Aerosol generation and decomposition of CFC-113 by the ferroelectric plasma reactor

Plasma chemical decomposition, aerosol generation and product distribution of trichlorotrifluoroethylene (CFC-113 [CCl/sub 2/F-CClF/sub 2/]) were investigated using a ferroelectric plasma reactor. CFC-113 decomposition was the highest with dry hydrogen, but was not significantly affected by background gases (N/sub 2/ and air) and humidity. Most of the aerosols produced under plasma were of a particle size less than 0.1 /spl mu/m. The aerosol generation rate increased with applied voltage and concentration, but was not affected by humidity and background gases, indicating that aerosol generation is associated with plasma energy per volume (plasma power density). Aerosolization of 1000-ppm CFC-113 was approximately 10 aerosols/cm/sup 3/ for air, significantly greater than N/sub 2/. The greatest quantity of reaction gas phase byproducts was for dry H/sub 2/, followed by dry N/sub 2/, wet N/sub 2/, wet air and dry air. Reaction gas phase byproducts were minimal with aerated condition. The plasma reaction starts out by breaking the C-C bond to form radicals, which react with background gas radicals. The formation of CHClF-CClF/sub 2/ during CFC-113 decomposition indicates that the C-F bond is much stronger than the C-Cl bond and the C-Cl bond with more P atoms is stronger than that with fewer F atoms.