Non‐Thermal Plasma and TiO 2 ‐Assisted n ‐Heptane Decomposition

Summary: We studied the decomposition of n ‐heptane by DC hollow‐needle‐to‐mesh electrical discharge with or without a TiO 2 photocatalyst. The discharge was enhanced by flowing air or a mixture of air with n ‐heptane through the needle. The experiments with photocatalyst were performed with a TiO 2 ‐coated stainless steel mesh and with a mesh covered with TiO 2 globules. In each of these cases, the efficiency of n ‐heptane decomposition increases with increasing energy density. A maximum decomposition efficiency of 50.4% was obtained for the discharge with a mesh covered with TiO 2 globules for an energy density of 350 kJ · m −3 at a relative humidity of the mixture of 27%. For a given energy density, the decomposition efficiency is largest for the mesh covered with TiO 2 globules. In this case, the humidity improves the decomposition efficiency.Effect of humidity on the efficiency of n ‐heptane decomposition for the DC discharge using a mesh covered with TiO 2 globules.