Plasma lab at industry's service

"Plasma is known as the fourth state of matter, is when a gas "such as neon or argon- receives energy in the form of an electric field and gets unbalanced; in other words, when electrons are taken away, there remain both positively and negatively charged particles. The gas remains, then, highly reactive, easily responding to any given situation", explained professor and researcher Pedro José Arango, Physics of the Plasma Lab director.

This characteristic is used to conceive experiments aiming to make the most of plasma"s industrials applications, not only to create coatings that change the surface of a tool and enhance its duration, but to create biocompatible coatings and biomedical applications.

 "Right now we are developing different types of research, three of them are essential within the group: the first one consist of mercury and titanium-chrome coatings; the second one of carbon nitride -applicable to coronary systems implemented in patients suffering from artery obstruction-; the last type of coating is the one known as osseointegrator, such as dental implants," explained Arango.

Undergraduate students usually incorporate the laboratory by studying the subject in depth. Graduate participate with projects sponsored by the University or Colciencias (national department of science, technology and information). PhD students expand applied research directly to the industry.