Thermal decomposition of ethane

The decomposition of C₂H₆ in Ar was studied by laser-absorption and laser-schlieren measurements of the reaction rate behind incident shock waves with 1300 < T < 2500°K and 1.1 < ρ < 4.4 × 10^?6 mol/cm³. The experimental profiles were parameterized by suitable measures of reaction progress. Computer simulations using a 14-reaction mechanism were used to compare assumptions about rate constant expressions with the experimental parameters and to investigate the sensitivity of computed parameters to these assumptions. A rate constant expression k(cm³/mol˙sec) = 2 × 10¹¹¹ T^?25.26 exp(?80 320/T) was found for the primary dissociation step C₂H₆ + M ? CH₃ + CH₃ + M under the conditions studied; no difference in rate was discernable between M ? Ar and M ? C₂H₆. Rate constant expressions found to be suitable for the remaining reactions of the mechanism, to some of which the computed parameters were sensitive, were in accord with previous proposals. Our results and results from earlier investigations of the primary decomposition reaction, in both forward and reverse directions, were extrapolated, using RRK methods, to obtain low-pressure limiting rate constants and found to be concordant.