one or more sets, and is centrally located or arranged in an array on the comb body. The cold plasma generator is a surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) structure, including an insulating dielectric layer, a first plasma electrode, and a second plasma electrode. The first and second plasma electrodes are both made of conductive material and are connected to the power supply via a power cord. The two are separated by the insulating dielectric layer. The cold plasma is formed in the air gap around the first plasma electrode.

[0021] Furthermore, the adsorption-type air water-capturing module has a mesh or disc-shaped structure.

[0022] Further, the adsorption-type air water capture module is provided with a hygroscopic material for capturing water molecules in the air, which is a single / mixed body of polymer materials, porous materials, and salt complexes; the polymer materials are polystyrene polymers or sodium polyacrylate with capillary phenomena, the porous materials are silica gel nets, activated carbon nets, carbon nanospheres, nanofibers, molecular sieves, metal-organic framework compounds (MOFs), or covalent organic framework materials (COFs), and the salt complexes are halide salts such as LiCl, LiBr, MgCl2, or CaCl2.

[0023] Further, the length of the comb teeth is 10 - 30 mm, and the material is PDMS, silicone rubber, gel, polyurethane, silica gel, or rubber flexible insulating material, or insulating hard material.

[0024] Further, the comb body is made of plastic material.

[0025] Further, the dielectric layer is alumina ceramic, glass fiber epoxy resin (fr4), quartz glass, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimide, silicone rubber, fluororubber, or polyether ether ketone insulating material, and the thickness can be from dozens of micrometers to several millimeters. The size specification of the dielectric layer is not less than that of the first and second plasma electrodes.

[0026] Further, the structure of the first plasma electrode is selected from the structures arranged regularly in the shape of a "field", S-shaped, honeycomb, square, or circle.

[0027] Further, the second plasma electrode is a flat or mesh structure; the second plasma electrode is sealed with an insulating layer and embedded in the dielectric layer.

[0028] Further, it further includes a fixing member, which is provided with a groove with an open side for fixing the cold plasma generator and the fan, and the material is plastic, PDMS, or silicone rubber non-conductive heat-resistant material.

[0029] Further, the power supply part is a button battery, lithium battery, or dry battery, outputting low-voltage direct current of 3 - 8V; the power supply is a boost power supply, with a pulse generating circuit inside, converting the low-voltage direct current output by the power supply part into a high-voltage pulse that can drive the plasma, or a sine inverter circuit, converting the low-voltage direct current output by the power supply part into a high-voltage sine signal that can drive the plasma.

[0030] The present invention also proposes a plasma generation method realized by the above-mentioned hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma comb, including the following steps:

[0031] (1) The adsorption-type air water capture module captures water molecules in the ambient air;

[0032] (2) An SDBD structure cold plasma generation unit is adopted. The small amount of heat energy generated during the cold plasma generation process is used to promote the desorption of water molecules in the hygroscopic material, increase the water molecule content in the discharge area, and thus increase the amount of hydroxyl radicals generated during the cold plasma generation process.

[0033] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0034] 1) This invention adopts an SDBD structure, which has a large discharge area and is less restricted by ambient humidity during the discharge process, and can form cold plasma with high hydroxyl content more stably and efficiently; the electrode structure designed in this invention can improve discharge uniformity, avoid local overheating, and ensure that the temperature of the discharge area during the discharge process is slightly higher than room temperature, providing power for water molecule desorption.

[0035] 2) This invention uses an adsorption-type air-water-capturing material, which uses temperature difference to capture / release water molecules in the air. No additional energy input is required, and there is no need to equip it with water storage containers, atomizers, or other modules. The overall structure is simple and easy to operate.

[0036] 3) This invention increases the water molecule content in the cold plasma discharge region, thereby promoting the generation of hydroxyl radicals in the cold plasma, thus improving the bactericidal effect of the cold plasma. It can be practically applied in the efficient sterilization and care of pet hair, and has broad prospects. Attached Figure Description

[0037] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a hydroxyl-enhanced plasma comb according to the present invention.

[0038] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a cold plasma generator according to the present invention.

[0039] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of another cold plasma generator structure according to the present invention.

[0040] Figure 4 The effect of the hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma generator of the present invention on bacterial survival rate Detailed Implementation

[0041] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. Specific Implementation Example 1

[0043] This embodiment provides a hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma comb, which improves the sterilization efficiency of cold plasma pet combs. See also Figure 1The cold plasma comb provided in this embodiment includes an adsorption-type air water capture module 1, comb teeth 2, comb body 3, switch 4, fan 5, charging port 6, cold plasma generator 7, fixing part 8, power supply unit 9, power supply 10, cover plate 11, etc.

