METHANOL CONVERSION IN AQUEOUS-SOLUTION UPON MICRODISCHARGE AT ALUMINUM VALVE ANODE

Decomposition of methanol in 0.1 - 3.0 mol/l aqueous solutions under t he action of microdischarge at an aluminum valve anode (0.03 mol/l sod ium carbonate electrolyte, voltage 510 V, and current 90 mA) was studi ed. The composition of the products of methanol degradation was found and the dependence of the initial yields on methanol concentration det ermined. The mechanism of the process is discussed. It was shown that a large amount of the methanol degradation products is due to pyrolysi s in vapor-gas microplasmas.