Plasma Catalysis for the Abatement of Hydrocarbons

Plasma Catalysis for the Abatement of Hydrocarbons 6.4.1. Propane andpropene 

The use of plasma catalysis can increase the energy efficiency of the abatement process for both propane and propene, but the effect of the addition of a catalyst is modest in the case of propane processing but quite dramatic for propene, as shown in Fig. 6.8, where 100% destruction can be achieved at a plasma energy density of 20 J litre The equivalent destruction for propene in the absence of a catalyst at this energy would be only 50%. In both cases, the most effective material was found to be y-alumina which may result from reactions involving surface OH species as was seen for DCM and also the effectiveness of y-alumina as an absorbent which will increase the processing time within the plasma. 

Oxygen atom attack will initiate the surface decomposition of the phenyl radical 

Surface analysis shows that the oxidation state of the manganese oxide changes from Mn203 to Mn304 in the discharge and that this form has a better oxidising capacity for toluene. 

---