One Step Phenol Production from Toluene Solution Using RF In-Liquid Plasma

The objective of this research is to investigate the possibility of phenol production with one step process directly from solution of toluene and pure water using plasma in-liquid method. Experiments have been conducted using 27,12 MHz Radio Frequency in-liquid plasma to decompose a solution of 30{\%} toluene. When the plasma was formed in the liquid solution, molecule water substance was decomposed to OH radicals, H$\alpha $, H$\beta $ and O by plasma energy. In phenol production using the proposed method, OH radicals play a major role during the process of direct chemical reaction with toluene. In the sample residue liquid solution, phenols spectral lines are observed by GCMS. Experimental investigations clearly show that phenol can be directly produced from toluene.