Liquid micro-droplet effects in a plasma

This essay describes the current state of research into micrometre-scale liquid droplets in an ionised gas, usually referred to as a plasma. Such systems are a common occurrence in industrial processes, but have received little interest until recently. Electrostatic breakup is a significant mechanism for disrupting these droplets, but the effect of many plasma parameters on this mechanism has not yet been studied. My PhD project is primarily concerned with developing existing theories of electrostatic breakup of these liquid micro-droplets. I also intend to study the dynamics of microdroplets in plasma. Some preliminary results for droplet breakup in an electric field are presented here, before discussing key areas for future work.