Modelling of Carbon Tetrachloride Decomposition in Oxidative RF Thermal Plasma

Decomposition of carbon tetrachloride in a RF thermal plasma reactor was investigated in oxygen–argon atmosphere. The net conversion of CCl₄ and the main products of decomposition were determined by GC–MS (Gas Chromatographic Mass Spectroscopy) analysis of the exhaust gas. Temperature and flow profiles had been determined in computer simulations and were used for concentration calculations. Concentration profiles of the species along the axis of the reactor were calculated using a newly developed chemical kinetic mechanism, containing 34 species and 134 irreversible reaction steps. Simulations showed that all carbon tetrachloride decomposed within a few microseconds. However, CCl₄ was partly recombined from its decomposition products. Calculations predicted 97.9% net conversion of carbon tetrachloride, which was close to the experimentally determined value of 92.5%. This means that in RF thermal plasma reactor much less CCl₄ was reconstructed in oxidative environment than using an oxygen-free mixture, where the net conversion had been determined to be 61%. The kinetic mechanism could be reduced to 55 irreversible reaction steps of 26 species, while the simulated concentrations of the important species were within 0.1% identical compared to that of the complete mechanism.     

CCl<Subscript>4</Subscript> Decomposition in RF Thermal Plasma in Inert and Oxidative Environments

The decomposition of carbon tetrachloride was investigated in an RF inductively coupled thermal plasma reactor in inert CCl₄–Ar and in oxidative CCl₄–O₂–Ar systems, respectively. The exhaust gases were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The kinetics of CCl₄ decomposition at the experimental conditions was modeled in the temperature range of 300–7,000 K. The simulations predicted 67.0 and 97.9% net conversions of CCl₄ for CCl₄–Ar and for CCl₄–O₂–Ar, respectively. These values are close to the experimentally determined values of 60.6 and 92.5%. We concluded that in RF thermal plasma much less CCl₄ reconstructed in oxidative environment than in an oxygen-free mixture.     

Comparative Study of the Decomposition of CCl4 in Cold and Thermal Plasma

Decomposition of carbon tetrachloride was studied in an inductively coupled thermal plasma reactor and in a low temperature, non-equilibrium plasma reactor, in neutral and oxidative conditions, respectively. In neutral conditions formation of solid soot, aliphatic- and cyclodienes was observed in equilibrium, and products, such as Cl₂ and C₂Cl₆ were detected in non-equilibrium plasma. Feeding of oxygen into the thermal plasma reactor depressed both soot and dienes formation and induced the formation of oxygen containing intermediates and products. GC-MS analyses of the gaseous products and the extract of the soot referred to as complex decomposition and recombination mechanism at given conditions. Presence of oxygen in the low temperature plasma reactor results in the formation of carbonyl compounds as intermediers. CO₂ and Cl₂ revealed as final products of CCl₄ decomposition in cold plasma.     

Surface and bulk behavior of (dialkylsulfoxides + carbon tetrachloride) mixtures

Surface tensions, surface tension deviations, densities, and excess molar volumes of binary mixtures of carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), diethylsulfoxide (DESO), dipropylsulfoxide (DPSO), and dibutylsulfoxide (DBSO) have been determined over the entire composition range at (298.15 and 313.15) K. The results were fitted by the Redlich–Kister polynomial equation and the corresponding binary coefficients have been derived.The obtained excess quantities show that both charge-transfer complex formation between CCl₄ and dialkylsulfoxides (DASO) molecules and on the other hand sulfoxides’ chain length are crucial factors conditioning the excess thermodynamic properties of (CCl₄ + DASO) binary mixtures.     

Kinetics of PdII‐catalyzed polymerization of methyl methacrylate by triethanolamine in the presence of CCl4

Polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) with triethanolamine (TEA) and carbon tetrachloride has been investigated in the presence of PdCl₂ and in a dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) medium by employing a dilatometric technique at 60°C. The rate of polymerization has been obtained under the conditions [CCl₄]/[TEA] ≤ 1. The kinetic date indicate the possible participation of the charge‐transfer complex formed between the {amine–Pd^II} complex and CCl₄ in the polymerization of MMA. In the absence of either CCl₄ or amine, no polymerization of MMA was observed under the present experimental conditions. The rate of polymerization was inhibited by hydroquinone, suggesting a free‐radical initiation. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 32: 171–177, 2000     

Experimental and computational studies of the thermal decomposition of halon 1211

