Generation of chemically active species by electrical discharges in water

Abstract

Pulse positive streamer corona discharges in water solution with a different conductivity have been investigated in reactors with the needle-plate and coaxial electrode geometry. A special composite anode was used in the coaxial geometry. With such an anode hundreds of streamers were generated at each voltage pulse. Production of H, O and OH radicals by the discharge was proved by emission spectroscopy and formation of H 2 O 2 and degradation of phenol was demonstrated by chemical methods. Assuming that the broadening of the line profile was caused by the dynamic Stark effect, plasma with an electron density over 10 18 cm -3 was generated during the initial phase of voltage pulse in the both reactors in spite of the very different electrode geometry and wave-forms of voltage pulses. Production of OH radicals was most effective at solution conductivity below .