Application-Oriented Plasma Research on ISS
This topical team are looking at the many practical applications that space based plasma research can give; the goal of this research is to extend the plasma physics work carried out under other proposals into the applications domain. The plasmas to be used are chemically reactive. In the first stage, the main scientific and technological issues to be explored are: (1) Volume-based nucleation and growth of dust particles. Possible gases are silane (applications for solar cells, flat panel displays, etc.), and CH4/N2 mixtures of astro-physical relevance. (2) Surface processing of particles injected in the plasma. The thus-modified particles will have tailored enhanced properties, with applications in the areas of catalysis, opto-magnetical data storage, ceramics, and pharmaceuticals. It is expected that this work will open up new and optimised ground-based technolgies, with numerous high-added value applications in the field of Energy an Environment, Information and Communications Technologies, Biotechnology, and Medicine.
U.K Based researchers involved in this project
J.Allen
Jeremy
Curtis, UK Microgravity Co-ordinator
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
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