Microwave discharges in dielectric liquids are a relatively new area of plasma physics and plasma application. This review cumulates results on microwave discharges in wide classes of liquid hydrocarbons (alkanes, cyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons). Methods of microwave plasma generation, composition of gas products and characteristics of solid carbonaceous products are described. Physical and chemical characteristics of discharge are analyzed on the basis of plasma diagnostics and 0D, 1D and 2D simulation.
Keywords: discharges in liquids; gas products; methods of generation; microwave discharge; microwave discharge in liquid hydrocarbons; plasma diagnostics; plasma modeling; plasma properties; solid products.