Reaction Mechanism of Ethylene Oxide at Various Oxygen/Ethylene Oxide Ratios in an RF Cold Plasma Environment

Received: November 1, 2005
Revised: November 1, 2005
Accepted: November 1, 2005
Download Citation: RIS|BibTeX|https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2005.12.0005  

Cite this article:
Liao, W.T., Wei, T.C., Hsieh, L.T., Tsai, C.H. and Shih, M. (2005). Reaction Mechanism of Ethylene Oxide at Various Oxygen/Ethylene Oxide Ratios in an RF Cold Plasma Environment. Aerosol Air Qual. Res. 5: 185-203. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.2005.12.0005

ABSTRACT

An innovative method was used to simulate ethylene oxide (EO) oxidation in an RF plasma reactor. The objective of this work was to simulate the stable species mole fraction profiles measured in a flowing plasma system at constant temperature and pressure. The mechanism involved participation of 36 species in 140 elementary reactions. Sensitivity analysis was also performed to identify the order of significance of reactions in the mechanism of the model’s predictions. The results show that the main reactions for EO decomposition changed with a varying O₂/EO ratio in the plasma system. That is to say, the most important reaction to the O₂/EO ratio of zero was the electron dissociation reaction of EO, C₂H₄O + e- → CH₃CHO + e-. While, the most influential reaction for EO decomposition at O₂/EO ratio of 5.0 was the formation reaction of HO₂, which forms OH radicals, then enhances the decomposition of C₂H₄O by the reaction, C₂H₄O + OH = C₂H₃O + H₂O.

Keywords: Plasma; Radio-frequency (RF); Ethylene oxide; Reaction mechanism