Carbon and Oxygen Isotope Separation by Plasma Chemical Reactions in Carbon Monoxide Glow Discharge

The separation of carbon and oxygen isotopes in CO glow discharge has been studied. The isotope enrichment in the products was measured by quadru-pole mass spectrometer. The reaction yield and empirical formula of solid phase products were determined by the gas-volumetric analysis. The stable products obtained in our experiment are CO2 and solid polymers formed on the discharge wall. The polymer consists of both carbon and oxygen and the oxygen/carbon mole ratio in the polymer is 0.35±0.05. The isotope enrichment coefficients show a strong negative dependence on discharge current though the relative reaction yields have an opposite tendency. Consequently, the maximum isotope enrichment coefficients for 13C in wall deposit of 2.31 and for 18O in CO2 of 1.37 are obtained when the discharge current and the reaction yields are minimum in our experimental range. The experimental results of isotope enrichment have been compared with theoretical values estimated by an analytical model of literature. The dilution mechanism of the isotope enrichment of stable products is inferred from the isotopic distributions of 13C and 18O in products and theoretical predictions for isotope enrichment.