SPECTROSCOPIC CHARACTERIZATION OF A CH4 PLUS CO2 PLASMA OBTAINED BY DIELECTRIC BARRIER DISCHARGE

Plasma processing of CH4+CO2 mixture can lead to the formation of synt hesis gas (CO+H-2). The use of cold plasma for this type of process se ems very promissing. We report here the determination of vibrational a nd rotational temperature in several gases (CH4, CH4+CO2) at atmospher ic pressure. The plasma is created by high voltage (90 kV), fast pulse (20 ns) Dielectric Barrier Discharge in tubular cell. The measured av erage rotational temperature is very low T-rot approximate to 650 K; o n the other hand the vibrational temperature is high T-vib approximate to 5500 K and may explain the good chemical plasma reactivity.