Thermal pyrolysis of halon 1211 (CBrClF₂), diluted in nitrogen, in a tubular alumina reactor, has been studied over the temperature range of 773–1073 K at residence times from 0.3 to 2 s. At temperatures below 973 K, the major products were CCl₂F₂, CBr₂F₂, C₂Cl₂F₄, C₂BrClF₄, C₂F₄, and C₂Br₂F₄. Further increasing temperature resulted in the formation of CBrF₃, CClF₃, and many other species whose formation necessitated the rupture of C? F bonds. Coke formation was also observed on the surface of the reactor at high temperatures. A kinetic reaction scheme involving 16 species and 25 reaction steps was developed and applied to model the thermal pyrolysis of halon 1211 over the temperature range of 773–973 K. Sensitivity analysis suggests that the reaction CBrClF₂ + CClF₂→CCl₂F₂ + CBrF₂ constitutes the major pathway for the decomposition of halon 1211 under the conditions investigated. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 37: 134–146, 2005     

Photocatalytic Conversion of a FeCl<Subscript>3</Subscript>–CCl<Subscript>4</Subscript>–ROH System

The photocatalytic transformations of carbon tetrachloride and aliphatic primary alcohols in the presence of iron trichloride and a molar ratio of components FeCl₃: CCl₄: ROH = 1: 300: 2550 were studied. CCl₄ is transformed into chloroform and hexachloroethane after exposure to a mercury lamp (250 W) to the FeCl₃–CCl₄–ROH system at 20°C, whereas the primary ROH alcohols are selectively oxidized into acetals (1,1-dialkoxyalkanes). The maximum conversion of CCl₄ reaches 80%. The kinetics and mechanism of the photocatalytic conversion of the FeCl₃–CCl₄–ROH system are considered.     

Thermodynamics and kinetics of initial gas phase reactions in chemical vapor deposition of titanium nitride. Theoretical study of TiCl4 ammonolysis

Thermodynamic equilibrium and kinetics of the gas‐phase reaction between TiCl₄ and NH₃ have been studied computationally using results from recent quantum mechanical calculations of titanium tetrachloride ammonolysis. 1 These calculations were based upon the transition state theory for the direct reactions and RRKM theory for the reactions proceeding via intermediate complex. Rate constants for the barrierless reactions were expressed through the thermodynamic characteristics of the reagents and products using a semiempirical variational method. The kinetic simulation of the gas‐phase steps of CVD was performed within a model of a well‐stirred reactor at temperatures 300–1200 K and residence times between 0.1–2 s. At temperatures below 450 K formation of donor–acceptor complexes between TiCl₄ and NH₃ is the dominating process. At higher temperatures sequential direct ammonolysis takes place. At typical LPCVD conditions the only product of the first step of ammonolysis, TiCl₃NH₂, is formed in substantial amount. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 22: 1366–1376, 2001     

Kinetics and mechanism of the thermal chlorination of chloroform in the gas phase

The gas‐phase thermal chlorination of CHCl₃ has been studied up to high conversions by photometry and gas chromatography in a conditioned static quartz reaction vessel between 573 and 635 K. The initial pressures of both CHCl₃ and Cl₂ ranged from about 10–100 Torr, and the initial total pressure was varied between about 30–190 Torr. The reaction is rather complex because the produced CCl₄ is not stable. The rate of consumption of Cl₂ therefore increases in the course of time. This acceleration is explained quantitatively in terms of a radical mechanism and its kinetic and thermodynamic parameters. This reaction model is based on a known model for the pyrolysis of CCl₄ to which only one reaction couple involving CHCl₃ has been added. Analyses of the rates of the homogeneous elementary steps show that the primary source of Cl atoms is the second‐order dissociation of Cl₂, which is rapidly superseded by a secondary source, the first‐order dissociation of the CCl₄ primary product. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 32: 466–472, 2000     

Detection of carbon tetrachloride associates in isooctane

The cryoscopic and radiospectroscopic data revealed that carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) _n agglomerates (n ≥ 4) could form in cyclohexane and carbon tetrachloride itself. Additional arguments in favor of the formation of similar CCl₄ agglomerates in isooctane were presented by analyzing the available data on positron annihilation in CCl₄ solutions in isooctane.     

Thermoanalytical investigations of niobium(V) complexes of 4-isopropylphenol

Thermal behaviour of newly synthesized niobium(V) aryloxides of composition [NbCl_5−n (OC₆H₄CH(CH₃)₂-4) _n ] (where n = 1 → 5) synthesized by the reactions of niobium pentachloride with 4-isopropylphenol in predetermined molar ratios in carbon tetrachloride has been studied by thermogravimetric (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) techniques. The results showed that thermal decomposition of complex of composition [NbCl₄(OC₆H₄CH(CH₃)₂-4)] resulted in the formation of NbOCl₃ as the ultimate decompositional product while all other complexes yielded Nb₂O₅ as the final product of thermal decomposition. From the mathematical analysis of TG data, the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters viz. energy of activation, frequency factor, entropy of activation, etc. have been evaluated using Coats–Redfern equation.     

