Kinetic Analogies Between Decomposition of 1,2-Dichloroethane and Chloroform Under Non-Thermal Reducing RF Plasma Conditions

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The decomposition of 1,2-dichloroethane (1,2-C₂H₄Cl₂) has been studied under non-equilibrium plasma conditions in a low pressure (20 mbar) capacitively coupled rf hydrogen plasma (CCP) operating at low power levels of 1-10 W/cm³ and residence times of 0.03-0.1 s. The qualitative and quantitative distribution of the products analyzed by a GC/MS system has been compared with the product spectrum of the chloroform (CHCl₃) conversion under the same plasma conditions. The observed similarities between the two product spectra are interpreted by kinetic analogies of the non-thermal destruction processes of these two chlorinated hydrocarbons. A corresponding qualitative reaction mechanism basing on elementary radical reactions is discussed.