College of Science & Engineering
Twin Cities
The Plasma Power Propulsion Laboratory (3P Lab) explores the enormous potential of plasmas, especially low-temperature plasmas, towards clean energy production, high-efficiency propulsion, and emission-free transportation. Plasma - ionized gases comprised of ions, electrons, excited species, etc. - holds the key to future energy, environment, and transportation. Even though plasma research has existed for more than a century, the recent technological innovations in power electronics and advanced manufacturing have opened the door to a new world for energy researchers. The 3P Lab uses low-temperature, non-thermal plasmas as a tool to access unconventional pathways to produce energy that is inaccessible to conventional energy systems.
The 3P Lab research team is truly multi-disciplinary, with team members having backgrounds in engineering, physics, materials, chemistry, and data science. The Lab performs cutting-edge research projects like carbon-neutral e-fuels, plasma synthesis, nanoenergetics, power management of hybrid electric vehicles, supersonic and hypersonic propulsion, advanced laser diagnostics and spectroscopy, micro-scale power generation. The Lab’s mission is to develop technologies for reliable, robust, and sustainable clean energy. The Lab utilizes experimental techniques, advanced laser diagnostics, and detailed numerical simulations to develop fundamental as well as applied knowledge of advanced energy systems and low-temperature plasma processes.