Characterization of an electrothermal plasma with polymer and metal source materials

Summary form only given. Pulsed electrothermal (ET) plasma sources were originally used as ignition sources for electrothermal chemical weapons and secondary rail gun armature. An ET system consists of a discharge capacitor and accompanying electronics. The capacitor discharges through an electrode, normally comprised of tungsten, which sends current to ground through an insulating liner. The liner can be any insulating material that is subject to dissociation and ablation due to joule heating.