(46g) Conversion of Benzene Into Small Aliphatic Hydrocarbons In Confined Environment

Abstract. Employing 200 – 1000 ppm benzene (in Ar carrier) as the representative aromatic pollutant, its ready transformation into small aliphatic hydrocarbons (methane, ethylene, acetylene etc. @ > 100 ppm) in the absence of oxygen under atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is presented. These products were confirmed from gas chromatographic (GC-FID & GC-MS) analyses. In these transformations, generation of acetylene is rationalized from symmetric ring-opening type reaction of an excited benzene molecule. On the other hand, substantial generation of methane and a small percentage of ethylene in the absence of any other H-atom source suggests that facile dehydrogenation of a fraction of the benzene also occurs simultaneously. Subsequently, addition of these freed H-atoms takes place on to some C₁ & C₂ (i.e. C₂H₂) moieties from decomposed benzene molecules. The tunablity and use of the DBD setup in relation to various experimental parameters like gas flow rate, benzene concentration, electrostatic field strength, reduced electric field etc. without and with mesoporous molecular sieve packing within the discharge zone is highlighted in these studies. Results suggest DBD with packing may contribute in the current efforts of tuning of a pollutant’s alteration towards usable products vis-à-vis its mitigation.