On-Demand F2 Gas Generation via Plasma Excitation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The handling and use of F2 gas for surface modification are challenging due to its toxicity, hazardousness, and reactivity, making it difficult to store and transport, and existing methods either generate low concentrations or require stable materials for equipment exposure.
Innovation Solution
Generating F2 gas from a fluoro compound by exciting it under reduced pressure and then raising the pressure to normal or overpressure to deactivate the active species, allowing for safe and efficient surface modification using a safer, more manageable fluoro compound.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If F2 gas is used for surface modification, then surface treatment effectiveness is improved, but safety and handling difficulty worsen due to toxicity, hazardousness, and reactivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a fluoro compound as an intermediary substance that can be safely stored and transported, then converted to F2 gas on-demand through plasma excitation. This mediator approach allows handling the safe precursor instead of hazardous F2 gas directly, while still achieving the desired surface modification效果
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares F2 gas on-demand through plasma excitation of fluoro compound immediately before surface treatment, rather than storing large amounts of F2 gas in advance. This preliminary generation approach ensures F2 is available when needed while minimizing storage and handling of hazardous material
2Ease of operation
If plasma excitation is performed at or near atmospheric pressure, then operational simplicity and safety are improved, but F2 gas concentration and decomposition efficiency worsen to considerably low levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the process into two distinct pressure zones: a first zone at reduced pressure for plasma excitation and F2 generation, and a second zone at atmospheric pressure for surface treatment. This segmentation allows each stage to operate under optimal conditions - high concentration generation in vacuum, safe handling at atmospheric pressure
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the pressure parameter between different process stages - performing plasma excitation at reduced pressure to achieve high decomposition efficiency and F2 concentration, then raising pressure to atmospheric for safe surface treatment. This parameter change optimizes both generation efficiency and operational safety
3Productivity
If F2 gas is stored and transported in large amounts, then surface modification capability is improved, but storage and transportation difficulty worsen due to reactivity and corrosiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The fluoro compound serves as a safe intermediary that can be stored and transported easily, then converted to F2 gas on-demand. This eliminates the need to store and transport large amounts of hazardous F2 gas while maintaining the capability to perform surface modification when needed
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of storing F2 gas in advance, the system prepares it on-demand through plasma excitation of the fluoro compound immediately before use. This ensures F2 is available for surface modification while avoiding the storage and transportation hazards entirely
4Reliability
If plasma is used for surface treatment, then surface modification effectiveness is improved, but article damage worsens due to plasma penetration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses F2 gas as an intermediary between plasma and the article surface. The F2 gas delivers fluorine atoms for surface modification without the penetrating damage caused by plasma, achieving effective surface treatment while protecting the article from plasma-induced damage
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the harmful penetrating plasma into beneficial F2 gas that provides surface modification without damage. The plasma's energy is used to generate F2, which then performs the surface treatment in a controlled, non-penetrating manner
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method allows for the preparation of F2 gas in sufficient concentration for surface modification, eliminating the need for large-scale storage of hazardous F2 gas and enabling safe, efficient surface treatment of materials.
Implementation Method 1
exciting at least one fluoro compound in a fluoro compound-containing gas by conferring energy on the fluoro compound-containing gas under reduced pressure
Implementation Method 2
decompose it and generate a halogen or hydrogen halide
Implementation Method 3
raising the pressure to a normal pressure or overpressure condition to substantially wholly deactivate the generated active species
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides processes and equipments for safely and easily preparing an F2-containing gas, as well as processes and equipments for surface modification using the F2-containing gas prepared.According to the present invention, a gas containing a fluoro compound that is easier to handle than F2 is supplied and the fluoro compound is excited and decomposed to convert it into F2 gas before surface modification and then used for surface modification. According to the present invention, there is no necessity of providing, storing and transporting a large amount of F2 gas in advance because a necessary amount of F2 gas is obtained immediately before surface modification.A process for preparing an F2-containing gas comprises the steps of exciting at least one fluoro compound in a fluoro compound-containing gas by conferring energy on the fluoro compound-containing gas under reduced pressure; and partially or completely converting the excited fluoro compound-containing gas containing the excited fluoro compound into F2 under normal pressure or overpressure.