Measurement of CrO in flames by cavity ringdown spectroscopy

CrO is an important intermediate in the high temperature oxidation chemistry of chromium containing species. This work reports the first detection of CrO in a flame. The B⁵-X⁵ electronic transition was probed by cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS) in a lean (=0.38), low-pressure, flat, laminar hydrogen-oxygen-argon flame seeded with Cr(CO)₆. The previous B⁵-X⁵ CrO spectrum of Hocking et al. (605.0 nm-606.5 nm) is extended from the band head located at 605.6 nm to 614.4 nm. The temperature profiles of the doped and undoped flames were obtained from measurements of OH laser- induced fluorescence. Seeding the flame with Cr(CO)₆ increased the flame temperature by approximately 150 K. The concentration profile of CrO was measured as a function of height above the burner. CrO absorption signals were converted to concentration using the measured temperature profile and absorption cross-section calculated from lifetimes by Hedgecock et al. A lower limit peak CrO concentration of 1.6 ppb was found in the flame. Some uncertainty in the cross-section remains. Comparisons to calculations using STANJAN indicate that CrO is present in flames at super equilibrium concentrations. PACS 82.33.Vx; 42.62.Fi