Floating double probe characteristics of non-thermal plasmas in the presence of zeolite

• Published in: Journal of electrostatics Vol. 54; no. 2; pp. 149 - 158
• Main Authors: Liu, Chang-jun, Wang, Jia-xin, Yu, Kai-lu, Eliasson, Baldur, Xia, Qing, Xue, Bingzhang, Zhang, Yu-hang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.02.2002
• Subjects: Double-probe characteristic; Glow discharge; Langmuir probe; Non-thermal plasma; Plasma chemical processing; Zeolite; Double-probe characteristic; Langmuir probe; Non-thermal plasma; Zeolite; Glow discharge; Plasma chemical processing
• ISSN: 0304-3886; 1873-5738
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3886(01)00173-5

The combination of catalyst and non-thermal plasmas has led to some unusual chemical behaviors, especially with zeolite catalyst. A mechanism has been proposed to explain the observed interaction between catalyst and non-thermal plasmas. This mechanism includes two aspects: plasma promoted or induced catalysis and catalyst enhanced non-equilibrium of non-thermal plasmas. In this paper, we present some direct experimental evidence for the catalyst (zeolite)-enhanced non-equilibrium of non-thermal plasmas suggesting the use of zeolite increases, significantly, the electron temperature of non-thermal plasmas, while the gas temperature remains unchanged. A floating double-probe characteristic has been utilized to measure the electron temperature. Compared to the case without zeolite, the electron temperature of non-thermal plasmas with Mo-Zn/HZSM-5 increases up to 250%, while, at the same time, the discharge power reduces 58%, compared to that without zeolite.