An experimental study of the degradation of particles in complex plasma

Changes of melamine–formaldehyde resin (MF-R) particles occurring in complex dusty plasma have been investigated. Using a specially developed method, plasma-modified MF-R particles have been extracted from a dust trap after levitation for various periods of time and studied by electron microscopy techniques. Changes in the surface structure of MF-R particles are determined, and quantitative data on the variation in particle dimensions depending on the time of occurrence in plasma are obtained.