Photochemical generation of the optoacoustic effect. Progress report, 15 April 1984-14 April 1985

Technical Report · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6117999

Diebold, G J

When the optoacoustic effect is produced with short wavelength radiation it is possible to break chemical bonds thereby initiating chemical reactions. Depending on the gas composition, the ensuing radical reactions may release more energy into heating the gas than is actually absorbed from the light beam; this results in what has been called chemical amplification of the optoacoustic effect. Since the acoustic signal is generated primarily through the photochemical reactions that follow the absorption of radiation, the acoustic phase and amplitude act as a monitor of the kinetic reaction mechanism through the evolution of heat. The photochemically generated optoacoustic effect thus acts as an analog to the method of intermittent activation (sometimes referred to as the rotating sector method) that has been used to study photochemistry for several decades. In fact, the optoacoustic effect has several advantages over the method of intermittent activation. Here, the utility of the acoustic method is demonstrated in a study of the inhibition of the Cl/sub 2/ + H/sub 2/ reaction by NO.

• Research Organization: Brown Univ., Providence, RI (USA). Dept. of Chemistry
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-84ER13235
• OSTI ID: 6117999
• Report Number(s): DOE/ER/13235-1; ON: DE85005835
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400500* -- Photochemistry
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORINE
ELEMENTS
HALOGENS
HYDROGEN
NITRIC OXIDE
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOACOUSTIC EFFECT
PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS
RADICALS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS