Area Representative: Prof. André Luis Jesus Pereira
The Plasma Physics area conducts fundamental and applied research on thermal and non-thermal plasmas, with emphasis on the development of plasma-based devices, reactors, processes, and technologies employing electrical discharges. Research activities encompass applications in materials treatment and modification, thin-film deposition, surface engineering, nanotechnology, microelectronics, mechanical engineering, aerospace technologies, energy, dentistry, medicine, environmental remediation, agriculture, food processing, thin-film-based sensors, ozone generation, plasma-activated water, water and wastewater treatment, plasma-assisted combustion, and sustainable technologies based on non-equilibrium plasmas.
Research Lines:
- Non-Thermal Plasma Physics and Technology
- This research line focuses on the development, diagnostics, modeling, and application of non-thermal plasmas, also known as cold plasmas, operating under both low-pressure and atmospheric-pressure conditions. Various electrical discharge configurations are investigated, including radio-frequency plasmas, microwave plasmas, plasma jets, dielectric barrier discharges, plasma-liquid interface discharges, and plasma-assisted processes.
- Research activities include the synthesis, modification, and characterization of materials, surface engineering, thin-film deposition, nanostructuring, micro- and nanofabrication, development of electronic and photonic devices, sensors, surface treatments, biomedical and dental applications, technologies for agriculture and food processing, water and wastewater treatment, ozone production, plasma-activated water generation, and other sustainable technologies based on non-equilibrium plasmas.
- Thermal and High-Enthalpy Plasma Physics and Technology
- This research line encompasses the fundamental study, diagnostics, modeling, development, and application of thermal plasmas, electric arcs, plasma torches, and high-enthalpy flows. Research is focused on materials processing, energy conversion, and aerospace, environmental, industrial, and defense applications.
- Topics include thermal spraying, deposition of refractory coatings, thermal barrier coatings, ablation testing, simulation of extreme environments, development of materials for rocket nozzles, thermal protection systems, and atmospheric reentry vehicles, as well as gasification, waste destruction and conversion, wastewater treatment, and plasma technologies for propulsion, energy, and aerospace applications.
Permanent Professors:
- Prof. Dr. Argemiro Soares da Silva Sobrinho (argemiro@ita.br): Plasma materials processing, thermal plasmas, plasma torches, thermal spraying, materials for aerospace applications, thermal barrier coatings, waste treatment, gasification, and plasma technologies applied to energy, environmental, and aerospace sectors.
- Prof. Dr. André Luis de Jesus Pereira (andreljp@ita.br): Thin films, semiconductor oxides, functional materials, thin-film-based devices, sensors, microdevices, materials characterization, and plasma applications in deposition processes, surface modification, and the development of materials for technological applications.
- Prof. Dr. Homero Santiago Maciel (homero@ita.br): Electrical discharges, fundamentals of cold plasmas, plasma diagnostics, technological applications of non-thermal plasmas, materials processing, thin-film deposition, and the development of plasma reactors and plasma-assisted processes.
- Prof. Dr. Rodrigo Sávio Pessoa (rspessoa@ita.br): Condensed matter physics and plasma physics, low-pressure and atmospheric-pressure cold plasmas, thin-film deposition, surface modification, plasma-liquid interactions, plasma-activated water, and biomedical, dental, environmental, agricultural, and agro-industrial plasma applications.
Plasma and Processes Laboratory (LPP):
The Plasma and Processes Laboratory (LPP) at the Aeronautics Institute of Technology (ITA) brings together researchers, faculty members, students, and collaborators engaged in education, scientific research, technological development, and innovation in Plasma Physics and Technology, Materials Science, and plasma applications for strategic sectors.
The LPP provides a comprehensive experimental infrastructure dedicated to the study of cold plasmas, thermal plasmas, electrical discharges, plasma reactors, plasma torches, plasma-liquid processes, thin-film deposition, surface treatment, nanotechnology, materials characterization, and device development. The laboratory includes facilities for the synthesis, processing, and characterization of nanostructured materials, equipped with advanced instrumentation for the analysis of physicochemical, structural, morphological, optical, and functional properties.
Main Research Activities
- Development of reactors and processes based on cold and thermal plasmas;
- Development, characterization, and application of plasma torches;
- Processing of nanostructured materials in the form of powders, gels, thin films, and coatings;
- Production and investigation of materials for applications in microelectronics, aerospace, energy, environmental technologies, biomedicine, dentistry, agriculture, and food processing;
- Development of sensors, microdevices, electronic devices, photonic devices, and photovoltaic cells;
- Production, characterization, and evaluation of thermal barrier coatings, refractory coatings, materials for rocket nozzles, and atmospheric reentry thermal protection systems;
- Research and development of plasma technologies for propulsion and aerospace systems;
- Gasification, destruction, and conversion of waste for energy generation, environmental remediation, and wastewater treatment;
- Plasma diagnostics using optical emission spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, electrostatic probes, electrical measurements, and other experimental techniques;
- Development of technologies based on ozone, plasma-activated water, and plasma-liquid processes;
- Applications of cold plasmas in textiles, bioengineering, healthcare, dentistry, agriculture, food processing, water treatment, and sustainability.
For further information, please visit the Plasma and Processes Laboratory (LPP).