Superlocal chemical reaction equilibrium in low temperature plasma

Low temperature plasmas (LTP) are a unique class of open-driven systems in which chemical reactions are unpredictable using established concepts. The terminal state of chemical reactions in LTP, termed the superlocal equilibrium state, is hypothesized to be defined by a proposed set of state variables. Using a LTP reactor wherein the state variables have been measured, it is shown that CO₂ spontaneously splits and the effluent speciation is independent of the influent speciation if the state variables are held constant and the residence time is long. CO₂ conversion at long residence times, which is expected to be nominally zero from equilibrium thermodynamics, can be as high as 70% in the LTP. The employed low pressure plasma reactor (P = 10 mbar) had a similar volume, productivity, and energy efficiency compared to an atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge reactor, thanks to reaction rates that were three orders of magnitude faster.