Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Cold plasma, the fourth state of matter, has found significant applications in sectors such as material sciences and medicine. Its application in the food and agriculture sector remains in its infancy because of the novel nature of the technology and the availability of equipment to conduct experiments at a scale suitable for the sector. Current cold-plasma research in food and agriculture at Auburn University is limited because of a cold-plasma machine with a small jet (2-3 mm dia), restricting the size/quantity of substrate (2-5 mm dia or approximately 2-3 g) exposed to the plasma. Existing technology cannot be used in bulk applications, which is important for our stakeholders. We propose the acquisition of a cold plasma machine (Tetra150) that can generate plasma in large volumes and treat bulk quantities (up to 5 kg) of products. The equipment will build upon the PI's previous research and be used collaboratively by researchers conducting basic and applied research in food and feed microbiology and chemistry, poultry nutrition, plant seed biochemistry, and biosystems engineering. Procuring the equipment will enable multidisciplinary researchers and students to research the application of cold plasma and enable us to apply for larger grants to commodity groups, associations, and federal agencies. The ultimate goal is to establish the Center for Applied Cold Plasma for Societal Benefit at Auburn University.
Animal Health Component
70%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
30%
Applied
70%
Developmental
0%
Goals / Objectives
Procure and install cold plasma technology at Auburn University.
Project Methods
We have procured a quote from the cold plasma machine manufacturer. Once the money is disbursed, the company will install the system at Auburn University by December 2024.