Decomposition of methyl tert-butyl ether by adding hydrogen in a cold plasma reactor

Methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) is extensively used as an oxygenate and octane enhancer in gasoline. Its release to the environment has generated great public and governmental concern. In this study, we give a brief review of the decomposition of air toxics by the application of radio frequency (RF) plasma reactors and then present our study on decomposition of methyl tert-butyl ether by adding hydrogen in a cold plasma reactor. Based on our references, there are four types of the application in the RF plasma reactors are discussed, including: (i) Application I.: Converting methane, decomposing carbon dioxide, ethoxyethane, and ethylene oxide; (ii) Application II.: Decomposing methyl chloride, 1,1-C₂H₂Cl₂, and CH₂Cl₂; (iii) Application III.: Decomposing dichlorodifluoromethane, CHF₃, CH₂F₂, CCl₂F₂, and BF₃; (iv) Application IV.: Decomposing dichlorodifluoromethane, CH₃SH, CS₂, SF₆, and SF₆ + H₂S mixture. Moreover, this study demonstrates the feasibility of applying a radio frequency (RF) plasma reactor for decomposing and converting MTBE. Experimental results indicate that the decomposition efficiency (ηMTBE) and the fraction of total input carbon converted into CH₄, C₂H₂ and C₂H₄ (F_{CH4+C2H2+ C2H4}) increased with the input power and decreased as both the H2/MTBE ratio and the MTBE influent concentration in the MTBE/H₂/Ar plasma environment increased. Interestingly, applying radio frequency plasma to the decomposition of MTBE while adding hydrogen constitutes alternative method of decomposing and converting MTBE into CH₄, C₂H₄, C₂H₂, iso-butane and iso-butene.