The Photo-Oxidation of Biacetyl at 4358 A
Abstract
The purpose of this work is to determine whether the quenching of biacetyl phosphorescence by oxygen is due to a chemical reaction between the excited biacetyl and the oxygen, or to a physical quenching process. In order to determine this, the photolysis of gaseous biacetyl-oxygen mixtures has been studied at 4358 A and room temperature. The products identified were carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, water, methanol and formaldehyde. The quantum yields of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide formation and oxygen consumption were determined. The carbon dioxide and oxygen quantum yields are independent of absorbed intensity over the range studied, 10(exp 11) - 10(exp 13) quanta/cu cm second. The carbon monoxide yields may decrease with increasing intensity, but this is not certain because of the large scatter in the yields. The yields increase with oxygen pressure at oxygen pressures less than about 0.1 mm. and reach limiting values at higher oxygen pressures. The variation of carbon dioxide formation and oxygen consumption with oxygen pressure correlates fairly well with the variation of phosphorescence with oxygen pressure. The significance of this correlation is somewhat doubtful, because of a lack of knowledge of the secondary reactions in the system. A short chain process probably predominates.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1963
- Accession Number
- ADA403888
Entities
People
- Norman Padnos
Organizations
- University of Rochester