Manganese (IV) oxide (MnO2) nanoparticles were synthesized, via a plasma-chemical route by using a gliding arc discharge at atmospheric pressure. α-MnO2 nanorods were obtained from the chemical reduction of KMnO4. The synthesis yield was 96.8% after 4.5 min of exposure of the solution to the plasma. Further increase of the exposure time induced a decrease of MnO2 yield because of its reductive transformation into Mn2+ ions. Particles were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, and nitrogen physisorption. The plasma-catalytic properties of the synthesized material were tested in the bleaching of amaranth red (AR). AR bleaching efficiencies of 17 and 44% were respectively obtained when the plasma and plasma-catalyst processes were applied for 30 min with initial pH 10. The influence of the initial pH, and catalyst concentration were investigated: the AR bleaching efficiency increased linearly with the catalyst concentration and increased markedly when the pH of the solution decreased.
Boyom Tatchemo, F. W., Nzali, S., Kamgang Youbi, G., Tiya Djowe, A., Saa, D. K., Acayanka, E., Laminsi, S., & Gaigneaux, E. (2017). Gliding Arc Plasma Synthesis of MnO2 Nanorods for the Plasma-Catalytic Bleaching of Azoïc Amaranth Red Dye. Topics in Catalysis, 60(12-14), 962-972. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11244-017-0761-9 (Original work published 2017)