Beam–Plasma Discharge in Space and in a Lab

The process and applications of a specific type of gaseous discharge—beam–plasma discharge (BPD)—are reviewed. A brief survey of the BPD theory is presented. The basic features of BPD in active geophysical experiments with injection of electron beams into Earth’s ionosphere are discussed. Studies of the physics of BPD have revealed the effects successively applied in plasma technology for processing nanoelectronic materials and structures.

An increase of the mechanical strength and hardness of polymeric materials radiation-crosslinked by X-ray radiation from an gaseous electric discharge

The problem of investigation of mechanical and electrophysical properties of polymeric materials crosslinked by X-ray radiation from a gaseous electric discharge is considered. The effect of radiation crosslinking on the mechanical strength and hardness of polymers is presented by the example of samples of various thicknesses (from 0.08 mm to 10 mm) of LDPE and HDPE made using crosslinking technology by X-ray radiation from a barrier gaseous electric discharge proposed in [1]. Experimental data obtained on samples of low molecular weight LDPE-107-02K and high molecular weight HDPE-271-82K made in the form of dumbbell, cut in accordance with GOST IEC 60811-2-1 from PE plates, are considered. To study the electrophysical properties and the depth of semi-absorption of X-ray radiation from gaseous electric discharge, LDPE and HDPE samples in the form of disks of different thicknesses were used.The depth of penetration of X-ray radiation from a gaseous discharge into LDPE-107-02K and HDPE-271-82K was estimated.Comparative studies of changes in the electrophysical properties of mechanical strength and hardness of cable LDPE under the influence of X-ray radiation from gaseous discharge and under the influence of an electron beam are carried out.It is shown that the mechanical strength and hardness of LDPE and HDPE can be increased by at least 30% and 60% respectively via radiation crosslinking by X-ray from a gaseous discharge.