Kinetic of the NO removal by nonthermal plasma in N[sub 2]/NO/C[sub 2]H[sub 4] mixtures.

NO removal is studied in N[sub 2]/NO and in N[sub 2]/NO/C[sub 2]H[sub 4] 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[sub 2](a[sup ′1]Σ[sub u][sup -]) state play the main part in the NO removal kinetic. Moreover, quenching of N[sub 2](a[sup ′1] Σ[sub u][sup -]) by C[sub 2]H[sub 4] leads to a drastic decrease of the NO removal efficiency when ethene is added to N[sub 2]/NO. The determined rate coefficient value for the quenching mechanism is (4±2)x10[sup -10] cm[sup 3] s[sup -1]. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]