Measurement of hydroxyl radicals in pulsed corona discharge

Hydroxyl radical generated by a pulsed corona discharge was measured by laser-induced predissociative fluorescence (LIPF) with a tunable KrF excimer laser. The LIPF with a KrF laser is a suitable method for OH observation at atmospheric pressure. It can drastically reduce the influence of undesirable quenching in the excited state. It was demonstrated that the OH-LIPF could be applied to pulsed corona discharge at atmospheric pressure. OH was observed with the LIPF in H2O/O-2/N-2 mixture. The dependence of OH yield on ambient gas composition and discharge voltage was studied. In addition, the reaction of OH with NO, a pollutant removed by non-thermal plasma, was monitored by the LIPF. Our research showed that the LIPF with a KrF laser is a useful tool for characterizing OH radicals in pulsed corona discharge. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.