Advancing DBD Plasma Chemistry: Insights into Reactive Nitrogen Species such as NO₂, N₂O₅, and N₂O Optimization and Species Reactivity through Experiments and MD Simulations

This study aims to fine-tune the plasma composition with a particular emphasis on reactive nitrogen species (RNS) including nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), dinitrogen pentoxide (N₂O₅), and nitrous oxide (N₂O), produced by a self-constructed cylindrical dielectric barrier discharge (CDBD). We demonstrated the effective manipulation of the plasma chemical profile by optimizing electrical properties, including the applied voltage and frequency, and by adjusting the nitrogen and oxygen ratios in the gas mixture. Additionally, quantification of these active species was achieved using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The study further extends to exploring the aerosol polymerization of acrylamide (AM) into polyacrylamide (PAM), serving as a model reaction to evaluate the reactivity of different plasma-generated species, highlighting the significant role of NO₂ in achieving high polymerization yields. Complementing our experimental data, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, based on the ReaxFF reactive force field potential, explored the interactions between reactive oxygen species, specifically hydroxyl radicals (OH) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), with water molecules. Understanding these interactions, combined with the optimization of plasma chemistry, is crucial for enhancing the effectiveness of DBD plasma in environmental applications like air purification and water treatment.