Plasma Innovation Lab., led by Distinguished Prof. YU-LIN KUO, primarily focuses on key technology—Atmospheric Pressure Plasma (APP) technology. Traditional plasma processes typically operate under low-pressure environments, requiring expensive vacuum chambers and pumps to maintain such conditions. This not only increases costs but also significantly reduces the processing capacity per unit time and raises maintenance expenses for the equipment. However, APP technology can generate stable plasma without the need for vacuum equipment, simplifying device structures and reducing operational and maintenance costs. Additionally, workpieces are no longer limited by the size of the vacuum chamber, allowing for continuous operation and greatly enhancing processing efficiency. Compared to traditional low-pressure plasma, APP technology significantly expands the range of plasma applications.

Currently, APP technology has been applied in various industries, particularly in jet plasma systems, which have gained attention due to their non-thermal plasma characteristics and ease of integration into production lines. Typical atmospheric pressure plasma systems are arc plasma torches, corona discharges, dielectric barrier discharges (DBD), atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ), and microplasma. The PI Lab. is actively developing APP technology to replace traditional methods. At this stage, various plasma nozzles and spray heads have been developed, including fixed and rotating atmospheric pressure plasma nozzles, to meet the needs of different processing technologies. Additionally, various working gases, such as air, nitrogen (N2), argon (Ar), hydrogen (H2), methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), etc., can be used for specific applications. The concept utilizing APP technology is to elucidate the "Plasma-Substrate Interaction", which refers to the processes that occur when a plasma (a partially ionized gas containing ions, electrons, and neutral particles) comes into contact with a material surface (the substrate). This interaction is crucial in various applications, including materials processing, surface treatment, and thin film deposition. 

Research Interests: 

1. Surface Treatments: Hardening for Wear and Impact, Hydrophilic Modification for Biomedical Engineering, Surface Alteration for Heat Dispatch, Hydrophilic Modification of Energy Electrodes for Li-ion Batteries, Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries, and Zn-Air Battery, Hydrophilic Modification of Filter Materials for Seawater Desalination, IC Package for BGA Process and Cu-Cu Bonding.

2. Powder Formation and Coating Processes: Energy Materials (Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, Li-ion Batteries, Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries), Recovery of Valuable Metals.

3. Air Quality Control: VOC Decomposition, Algae Growth for Carbon Capture.

4. Others: Capture Storage Utilization (CCSU)

Reports: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fR3jjJ7quEm0P1-EYBrCAreZ_ZWMIkyb/view

PI lab. assists partner companies in the research and development of equipment components related to APP technology and provides application technology improvement solutions and optimization settings for equipment parameters. Research results show that the working temperature produced by different plasma nozzles varies significantly. The fixed plasma nozzle generates a higher working temperature, which may allow for surface modification of metal materials, while the rotating plasma nozzle can produce working temperatures below 100°C, making it suitable for surface treatment of polymer materials without causing thermal damage. To enhance the application of plasma, the APP system can also be integrated with robotic arms through plasma nozzle adapters, enabling surface treatment of multidimensional products.