Dissociation of benzene in a pulsed glow discharge

Destruction of benzene in a benzene/Ar mixture subjected to a pulsed glow discharge was studied. The destruction efficiency was much improved compared to a dc glow discharge, and the destruction efficiency increased with decreasing pulse width at a constant pulse frequency. Diagnostics experiments were conducted to elucidate the destruction mechanisms involved. The results show that excitation transfer from the metastable states of Ar to benzene in the afterglow of the discharge was primarily responsible for the destruction of benzene.