Open position: Bachelor thesis
Plasma-Driven Catalytic Oxidation of n-Butane: over MnO₂, CaO, and Composite Catalysts in Microarray Reactors
The combination of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma and catalysts offers a promising avenue for hydrocarbon conversion, particularly for n-butane oxidation. Plasma generates highly reactive species, such as radicals and ions, that can activate reaction pathways unavailable under conventional catalytic conditions. Understanding how plasma modifies catalyst surfaces and how catalysts influence plasma reactivity is critical for optimizing these systems. MnO₂, known for its redox properties, and CaO, valued for its basicity, provide an ideal platform for exploring these synergistic effects.
This project focuses on the plasma-assisted oxidation of n-butane over catalysts, utilizing a microarray DBD reactor. Reaction products will be analyzed in detail using FTIR spectroscopy to determine conversion rates and product distributions. This approach enables a detailed examination of the plasma-catalyst synergy and its impact on n-butane oxidation. By varying plasma parameters and catalyst compositions, the study aims to uncover how plasma modifies catalytic behavior and how catalysts, in turn, influence plasma chemistry. In addition, the study will also measure the voltage, current, and charge during discharge to quantitatively characterize plasma parameters.
MnO₂ acts as an oxidation-reduction catalyst in the reaction, which can promote the C-H bond cleavage of n-butane by providing active oxygen species (such as surface oxygen or oxygen vacancies), thereby enhancing the reaction activity. CaO, with its strong alkalinity, can effectively adsorb and activate hydrocarbon molecules, reduce reaction energy barriers, and further optimize product distribution. The electrical parameters can directly reflect the intensity and characteristics of plasma discharge, closely related to the active species generated by plasma, and are the basis for understanding the interaction between plasma and catalysts. FTIR spectroscopy can quantitatively detect gas-phase reaction products and deeply study the synergistic effect of plasma catalysts and their influence on the n-butane oxidation reaction pathway.
Contact person:
Yue Cheng (NB 5/172),
Judith Golda (NB 5/127),
Prerequisites:
Previous knowledge of plasma physics is desirable, but not required
When?: By arrangement
Laboratory tour: NB 5/172