We generate a radio frequency (RF) plasma in water at an atmospheric pressure by applying an RF power of 13.56 MHz from an electrode. The plasma is in a bubble formed in water. On the basis of hydrogen spectral lines under the assumption of thermal equilibrium, the temperature of the plasma is estimated to be 4000 -4500 K. Spectroscopic measurements show that hydrogen and oxygen are excited in the plasma. The plasma is also obtained in tap water or NaCl solution with a high conductivity. In the solution, sodium spectral lines are observed. Colored water containing methylene blue is exposed to the plasma. The absorbence spectra of the colored water before and after exposure to the plasma suggest the decomposition of organic matter due to chemical reactions involving active species, such as OH-radicals.

Radio frequency (RF) plasma in water was used for the degradation of methylene blue. The fraction of decomposition of methylene blue and the intensity of the spectral line from OH radical increased with RF power. RF plasma in water also produced hydrogen peroxide. The density of hydrogen peroxide increased with RF power and exposure time. When pure water (300 mL) is exposed to plasma at 310 W for 15 min, density of hydrogen peroxide reaches to 120 mg/L. Methylene blue after exposed to plasma degraded gradually for three weeks. This degradation may be due to chemical processes via hydrogen peroxide and tungsten. The comparison between the experimental and calculated spectral lines of OH radical (A-X) shows that the temperature of the radical is around 3,500 K. Electron density is evaluated to be^3.5 9 10 20 m -3 from the stark broadening of the H b line.

Hydrogen is produced by generating in-liquid plasma in a conventional microwave oven. A receiving antenna unit consisting of seven copper rods is placed at the bottom of the reactor furnace in the microwave oven. 2.45 GHz microwave in-liquid plasma can be generated at the tips of the electrodes in the microwave oven. When the n-dodecane is decomposed by plasma, 74% pure hydrogen gas can be achieved with this device. The hydrogen generation efficiency for a 750 W magnetron output is estimated to be approximately 56% of that of the electrolysis of water. Also, in this process up to 4 mg/s of solid carbon can be produced at the same time. The present process enables simultaneous production of hydrogen gas and the carbide in the hydrocarbon liquid.

Plasma chemical vapor deposition (plasma CVD) is a generic term for methods in which a precursor containing a material to be deposited is dissociated in a plasma where it is subject to chemical reactions, and is then deposited as a film on the surface of a heated substrate. A drawback of plasma CVD is that this process cannot be used to synthesize large amounts of adsorbate, or to deposit onto substrates that are vulnerable to high temperatures. As liquids are much denser than gases, synthesis rates are thought to be much higher in the former. The authors have observed the ignition and maintenance of a stable plasma in a liquid hydrocarbon exposed to a combination of ultrasonic waves and microwave radiation. Microwave energy is effectively injected into the interior of acoustic cavitation bubbles, which act as nuclei for the ignition and maintenance of the plasma. Because the plasma is formed in a liquid environment, it is possible to obtain much higher film deposition rates at much lower plasma temperatures than ever before. In addition, this process can be carried out at normal temperatures and pressures.

We propose to apply plasma in liquid to replace gas-phase plasma because we expect much higher reaction rates for the chemical deposition of plasma in liquid than for chemical vapor deposition. A reactor for producing microwave plasma in a liquid could produce plasma in hydrocarbon liquids and waste oils. Generated gases consist of up to 81% hydrogen by volume. We confirmed that fuel gases such as methane and ethylene can be produced by microwave plasma in liquid.