Reaction of Pyrrole Induced Pulsed Discharge Plasma over a Water Surface and Supercritical Water

Electric field generated by pulsed high-voltage discharge plasma over water surface has been performed under high-pressure argon environments to convert pyrrole compound. In this work, oligomerization of pyrrole in water as a reaction media and the effects of various parameters with pulsed high-voltage arc discharge plasma are studied. Such as plasma applied under hydrothermal conditions generates high-energy electrons, ions, and radicals, which in turn may generate new reaction fields, leading to effective organic compounds oxidation for both homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions. Here, we utilize pulse discharge plasma over water surface to study the removal characteristics for pyrrole into more valuable higher amines group which has more fascinating for both the industry and the scientific community. In comparison, the reaction of pyrrole was also conducted in supercritical water at temperatures of 698-748 K and pressure of 30 MPa. The experiments were conducted at 313 K and 1 - 2 MPa using a batch type reactor. Intermediate compounds from the conversion of pyrrole in the aqueous products were identified by GC-MS (gas chromatography mass spectrometry) and quantified using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The conversion of pyrrole could approach to 25 % and 80 % after treatment by pulsed discharge plasma and supercritical water, respectively.