Spectroscopic Analysis Of Dielectric Barrier Discharge

Abstract

Particularly in uses like textile production, where effective low-frequency plasma generation is essential, dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) have great industrial promise. This work generated a DBD plasma in ambient air using a 50 Hz AC power supply linked to a Variac for voltage control, via an asymmetric structure of conductive electrodes separated by a dielectric layer. Fast breakdown into several micro-discharges results from the system ionizing the air space between the electrodes. Investigating charge transfer kinetics, changes in discharge power as a function of input AC voltage (up to 10 kV) and the effect of dielectric barrier thickness on plasma properties were the main goals. Under atmospheric pressure, spectral data obtained in the 300–600 nm region were used in optical emission spectroscopy (OES) to investigate the plasma characteristics. Selected for estimating electron temperature using the line intensity ratio approach, emission lines belonging to neutral nitrogen (N-I) and ionized nitrogen (N-II) were detected including the N-I transitions at 409.9 nm (3p_[3/2] 3s_[3/2]) and 390.01 nm (5p_[3/2] 3s_[3/2]). Integrating across their spectral profiles and normalizing with the instrument's sensitivity response helped estimate the strengths of these lines. By means of relative intensities of the N-I line at 390.01 nm and the N-II ionic transition at 366.38 nm ([4s] [3p]) electron number density was calculated. Results showed that the low-frequency operation (50 Hz) and controlled discharge parameters minimized energy consumption while achieving effective decolorizing of stubborn industrial dyes, suggesting that DBD plasma systems offer a competitive and sustainable alternative for degrading complicated pollutants. Short processing periods, scalability, and atmospheric condition adaptation help to position this technology as a potential option for industrial uses needing effective material treatment without significant energy input. Further optimization of dielectric thickness and voltage parameters might improve plasma homogeneity and process efficiency, therefore increasing the application in industrial and environmental sectors.