Plasma-assisted catalysis for the destruction of CFC-12 in atmospheric pressure gas streams using TiO2.

A non-thermal, atmospheric pressure plasma with a titanium dioxide catalyst were combined to destroy difluorochloromethane, CCl₂F₂, (CFC-12) in gas streams of nitrogen and air using two configurations; one where the catalyst was incorporated directly into the plasma and the other where the catalyst was downstream of the plasma. The single stage reactor, in both gas streams, gave significant enhancement of the CFC-12 destruction with high energy efficiency. Both configurations decreased NOx production when processing in air. No loss in catalyst surface area or activity was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]