What is the definition of In-Situ Reduction?

Question

Also, why would Non-thermal Plasma Catalysis be used in the oil industry? These are some questions I was asked when I had to give a presentation in front of my fellow undergraduates, but the professors asked me these questions, and I couldn't answer. Please help.

Answer 1

As far as the non-thermal plasma you should see the following link. There you will find a comparison of it to other methods for getting rid of the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) which are pollutants produced by various processes including oil industry.

http://www.swri.edu/3pubs/ttoday/Spring96/ttoday2.htm

In situ means literally in place.
Sometimes one of the reactants is too unstable to be isolated. So how would you do the reaction? You make sure that this reactant is being produced by other chemicals but in the presence (the same place, thus in situ) of the compound you want it to react with. In this way the very unstable and reactive reagent will readily react with the desired compound as soon as it is formed.
An situ reduction is a reaction in which the reducing agent is being produced in the presence of the compound that's going to be reduced.

Answer 2

Lets say I want to react A + B = C. But B is not very stable. So sometimes its possible to make B in situ. That means have
D + E = B. But you also have to make sure that D and E wont react with A.

So when you prepare your reaction you dont mix A and B. You mix A , D, and E. And you end with the product you want...C.

Well, in-situ reduction means you had a reduction occur in this.

And non thermal plasma catalysis is great because of the absense of high thermal energy which usually makes plasmas inpractical. There might be more reasons but thats all I can think of.

Answer 3

http://www.erowid.org/archive/rhodium/chemistry/tmsi.deoxygenation.html