Polystyrene (PS) Degradation Induced by Nanosecond Electric Discharge in Air in Contact with PS/Water-Reference-Cited by-同舟云学术

Polystyrene (PS) Degradation Induced by Nanosecond Electric Discharge in Air in Contact with PS/Water

Published:2024-01-16 Issue:1 Volume:7 Page:49-63
ISSN:2571-6182
Container-title:Plasma
language:en
Short-container-title:Plasma

Author:

Zamo Aurélie¹,Rond Catherine²³^ORCID,Hamdan Ahmad¹^ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Groupe de Physique des Plasmas, Département de Physique, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H2V 0B3, Canada

2. Laboratoire des Sciences des Procédés et des Matériaux (LSPM), CNRS UPR3407, Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, 93430 Villetaneuse, France

3. Institut Clément Ader, CNRS UMR 5312, Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA) de Toulouse, 31300 Toulouse, France

Abstract

Water pollution with microplastics has become a significant concern. Conventional treatment methods have proven ineffective, and alternatives are being explored. Herein, we assess the degradation efficiency of polystyrene (PS) by measuring its nanosecond discharge in air in contact with water. Its discharge is characterized during processing, and a transition from streamer-like to spark-like discharge occurs due to the increased electrical conductivity of water. Experiments are conducted at different frequencies, and the highest degradation is achieved at 10 kHz; an 83% polystyrene weight loss is recorded after 5 min of processing. The optical spectra of the discharge show no evidence of C-species, and an FTIR analysis of the processed polystyrene reveals no structural modifications. An NMR analysis shows the presence of ethylbenzene in water. Finally, a mechanism of PS degradation is proposed.

Funder

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

Publisher

MDPI AG

Subject

General Earth and Planetary Sciences,General Engineering,General Environmental Science

Link

https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6182/7/1/4/pdf

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