A multidisciplinary approach to understand the interactions of nonthermal plasma and catalyst: A review

•Literature review of the current status of the plasma-catalysis.•Electrical factor and equivalent circuit analysis of plasma-catalysis.•Relation between surface streamer and catalytic activity.•Dimensionless parameter Λ for the criteria for the interaction between NTP and catalyst.

Low temperature catalytic reactions induced by nonthermal plasma (NTP) have been of great interest in plasma chemistry for application to pollution control and energy-related issues. Current progress in the experimental observations and the understanding of interactions between NTP and catalyst are reviewed herein. Considering the diffusion length and lifetime of reactive species, we introduced a dimensionless parameter Λ that describes the criteria for a direct interaction between NTP and catalysts. Several lines of experimental evidences on the interaction were introduced: discharge mode, formation of metal cluster ions, and plasma-induced fluorescence from the catalyst. For faujasite zeolites, the Si/Al ratio was found to be an important parameter that determines the propagation of surface streamers and catalytic performance. The oxidation status of metals is closely correlated with the Si/Al ratio, which is related to substantial changes in electrical resistivity.

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