Packed bed dielectric barrier discharge (PB-DBD) is extremely popular in plasma catalysis applications, which can significantly improve the selectivity and energy efficiency of the catalytic processes. In order to achieve some complex chemical reactions, it is necessary to mix different materials in practical applications. In this work, by using the two-dimensional particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collision (PIC/MCC) method, the discharge evolution in PB-DBD packed with two mixed dielectrics is numerically simulated to reveal the discharge characteristics. Due to the polarization of dielectric columns, the enhancement of electric field induces streamers at the bottom of the dielectric columns with high electrical permittivity (εr). The streamers propagate downward in the voids between the dielectric columns with low εr, which finally converts into volume discharges. Then, a new streamer forms near the upper dielectric plate and propagates downward along the void of the dielectric columns with high εr. Moreover, electron density between the columns with high εr is lower than that between the dielectric columns with low εr. In addition, the numbers of e, $ {\text{N}}_{2}^{+} $, $ {\text{O}}_{2}^{+} $ and $ {\text{O}}_{2}^{-} $ present different profiles versus time. All of e, $ {\text{N}}_{2}^{+} $ and $ {\text{O}}_{2}^{+} $ increase in number before 0.8 ns. After 0.8 ns, the number of electrons decreases with time, while the numbers of $ {\text{N}}_{2}^{+} $ and $ {\text{O}}_{2}^{+} $ keep almost constant. In the whole process, the number of $ {\text{O}}_{2}^{-} $ keeps increasing with time increasing. The reason for the different temporal profiles can be analyzed as follows. The sum of electrons deposited on the dielectric and those lost in attachment reaction is greater than the number of electrons generated by ionization reaction, resulting in the declining trend of electrons. Comparatively, the deposition of $ {\text{N}}_{2}^{+} $ and $ {\text{O}}_{2}^{+} $ on the dielectric almost balances with their generation, leading to the constant numbers of $ {\text{N}}_{2}^{+} $ and $ {\text{O}}_{2}^{+} $. In addition, the variation of averaged electron density ($ {\bar{n}}_{{\mathrm{e}}} $) and averaged electron temperature ($ {\bar{T}}_{{\mathrm{e}}} $) in the voids between the dielectric columns are also analyzed under different experimental parameters. Simulation results indicate that both of them decrease with pressure increasing or voltage amplitude falling. Moreover, they increase with dielectric column radius enlarging. In addition, $ {\bar{n}}_{{\mathrm{e}}} $ increases and then decreases with the increase of N2 content in the working gas, while $ {\bar{T}}_{{\mathrm{e}}} $ monotonically increases. The variations of $ {\bar{n}}_{{\mathrm{e}}} $ and $ {\bar{T}}_{{\mathrm{e}}} $ in the voids can be explained as follows. With the increase of pressure, the increase of collision frequency and the decrease of average free path lead to less energy obtained per unit time by electrons from the electric field, resulting in the decreasing of $ {\bar{T}}_{{\mathrm{e}}} $. Moreover, the first Townsend ionization coefficient decreases with the reduction in $ {\bar{T}}_{{\mathrm{e}}} $, resulting in less electrons produced per unit time. Hence, both $ {\bar{n}}_{{\mathrm{e}}} $ and $ {\bar{T}}_{{\mathrm{e}}} $ decrease with pressure increasing. Additionally, $ {\bar{T}}_{{\mathrm{e}}} $ is mainly determined by electric field strength. Therefore, the rising voltage amplitude results in the increase of and $ {\bar{T}}_{{\mathrm{e}}} $. Based on the same reason for pressure, $ {\bar{n}}_{{\mathrm{e}}} $ also increases with the augment of voltage amplitude. Consequently, both $ {\bar{n}}_{{\mathrm{e}}} $ and $ {\bar{T}}_{{\mathrm{e}}} $ increase with voltage amplitude increasing. In addition, the surface area of dielectric columns increases with dielectric column radius enlarging. Therefore, more polarized charges are induced on the inner surface of the dielectric column, inducing a stronger electric field outside. Accordingly, the enlarging of dielectric column radius leads $ {\bar{n}}_{{\mathrm{e}}} $ and $ {\bar{T}}_{{\mathrm{e}}} $ to increase. Moreover, the variation of $ {\bar{n}}_{{\mathrm{e}}} $ with N2 content is analyzed from the ionization rate, and that of $ {\bar{T}}_{{\mathrm{e}}} $ is obtained by analyzing the ionization thresholds of N2 and O2.
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