The potential of unconventional materials in the field of plasma catalysis

Plasma catalysis is studied for more than twenty years with the objective of electrification of the chemical industry through the direct utilization of renewable electricity by combining non-thermal atmospheric plasmas with catalysts. The process of gas activation through electron impact vibrational excitation and dissociation, in conjunction with plasma contact to catalysts, has been demonstrated to overcome thermodynamic equilibrium limits. This enables operation at substantially reduced temperatures and at atmospheric pressure, allowing the utilization of less heat-resistant catalysts, such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). However, a breakthrough in this field has yet to been achieved due to the complexity of the mutual interaction between plasma and the surface, as well as the complex electrical, chemical and material aspects involved. A number of challenging issues are currently being discussed, including the short lifetime of the excited species, the difficulties with selective generation of vibrationally excited species, and the small effective area of the active plasma in contact with the catalysts. This contribution will provide a synopsis of the identified challenges and will propose material concepts that can offer solutions for them. The plasma interaction with MOFs and the utilization of ultra-light, highly porous aeroglass materials will be the focal point of this discussion.