Pyrolysis of a mixture of n-alkanes (chiefly C12-C18) atCA. 1053 K: Kinetic study

The thermal decomposition of a mixtures of n-alkanes, chiefly C₁₂-C₁₈ (commercial name Solpar) in the presence of steam (steam cracking) was studied in a plug flow reactor at ca. 1053 K. The tubular reactors were wound Incoloy steel tubes (I.D. 4 nm), heated by high-frequency induction. The total pressure in the reactor was slightly above atmospheric.The thermal decomposition mechanism of n-tetradecane, the major alkane in the Solpar mixture, allows the identification of all the primary products (non-zero initial rate of formation) by gas chromatography. Under these experimental conditions, very close to those of industrial stream cracking, secondary products (zero initial rate of formation) were observed and were qualitatively interpreted from elementary steps including the main primary products. This kinetic study also stresses the importance of the new steam cracking reactors calles “millisecond furnaces”, since these reactors produce high yields of light olefins and low yields of monoaromatic hydrocarbons.     

Some triplet energy-transfer reactions initiated by photoexcitation of triplet excited state of dibenz[a,h]anthracene to the higher triplet excited states

Some triplet energy-transfer reactions initiated by photoexcitation of the triplet excited state of dibenz[a,h]anthracene to higher triplet excited states (DBA(T_n)) were observed in the presence of the triplet energy quenchers (Q) such as naphthalene, biphenyl, p-dichlorobenzene, and o-dicyanobenzene. In the case of carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) as Q, DBA(T_n)-sensitized decomposition of CCl₄ occurred.     

Charge Transfer Complex Role in the Formation of Chlorobenzene in the γ‐Irradiated Carbon Tetrachloride‐Benzene System

The formation of carbon tetrachloride‐benzene charge transfer complex was confirmed by UV and NMR spectrometric studies. A change in UV spectrum of benzene is observed upon addition of carbon tetrachloride. Whereas the appearance of new bands supports the formation of charge transfer complex. NMR study shows that, chemical shift of benzene pmr signal depends on the CCl₄‐C₆H₆ molar ratio. This observation is another criterion for the formation of benzene‐carbon tetrachloride charge transfer complex. Job's Continuous Variation method indicates that a 2:1 CCl₄‐C₆H₆ charge transfer complex (2:1 CTC) is formed. The association constants (K_2:1) of (2:1 CTC) was found to be 0.0197 M^?2. The maximum concentration of (2:1 CTC) was found to be in samples with 2:1 CCl₄‐C₆H₆ molar ratio (33% benzene mole). On the other hand the maximum yield of chlorobenzene was obtained, also, upon radiolysis of CCl₄‐C₆H₆ samples at a 2:1 molar ratio (33% benzene mole). Therefore, it could be concluded that (2:1 CTC) participates in the formation of chlorobenzene upon radiolysis of the benzene‐carbon tetrachloride system. This conclusion was supported by the dependence of the chlorobenzene yield of a γ‐irradiated carbon tetrachloride‐benzene system (2:1 molar ratio) on irradiation time according to a third order kinetic equation with a very good linearity (R² = 0.9977). Accordingly, the rate constant for the chlorobenzene formation under this condition was found to be ≈ 5.5 × 10^?7 L².mol^?2.h^?1. We propose a radiation chemical mechanism in which the 2:1 CTC plays a role in the formation of chlorobenzene.     

Effect of the physical state on the scavenging of quasi-free electrons by a solute

The reactivity of carbon tetrachloride toward quasi-free electrons generated during the decay of ⁵⁷Co atoms in its alcohol solutions frozen at 80 K has been studied by Mössbauer emission spectroscopy. It has been found that an increase in CCl₄ concentration to 10 mol/L slightly affects the yield of ⁵⁷Fe²⁺ and ⁵⁷Fe³⁺ ions as ⁵⁷Co decay products. The inertness of CCl₄ has been interpreted as a consequence of a change of the energy state of quasi-free track electrons results from freezing the alcohol solution. This effect inhibits the dissociative attachment reaction of scavenging of track electrons and increases the ground-state energy of quasi-free electrons (on passing to the frozen matrix), thereby fundamentally altering the energy balance of the electron scavenging reaction in comparison with the liquid medium and, hence, decreasing the rate constant of electron scavenging by CCl₄.     