[0044] The adsorption-type air water-capturing module 1 can have a mesh-like or disc-like structure, and can be embedded in the comb body 3 or attached to the outside of the comb body 3. The adsorption-type air water-capturing module 1 is equipped with a hygroscopic material for capturing water molecules in the air, which can be a single or mixed material such as a polymer material, a porous material, or a salt complex. The polymer material can be a polystyrene polymer with capillary action, sodium polyacrylate, etc. The porous material can be a silica gel mesh, activated carbon mesh, carbon nanospheres, nanofibers, molecular sieves, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), etc. The salt complex can be a halide salt such as LiCl, LiBr, MgCl2, CaCl2, etc. Preferably, a composite material made of MOFs, Co2Cl2, etc., combined with an insulating substrate and a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) protective layer, is used to obtain a mesh-like adsorption-type air water-capturing module, which achieves efficient moisture absorption. Its desorption temperature is slightly higher than room temperature, and water molecules can be efficiently desorbed in an environment slightly higher than room temperature provided by SDBD cold plasma.

[0045] The comb teeth 2 are arranged at intervals at the bottom of the comb body 3, and the length can be 10-30mm. The material can be flexible insulating material such as PDMS, silicone rubber, gel, polyurethane, silicone, rubber, or insulating rigid material.

[0046] The comb body 3 can be made of plastic.

[0047] The switch 4 is connected to the power supply unit 9 and the power supply 10 via a power line, and is used to turn on or off the supply of low-voltage DC power to the power supply 10.

[0048] The fan 5 can promote the diffusion of cold plasma to the object being treated and improve the efficiency of the active particles.

[0049] The charging port 6 can be a micro-USB, type-C or other interface, and is connected to the power supply unit 9 via a power cord for battery charging.

[0050] The cold plasma generator 7 can be used in one or more groups, and its distribution on the comb body can be centered or arranged in an array; see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 2 , Figure 3 The cold plasma generator 3 has an SDBD structure, including a dielectric layer 12, a first plasma electrode 13, and a second plasma electrode 14, and can be fabricated using processes such as printed circuit board, screen printing, and vacuum sputtering.

[0051] The dielectric layer 12 can be an insulating material such as alumina ceramics, fiberglass epoxy resin (FR4), quartz glass, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimide, silicone rubber, fluororubber, polyether ether ketone, etc. The thickness can be several tens of micrometers to several millimeters, and the size specification of the dielectric layer 12 is not less than that of the first and second plasma electrodes;

[0052] Both the first and second plasma electrodes are made of conductive materials and are connected to the power supply 10 through power lines. The two are separated by the insulating dielectric layer 12, and the cold plasma is formed in the air gap around the first plasma electrode;

[0053] The structure of the first plasma electrode 13 can be selected from structures with regular arrangements such as "field" shape, S shape, honeycomb, square, circle, etc., to improve the discharge uniformity, avoid local overheating, ensure that the temperature of the discharge area during the discharge process is slightly higher than room temperature, and provide momentum for water molecule desorption; Preferably, Figure 2 A "field" - shaped discharge structure is given, Figure 3 An S - shaped discharge structure is given;

[0054] The second plasma electrode 14 can be a flat plate, mesh, etc. structure; Preferably, the second plasma electrode 14 is sealed with an insulating layer and embedded in the dielectric layer 12;

[0055] The fixing member 8 is provided with a groove with one open side for fixing components such as the cold plasma generator 7 and the fan 5. The fixing member 8 can be a non - conductive heat - resistant material such as plastic, PDMS, silicone rubber, etc.;

[0056] The power supply unit 9 can be powered by a button battery, lithium battery, dry battery, etc., and outputs low - voltage direct current of 3 - 8V; Preferably, a rechargeable lithium battery is used and is used in conjunction with the charging port 6;

[0057] The power supply 10 is a boost power supply, and its internal part can be a pulse generation circuit that converts the low - voltage direct current output by the power supply unit into a high - voltage pulse that can drive the plasma; It can be a sine inverter circuit that converts the low - voltage direct current output by the power supply unit into a high - voltage sine signal that can drive the plasma; Preferably, a sine inverter circuit is selected, and a sine wave with an amplitude of 1.0 - 3.0 kV and a frequency of 5 - 20 kHz is output;

[0058] The cover plate 11 can be an insulating material such as plastic, ceramic, glass, rubber, silica gel, etc.;

[0059] The plasma comb can work in the following 3 methods:

[0060] 1) Use the adsorption - type air water capture module 1 to increase the water molecule content in the cold plasma discharge area. The cold plasma generator 7 can form a cold plasma containing a high concentration of hydroxyl radicals, and the fan 5 is used or not used to promote the diffusion of the active components in the cold plasma to the object to be treated;

[0061] 2) Without the adsorption-type air water capture module 1, the cold plasma generated by the cold plasma generator 7 can directly contact the hair / skin. The use / non-use of the fan 5 promotes the diffusion of the active components in the cold plasma to the object being treated.

[0062] 3) Replace the adsorption-type air water-collecting module 1 with a mesh module that has no water-collecting properties. The cold plasma generator 7 does not come into direct contact with the object being treated. Use / do not use the fan 5 to promote the diffusion of the active components in the cold plasma to the object being treated.

