Enhancing Plasma‐Activated Water Generation and Bacterial Inactivation Using a Porous Foam Ceramic‐Packed Dielectric Barrier Discharge Reactor

ABSTRACT This study introduces an advanced dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor incorporating 3D‐printed porous foam ceramics (PFC) with pore sizes ranging from 0.9 to 2.45 mm, designed for efficient plasma‐activated water (PAW) production. The integration of PFC significantly reduces discharge thresholds, with smaller pore sizes enabling more uniform microdischarges and higher concentrations of reactive species. Pulsed discharge outperforms alternating current (AC) discharge in generating ozone and reactive species, whereas AC discharge achieves superior bacterial inactivation. The sterilization mechanism is attributed to the synergistic effects of direct plasma discharge, liquid‐phase reactive species, and the acidic environment of PAW. Overall, this reactor represents a highly efficient solution for PAW generation and bacterial inactivation, demonstrating strong potential for further optimization and industrial‐scale applications.