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Title: A novel technique for measurement of thermal rate constants and temperature dependences of dissociative recombination: CO{sub 2}{sup +}, CF{sub 3}{sup +}, N{sub 2}O{sup +}, C{sub 7}H{sub 8}{sup +}, C{sub 7}H{sub 7}{sup +}, C{sub 6}H{sub 6}{sup +}, C{sub 6}H{sub 5}{sup +}, C{sub 5}H{sub 6}{sup +}, C{sub 4}H{sub 4}{sup +}, and C{sub 3}H{sub 3}{sup +}

Journal Article · · Journal of Chemical Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4801657· OSTI ID:22105478
; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico 87117 (United States)

A novel technique using a flowing afterglow-Langmuir probe apparatus for measurement of temperature dependences of rate constants for dissociative recombination (DR) is presented. Low ({approx}10{sup 11} cm{sup -3}) concentrations of a neutral precursor are added to a noble gas/electron afterglow plasma thermalized at 300-500 K. Charge exchange yields one or many cation species, each of which may undergo DR. Relative ion concentrations are monitored at a fixed reaction time while the initial plasma density is varied between 10{sup 9} and 10{sup 10} cm{sup -3}. Modeling of the decrease in concentration of each cation relative to the non-recombining noble gas cation yields the rate constant for DR. The technique is applied to several species (O{sub 2}{sup +}, CO{sub 2}{sup +}, CF{sub 3}{sup +}, N{sub 2}O{sup +}) with previously determined 300 K values, showing excellent agreement. The measurements of those species are extended to 500 K, with good agreement to literature values where they exist. Measurements are also made for a range of C{sub n}H{sub m}{sup +} (C{sub 7}H{sub 7}{sup +}, C{sub 7}H{sub 8}{sup +}, C{sub 5}H{sub 6}{sup +}, C{sub 4}H{sub 4}{sup +}, C{sub 6}H{sub 5}{sup +}, C{sub 3}H{sub 3}{sup +}, and C{sub 6}H{sub 6}{sup +}) derived from benzene and toluene neutral precursors. C{sub n}H{sub m}{sup +} DR rate constants vary from 8-12 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -7} cm{sup 3} s{sup -1} at 300 K with temperature dependences of approximately T{sup -0.7}. Where prior measurements exist these results are in agreement, with the exception of C{sub 3}H{sub 3}{sup +} where the present results disagree with a previously reported flat temperature dependence.

OSTI ID:
22105478
Journal Information:
Journal of Chemical Physics, Vol. 138, Issue 15; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-9606
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English