Skip to main content
Kent Academic Repository

Atmospheric pressure glow discharge generated in nitrogen-methane gas mixture: PTR-MS analyzes of the exhaust gas

Torokova, L., Mazankova, V., Krcma, F., Mason, Nigel, Matejcik, S. (2015) Atmospheric pressure glow discharge generated in nitrogen-methane gas mixture: PTR-MS analyzes of the exhaust gas. EPJ Applied Physics, 71 (2). Article Number 20806. ISSN 1286-0042. (doi:10.1051/epjap/2015150072) (KAR id:74686)

Abstract

This paper reports the results of an extensive study of with the in situ mass spectrometry analysis of gaseous phase species produced by an atmospheric plasma glow discharge in N<inf>2</inf>-CH<inf>4</inf> gas mixtures (with methane concentrations ranging from 1% to 4%). The products are studied using proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry (PTR-MS). HCN and CH<inf>3</inf>CN are identified as the main gaseous products. Hydrazine, methanimine, methyldiazene, ethylamine, cyclohexadiene, pyrazineacetylene, ethylene, propyne and propene are identified as minor compounds. All the detected compounds and their relative abundances are determined with respect to the experimental conditions (gas composition and applied power). The same molecules were observed by the Cassini-Huygens probe in Titan's atmosphere (which has same N<inf>2</inf>-CH<inf>4</inf> gas mixtures). Such, experiments show that the formation of such complex organics in atmospheres containing C, N and H, like that of Titan, could be a source of prebiotic molecules.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1051/epjap/2015150072
Uncontrolled keywords: Atmospheric pressure, Ethylene, Gas mixtures, Glow discharges, Ionization of gases, Mass spectrometry, Methane, Molecules, Nitrogen, Proton transfer, Spectrometry, Atmospheric plasmas, Atmospheric pressure glow discharge, Experimental conditions, Methane concentrations, Prebiotic molecules, Proton-transfer reaction mass spectrometries, Situ mass spectrometry, Titan's atmosphere, Gases
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Physics and Astronomy
Depositing User: Nigel Mason
Date Deposited: 03 Jul 2019 12:12 UTC
Last Modified: 09 Dec 2022 05:07 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/74686 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

  • Depositors only (login required):

Total unique views for this document in KAR since July 2020. For more details click on the image.