THE MERCURY-SENSITIZED RADIOLYSIS AND PHOTOLYSIS OF METHANE

Journal Article · Wed Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1961 · Journal of Physical Chemistry (U.S.)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/j100820a006· OSTI ID:4092945

Mains, G J; Newton, A S

The radiation chemistry of methane at 260 deg using 4.5Mev electrons was studied in the absence and presence of mercury vapor. The mercury-sensitized photolysis of methane at 160 deg and the radiolysis of methane at 25 deg were studied for comparison. The condensation products were analyzed by mass spectrometry and the yields of H/sub 2/' C/sub 2/H/sub 4/, C/sub 2/H/sub 6/, C/ sub 3/H/sub 6/, iso-C/sub 4/H/sub 10/, n-C/sub 4/H/sub 10/, iso-C/sub 5/ >iH/sub 12/, neo-C/sub 5/H/sub 12/, and neo-C/sub 6/H/sub 14/ are reported in each case. The failure of mercury vapor to alter the product distribution by ion scavenging is taken as evidence for little contribution of ion-molecule reactions in methane radiolysis at 180 deg . The temperature coefficient of methane radiolysis was found too small to be accounted for in terms of thermal-freeradical reactions. A mechanism involving "hot" hydrogen atoms is proposed. A mechanism involving both ionradicals and radicals also is consistent with the data. (auth)

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Berkeley
• NSA Number: NSA-15-010996
• OSTI ID: 4092945
• Journal Information: Journal of Physical Chemistry (U.S.), Journal Name: Journal of Physical Chemistry (U.S.) Vol. Vol: 65; ISSN JPCHA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

BUTANE
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
DECOMPOSITION
ELECTRONS
ETHANE
ETHYLENE
FREE RADICALS
HEXANE
HYDROGEN
IONS
LIQUEFYING
MACHINE PARTS
MASS SPECTROMETERS
MECHANICS
MERCURY
METHANE
PENTANE
PHOTOLYSIS
PROPANE
RADIATION CHEMISTRY
RADIATIONS
RADIOLYSIS
REACTION KINETICS
SERVOMECHANISMS
TEMPERATURE
USES
VAPORS