Plasma-catalytic Reactor for Decomposition of Chlorinated Hydrocarbons

The conversion of trichloromethane in mixtures with air was investigated under normal pressure in a gliding discharge (GD) reactor operated in both a homogeneous gas system and with a solid catalyst. The Pt catalyst supported by a honey-comb cordierite structure was placed in the reactor below the ends of the electrodes. Cl₂ and HCl were the main products of the CHCl₃ conversion. The presence of CCl₄ was also noted. The influence of the electrode length and the distance between the electrodes in the narrowest section on CHCl₃ conversion was examined. The Pt catalyst revealed some activity in the trichloromethane processing. This resulted in an increased overall CHCl₃ conversion with the portion of CHCl₃ converted to CCl₄ smaller than that in the homogeneous system. The effect of temperature on CHCl₃ conversion was found to be significant.     

A theoretical study on decomposition and rearrangement reaction mechanism of trichloroacetyl chloride (CCl3COCl)

In the present study, the possible decomposition and rearrangement reaction profile of trichloroacetyl chloride have been studied using UMP2/6‐311++G (2d, 2p) level of ab initio and UB3LYP/6‐311++G (2d, 2p) level of density functional theory methods. The harmonic vibrational frequencies were calculated at the same level of theory used for the characterization of stationary points and zero‐point vibrational energy corrections. The potential energy barrier and activation energy between each step of the reaction have been calculated for the seven possible reaction pathways (Ia–c, IIa–b, IIIa–b). The trichloroacetyl chloride is an asymmetric ketone where the two α bonds of acetyl chloride, the C? C and C? Cl bonds are strong with dissociation energy of 72 kcal/mol. The phosgene (COCl₂), dichloroketene (CCl₂CO), carbon dichloride (CCl₂), carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄), and carbon monoxide (CO) are the major dominant products on the decomposition of the trichloroacetyl chloride. These resultant products are more hazards than the parent trichloroacetyl chloride molecules. The positive value of the reaction energy indicate that the overall reaction profile is found to be endothermic at the UMP2 and UBLYP/6‐311++G(2d, 2p) levels of theory, respectively, at UMP2/6‐311G** optimized geometry. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2011     

Zur thermischen Zersetzung der hochkonzentrierten Salpetersäure

The thermal decomposition of highly concentrated nitric acid was observed at atmospheric pressure between 0 and 60 °C for up to 273 d. The decomposition of highly concentrated nitric acid $$2 HNO_3 \rightleftharpoons 2 NO_2 + H_2 O + {1 \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {1 2}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} 2} O_2 $$ is a second order reaction in nitric acid. The reversible reaction proceeds to equilibrium. The velocity and equilibrium constants were obtained by kinetic evaluation of the readings for HNO₃ and NO₂. The activation energy for decomposition was — 134 kJ/mol.     

Kinetics and mechanism for the thermal chlorination of chloroform in the gas phase: Inclusion of HCl elimination from CHCl3

HCl elimination from chloroform is shown to be the lowest energy channel for initiation in the thermal conversion of chloroform to CCl₄, with chlorine gas in the temperature range of 573–635 K. Literature data on this reaction is surveyed and we further estimate its kinetic parameters using ab initio and density functional calculations at the G3//B3LYP/6‐311G(d,p) level. Rate constants are estimated and reported as functions of pressure and temperature using quantum RRK theory for k( E ) and master equation analysis for fall‐off. The high‐pressure limit rate constant of this channel is k(CHCl₃ → ¹CCl₂ + HCl) = 5.84 × 10⁴⁰ × T ^?8.7 exp(?63.9 kcal/mol/ RT ) s^?1, which is in good agreement with literature values. The reactions of ¹CCl₂ with itself, with CCl₃, and with CHCl₃ are incorporated in a detailed mechanistic analysis for the CHCl₃ + Cl₂ reaction system. Inclusion of these reactions does not significantly change the mechanism predictions of Cl₂ concentration profiles in previous studies (Huybrechts, Hubin, and Van Mele, Int J Chem Kinet 2000, 32, 466) over the temperature range of 573–635 K; but Cl₂, CHCl₃, C₂Cl₆ species profiles are significantly different at elevated temperatures. Inclusion of the ¹CCl₂ + Cl₂ → CCl₃ + Cl reaction (abstraction and chain branching), which is found to have dramatic effects on the ability of the model to match to the experimental data, is discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 35: 647–660, 2003