Combination of spontaneous polarization plasma and photocatalyst for toluene oxidation

•Destruction of gaseous toluene using DBD plasma and photocatalyst was carried out.•New DBD reactor was presented, in which BaTiO3 and TiO2 were used simultaneously.•Order of SED for different catalysts reactors were TiO2–BaTiO3 < BaTiO3 < TiO2.•Toluene removal efficiency was highest when TiO2–BaTiO3 amount ratio was 1:2.•Higher amount of BaTiO3 in TiO2–BaTiO3 was slightly superior to the smaller.

In this paper, we report toluene destruction using a spontaneous polarization plasma and photocatalyst reactor in air at atmospheric pressure and room temperature. A spontaneous polarization material (BaTiO3) and photocatalyst (TiO2) were added to the plasma system simultaneously. Three types of catalyst, i.e., TiO2, BaTiO3, or TiO2/BaTiO3, were used for toluene removal. The catalyst carrier, type, and amount were important factors in the toluene removal efficiency. The specific energy density and energy yield during the discharge process were investigated. The toluene removal efficiency increased when a spontaneous polarization plasma was combined with the photocatalyst. In terms of toluene removal efficiency, the activity order was TiO2/BaTiO3 > BaTiO3 > TiO2 > none. Large amounts of BaTiO3 in the TiO2/BaTiO3 catalyst gave slightly better conversion. The TiO2/BaTiO3 catalyst not only enhanced the toluene removal efficiency, but also saved energy, making it useful for industrial applications.