Naphthalene Decomposition by Dielectric Barrier Discharges at Atmospheric Pressure

Naphthalene decomposition in O-2/ N-2 gas mixture with different O-2 concentrations has been studied in a dielectric barrier discharge reactor at atmospheric pressure. O-2 played an important role in the decomposition of naphthalene, especially in the selectivities of CO and CO2. There was an optimal naphthalene decomposition rate at an O-2 concentration of about 3%. The COx selectivity increased up to 83.3% gradually with the O-2 concentration increasing from 1% to 20%. Nanoparticles were found in the gas samples, concentrations of which can be reduced greatly through raising the O-2 concentration. The decomposition byproducts of naphthalene were obviously different under different O-2 concentrations. Some nitrogenous compounds reduced but some oxygenous compounds increased with increasing O-2 concentration. The mechanism of naphthalene decomposition was proposed as that naphthalene was first initiated by dehydrogenation and oxidation, and then followed by deep oxidation to CO and CO2.