Selectivity Control in a Microwave Surface-Wave Plasma Reactor for Hydrocarbon Conversion

Abstract

Drastic changes in the selectivity toward different products have been found in the transformation of n-hexane in a microwave surface-wave plasma reactor. Either ethylene or hydrogen can be obtained with a high selectivity by selecting some reaction/plasma parameters such as applied microwave power, hydrocarbon flow rate, or feed position. These results have been related to alternative plasma-chemical routes revealing the high versatility of surface-wave sustained discharges for the fine control of the hydrocarbon reactivity and so opening the door to new selective plasma-chemical processes.