Effect of hydrogen ratio on plasma parameters of N2-H2 gas mixture glow discharge

Abstract

A dc plane glow discharge in a nitrogen hydrogen (N 2 -H 2 ) gas mixture has been operated at dis charge currents of 10 and 20 mA. The electron energy distribution function (EEDF) at different hydrogen concentrations is measured. A Maxwellian EEDF is found in the positive column region, while in both cath ode fall and negative glow regions, a non Maxwellian one is observed. Langmuir electric probes are used at different axial positions, gas pressures, and hydrogen concentrations to measure the electron temperature and plasma density. The electron temperature is found to increase with increasing H 2 concentration and decrease with increasing both the axial distance from the cathode and the mixture pressure. At first, with increasing distance from the cathode, the ion density decreases, while the electron density increases; then, as the anode is further approached, they remain nearly constant. At different H 2 concentrations, the electron and ion den sities decrease with increasing the mixture pressure. Both the electron and ion densities slightly decrease with increasing H 2 concentration.

An Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of HCN Production in the Hadean Earth Atmosphere

“…In Figure , we plot the analytical EEDFs, assuming an average electron energy in the center of the range for our plasma source, that is, 10 eV. Studies of EEDFs from DC glow discharge in H 2 -dominant atmospheres suggest the average negative glow region to be roughly 6 and 8 eV for H 2 abundances of 70 and 80%, respectively . Given that our AC glow discharge experiments are roughly H 2 = 90%, 10 eV may be a reasonable choice for an average electron energy.…”