The Molecular Volcano: Abrupt CCl{sub 4} Desorption Driven by the Crystallization of Amorphous Solid Water

Journal Article · Fri Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1997 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.79.909· OSTI ID:528130

Smith, R S; Huang, C; Wong, E K; Kay, B D ^[1]

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1. Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, P.O. Box 999, Mail Stop K8-88, Richland, Washington 99352 (United States)

The desorption kinetics of molecular beam deposited ultrathin films of CCl{sub 4} and amorphous solid water (ASW) are studied. Overlayers of ASW impede CCl{sub 4} desorption until the onset of crystallization, whereupon the CCl{sub 4} desorbs abruptly. The abrupt desorption occurs through connected pathways that are formed in the water overlayer during the nucleation and growth of crystalline ice from ASW. The onset of the abrupt desorption corresponds to the threshold for dynamic percolation. As the crystallization proceeds, the number of connected pathways rapidly increases, giving rise to the episodic release of CCl{sub 4}. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 528130
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 79, Issue 5; Other Information: PBD: Aug 1997
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

40 CHEMISTRY
66 PHYSICS
CARBON TETRACHLORIDE
DESORPTION
WATER
CRYSTALLIZATION
AMORPHOUS STATE
THIN FILMS
MOLECULAR BEAMS
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY