Decomposition of trifluoromethane in a dielectric barrier discharge non-thermal plasma reactor

The decomposition of trifluoromethane (CHF₃) was carried out using non-thermal plasma generated in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor. The effects of reactor temperature, electric power, initial concentration and oxygen content were examined. The DBD reactor was able to completely destroy CHF₃ with alumina beads as a packing material. The decomposition efficiency increased with increasing electric power and reactor temperature. The destruction of CHF₃ gradually increased with the addition of O₂ up to 2%, but further increase in the oxygen content led to a decrease in the decomposition efficiency. The degradation pathways were explained with the identified by-products. The main by-products from CHF₃ were found to be COF₂, CF₄, CO₂ and CO although the COF₂ and CF₄ disappeared when the plasma were combined with alumina catalyst.