Plasma-Assisted Carbon Dioxide Methane Reforming: Relationships of the Formation of Oxygenates on Adding a Catalyst (a Review)

Published data on plasma-assisted carbon dioxide methane reforming using heterogeneous catalysts are analyzed. The pathways of the CH₄ and CO₂ transformation under the conditions of thermal catalysis, plasma action, and plasma-assisted catalysis are considered. Various types of plasma installations are described. The mechanisms of the formation of oxygenates under the conditions of plasma-assisted catalysis are presented. The process selectivity with respect to final products depends on the ratio of the gases and on the structure, dielectric properties, and composition of the catalysts. The important parameters influencing the oxygenate ratio are the metal oxidation state in the catalyst, kind of metal, and support acidity. The catalyst introduction into the plasma can also lead to negative phenomena, namely, to recombination of radicals into the starting compounds.