Nonthermal Plasma Coupled with Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/Carbon for High-Performance CF<sub>4</sub> Decomposition at Low Temperatures
Fenghua Shen, Wanning Liu, Liyuan Zhang, Xiangfan Li, Kaisong Xiang, Hui Liu
Abstract
CF 4 is a strong greenhouse gas with a global warming potential of up to 6500, and its treatment by decomposition at the flue gas temperature range is hindered by the strong C–F bond. This work achieved, for the first time, the decomposition of CF 4 at the flue gas temperature range via nonthermal plasma coupled with an aluminum/carbon catalyst with a typical decomposition efficiency of 78% for CF 4 with a concentration of 10%. CF 4 excited by the plasma will form many excited particles, which react with Al 2 O 3 /carbon. The CF 4 -derived fluorine can react with Al to form AlF 3, and meanwhile, the carbon element bonds with oxygen in Al 2 O 3 generating CO and/or CO 2 . The strong acid sites on the catalyst surface are the main factor in promoting CF 4 decomposition. The decomposition method developed in this work provides a new approach for decomposing perfluorocarbons at low temperatures.