Reactions of O(+) With C(n)H(2n+2), n=2-4: A Guided-Ion Beam Study

Abstract

We have measured absolute reaction cross sections for the interaction of 0+ with ethane, propane, and n-butane at collision energies in the range from near thermal to approximately 20 eV, using the guided-ion beam (GIB) technique. We have also measured product recoil velocity distributions using the GIB time-of-flight (TOF) technique for several product ions at a series of collision energies. The total cross sections for each alkane are in excess of 100 Angstrom(exp 2) at energies below ^2 eV, and in each case several ionic products arise. The large cross sections suggest reactions that are dominated by large impact parameter collisions, as is consistent with a scenario in which the many products derive from a near-resonant, dissociative charge-transfer process that leads to several fragmentation pathways. The recoil velocities, which indicate product ions with largely thermal velocity distributions, support this picture. Several product ions, most notably the C2H3+ fragment for each of the alkanes; exhibit enhanced reaction efficiency as collision energy increases, which can be largely attributed to endothermic channels within the dissociative charge-transfer mechanism.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 15, 2004
Accession Number
ADA423356

Entities

People

  • D. J. Levandier
  • Rainer A. Dressler
  • Y. Chiu

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force Research Laboratories
  • Charge Transfer
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Chemistry
  • Collisions
  • Dissociation
  • Energy
  • Energy Transfer
  • Fragmentation
  • Ion Beams
  • Ionization
  • Ions
  • Low Earth Orbits
  • Mass Spectra
  • Mass Spectroscopy
  • Momentum Transfer
  • Spacecraft

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Combustion science or combustion engineering.
  • Plasma Physics.
  • Quantum Chemistry