Plasma Catalysis-Driven Decomposition of CO₂: Optimizing Energy Distribution with NiCo-CuO Catalyst

Addressing the escalating challenge of CO₂ emissions necessitates the exploration of innovative reduction strategies well beyond the reach of conventional methods. Within this ambit, the integration of nonthermal plasma with advanced catalytic materials emerges as a cutting-edge approach for the effective decomposition of CO₂. This investigation focuses on the decomposition of CO₂ facilitated by dielectric barrier discharge plasma in conjunction with different metal-supported catalysts (Ni-CuO, Co-CuO and NiCo-CuO), offering a comparative analysis with the plasma-alone system. Notably, the synergistic interaction between plasma and a NiCo-CuO catalyst markedly enhances the CO₂ conversion efficiency, achieving an optimal conversion rate of 30.5% and an optimal energy efficiency of 6.16%. Further characterizations using optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and intensified charge-coupled device imaging demonstrate that the incorporation of NiCo-CuO not only improves the uniformity of the plasma discharge but also alters the plasma energy distribution within the discharge zone, favoring the generation of excited species and their subsequent catalytic reactions on the Ni-Co-Cu surface. The findings from this study offer crucial insights into the mechanisms underlying plasma-catalyzed CO₂ dissociation processes, and may offer a promising avenue toward sustainable carbon management.