Kinetic of the NO removal by nonthermal plasma in N2/NO/C2H4 mixtures

NO removal is studied in N-2/NO and in N-2/NO/C2H4 mixtures through time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence in the afterglow of a pulsed homogeneous discharge. NO density measurements are compared with predictions of a 0D model on a large range of parameter values, such as the specific deposited energy and the ethene initial concentration. It is shown that dissociation of NO through collision with the N-2(a('1)Sigma (-)(u)) state play the main part in the NO removal kinetic. Moreover, quenching of N-2(a('1) Sigma (-)(u)) by C2H4 leads to a drastic decrease of the NO removal efficiency when ethene is added to N-2/NO. The determined rate coefficient value for the quenching mechanism is (4 +/-2)x10(-10) cm(3) s(-1). (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003- 6951(00)01351-6].