Vortrag: Electromagnetic Activation of Plasmas for Process Electrification

As we move toward a Net-Zero scenario, the electrification of chemical processes is gaining attention, and alternative approaches are being explored. One emerging direction is the application of plasmas for chemical and catalytic transformations. Three key features drive this interest:

1. Plasmas are highly reactive reactive and capable of activating stable molecules like CO₂, nitrogen or water.
2. They offer instant on/off operation, which matches the intermittent nature of renewable electricity.
3. Plasma systems can be compact and potentially low-cost.

In particular, microwave plasmas offer a unique opportunity to efficiently drive chemical reactions under non-equilibrium conditions, in compact devices.

This talk will present the rationale and recent developments in the use of microwave plasmas for processes such as such as CO₂ splitting, nitrogen fixation, and hydrogen peroxide production. They benefit from the plasma's ability to generate reactive species (radicals, ions, electronically excited states) that enable new reaction pathways. Present challenges and future research directions will also be discussed. The overarching aim is to build knowledge and capabilities that allow the development of a scalable and flexible plasma-based platform for Power-to-X technologies.