Microwave Plasma Cleaning for Sustainable and Low‐Waste Manufacturing: Principles, Technologies, and Environmental Implications

Key Points

• This review aims to elucidate the principles and mechanisms of microwave plasma cleaning in manufacturing by analyzing its effectiveness compared to conventional methods.
• Examined principles of microwave plasma generation and ionization of gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and hydrogen.
• Discussed reactor components for plasma stability including waveguides and quartz discharge tubes.
• Compared microwave plasma systems to direct current and radio frequency systems regarding efficiency and effectiveness.
• Microwave plasma demonstrated higher electron density and ionization efficiency than other plasma systems.
• Enabled rapid surface activation and effective decomposition of organic residues while minimizing solvent use and waste.
• Displayed significant reductions in wastewater generation and pollutant emissions compared to traditional methods.

Abstract