[0063] This invention proposes a hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma generation method and a plasma comb based on this method, which can capture and release water molecules in the air without a driving source, significantly improving the sterilization efficiency of cold plasma. The device requires no air pump, water storage container, or other components, is simple to operate, portable, has a long service life, and high reliability. All the above-mentioned disassembly and reassembly techniques fall within the scope of protection of this invention. Specific Implementation Example 2

[0065] An S-type electrode was used as the first plasma electrode, with a power input of 2.0 kV and a 13.0 kHz sine wave. *E. coli* ATCC25922 bacterial suspension was used as the test object. 100 μL of the bacterial suspension sample was evenly spread onto agar medium, and the medium after spreading served as the test sample group. The sample group treated with a hydroxyl-enhanced plasma generator was the experimental group, and the sample group treated with a plasma generator without an adsorption-type air-water trapping module was the control group. Both generators were placed horizontally above the culture medium, with a distance of 20 mm between them and the upper surface of the medium, and the treatment time was 1 min. Each sample group was tested three times in repeated experiments. After treatment, the samples were incubated at 37℃ and counted. The test results are shown below. Figure 4 Test results show that the hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma generation method can further improve the sterilization efficiency of cold plasma.

[0066] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma comb, characterized in that, It includes an adsorption air water capture module, comb teeth, a comb body, a switch, a fan, a charging port, a cold plasma generator, a power supply unit and a power source; The adsorption air water capture module is embedded in the comb body or attached to the outside of the comb body, and is provided with a hygroscopic material for capturing water molecules in the air; the comb teeth are arranged at intervals at the bottom of the comb body; the switch is connected to the power supply unit and the power source through a power cord, and is used to turn on or stop providing low-voltage direct current for the power source; the charging port is connected to the power supply unit through a power cord, and the cold plasma generator is one group or multiple groups, and the distribution mode on the comb body is centered and arranged in an array; the cold plasma generator is a surface dielectric barrier discharge structure, including an insulating dielectric layer, a first plasma electrode and a second plasma electrode. The first and second plasma electrodes are both made of conductive materials and are connected to the power source through a power cord. The two are separated by the insulating dielectric layer, and the cold plasma is formed in the air gap around the first plasma electrode.

2. The hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma comb according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adsorption air water capture module is of a mesh or disc-shaped structure.

3. The hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma comb according to claim 1, characterized in that, The adsorption air water capture module is provided with a hygroscopic material for capturing water molecules in the air. The hygroscopic material is any one or combination of porous physical adsorption type materials and chemical hygroscopic type materials; the porous material is silica gel net, activated carbon net, carbon nanosphere, nanofiber, molecular sieve, metal-organic framework compound or covalent organic framework material.

4. A hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma comb according to claim 1, characterized in that, The length of the comb teeth is 10~30 mm, and the material is silicone rubber insulating material.

5. A hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma comb according to claim 1, characterized in that, The comb body is made of plastic.

6. A hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma comb according to claim 1, characterized in that, The dielectric layer is alumina ceramic, glass fiber epoxy resin, quartz glass, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyimide, silicone rubber, fluororubber or polyether ether ketone insulating material, and the thickness can be from dozens of micrometers to several millimeters, and the size specification of the dielectric layer is not less than that of the first and second plasma electrodes.

7. A hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma comb according to claim 1, characterized in that, The structure of the first plasma electrode is selected from the structures of "field" character, S shape, honeycomb, square or circular regular arrangement.

8. A hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma comb according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second plasma electrode is of a flat or mesh structure; the second plasma electrode is sealed with an insulating layer and embedded in the dielectric layer.

9. A hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma comb according to claim 1, characterized in that, It further includes a fixing member, and the fixing member is provided with a groove with an open side for fixing the cold plasma generator and the fan. The material is plastic, PDMS or silicone rubber non-conductive heat-resistant material.

10. A hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma comb according to claim 1, characterized in that, The power supply unit is a button battery, a lithium battery or a dry battery, and outputs low-voltage direct current of 3~8 V; the power source is a boost power source, and the internal is a pulse generation circuit, which converts the low-voltage direct current output by the power supply unit into a high-voltage pulse that can drive the plasma, or is a sine inverter circuit, which converts the low-voltage direct current output by the power supply unit into a high-voltage sine signal that can drive the plasma.

11. A plasma generation method using a hydroxyl-enhanced cold plasma comb according to any one of claims 1-10, characterized in that, It includes the following steps: (1) The adsorption air water capture module captures water molecules in the ambient air; (2) Adopt a cold plasma generation unit with an SDBD structure, and utilize the small amount of heat energy generated during the formation of cold plasma to promote the desorption of water molecules in the hygroscopic material, increase the water molecule content in the discharge area, and further increase the generation amount of hydroxyl radicals during the cold plasma generation process.

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