Pulsed discharge plasma in slug-flow reactor system for water pollutant removal and nanoparticle synthesis

The water pollutants removal and the metal nanoparticles synthesis were demonstrated by the applying high voltage discharge plasma at room temperature. The experiments were performed in continuous system by the flowing liquid and gas phases simultaneously in a glass capillary tube, where various gas types were employed as a gas phase. The optical emission spectroscopy (OES) equipment identified that the reactive oxidation species were obviously observed at each gas type. The generation rate of them can be enhanced significantly by changing the reactor type from straight to helical form. The water pollutants removal rate has order from oxygen > air > nitrogen > argon > helium. Furthermore, the silver or gold nanoparticles can be synthesized by this plasma reactor system. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images indicated that the particle products had spherical morphology with a diameter size smaller than 10 nm. It was deduced that the process presented here is an innovative and applicable in practice, and it can lead to advanced organic compounds degradation and nanoparticles synthesis technology.