Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Plasma oxidation of toluene/xylene mixture

Adas - 6-4-2013 at 05:48

Hello guys,

today I was experimenting with plasma oxidation. First, I tried oxidizing butane with HV sparks. The smell was the same as when you burn butane in a closed bottle with less oxygen than needed.

I also tried that with mixture of toluene and xylene, and I observed a very strange, somewhat irritating smell.

What could it be? A mixture of benzenecarboxylic acids, maybe?

Thanks for your time.

EDIT: I just realized that it smells like lacquers on old furniture or something like that.

[Edited on 6-4-2013 by Adas]

Hexavalent - 6-4-2013 at 08:04

In both of these instances:

http://escampig2012.ist.utl.pt/Proceedings/files/Topic%203/e...
http://jap.aip.org/resource/1/japiau/v99/i12/p123301_s1?isAu...

the toluene was oxidized in another sense of the term to what you use to give carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide...

Adas - 6-4-2013 at 09:01

Quote: Originally posted by Hexavalent  
In both of these instances:

http://escampig2012.ist.utl.pt/Proceedings/files/Topic%203/e...
http://jap.aip.org/resource/1/japiau/v99/i12/p123301_s1?isAu...

the toluene was oxidized in another sense of the term to what you use to give carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide...


So that's why I have headache! Carbon monoxide, lol. :D

Hexavalent - 6-4-2013 at 09:23

Oh dear...how much toluene/xylenes were you using?

Adas - 6-4-2013 at 12:27

Quote: Originally posted by Hexavalent  
Oh dear...how much toluene/xylenes were you using?


At the bottom of the jar there was 10-15ml, but the oxidation occured in gas phase (obviously) so the conversion was minimal. I didn't let it run for too long.