Abstract
Plasma of nanosecond surface dielectric barrier discharges (nSDBD) was suggested as a source for plasma assisted ignition/combustion (PAI/PAC) [1]. The streamer-to-filament transition was first reported in air with a copper electrode as the cathode [2] and then the transition was studied in different gas mixtures at elevated pressures with the same copper cathode on PVC dielectric surface [3] and ceramic surface [4]. In this work, nSDBD has been studied experimentally [3–4]. Three different carbon nanomaterials, namely nanotubes, nanofibers and nanowalls were synthesized on the copper foil served as high voltage electrode [5]. It was identified in air, the streamer-to-filament transition for negative polarity happens at lower voltage for the electrodes with carbon nanomaterials at lower pressures while in nitrogen, the transition at negative polarity happens at higher voltage for the electrodes with carbon nanomaterials at higher pressures. Significant difference of the transition behaviour in different nanomaterial conditions has been observed.