IR laser absorption diagnostic for C2H4 in shock tube kinetics studies

An IR laser absorption diagnostic has been further developed for accurate and sensitive time‐resolved measurements of ethylene in shock tube kinetic experiments. The diagnostic utilizes the P14 line of a tunable CO₂ gas laser at 10.532 μm (the (0 0 1) → (1 0 0) vibrational band) and achieves improved signal‐to‐noise ratio by using IR photovoltaic detectors and accurate identification of the P14 line via an MIR wavemeter. Ethylene absorption cross sections were measured over 643–1959 K and 0.3–18.6 atm behind both incident and reflected shock waves, showing evident exponential decay with temperature. Very weak pressure dependence was observed over the pressure range of 1.2–18.6 atm. By measuring ethylene decomposition time histories at high‐temperature conditions (1519–1895 K, 2.0–2.8 atm) behind reflected shocks, the rate coefficient of the dominant elementary reaction C₂H₄ + M → C₂H₂ + H₂ + M was determined to be k₁ = (2.6 ± 0.5) × 10¹⁶exp(?34,130/T, K) cm³ mol^?1 s^?1 with low data scatter. Ethylene concentration time histories were also measured during the oxidation of 0.5% C₂H₄/O₂/Ar mixtures varying in equivalence ratio from 0.25 to 2. Initial reflected shock conditions ranged from 1267 to 1440 K and 2.95 to 3.45 atm. The measured time histories were compared to the modeled predictions of four ethylene oxidation mechanisms, showing excellent agreement with the Ranzi et al. mechanism (updated in 2011). This diagnostic scheme provides a promising tool for the study and validation of detailed hydrocarbon pyrolysis and oxidation mechanisms of fuel surrogates and realistic fuels. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 44: 423–432, 2012     

Shock tube pyrolysis of pyrrole and kinetic modeling

The kinetics of pyrolysis of pyrrole dilute in argon have been studied in a single pulse shock tube, using capillary column GC, together with GC/MS and FTIR for product identification, over the temperature range 1200–1700 K, total pressures of 7.5–13.5 atm and nominal mixture compositions of pyrrole of 5000 and 700 ppm (nominal concentrations of 5 × 10^?7 and 7 × 10^?8 mol cm^?3). Time-resolved measurements of the rate of disappearance of pyrrole behind reflected shock waves have been made by absorption spectroscopy at 230 nm, corresponding to the lowest ¹π* ← ¹π transition of pyrrole at pressures of 20 atm and mixture compositions between 1000–2000 ppm pyrrole (1.7–3.0 × 10^?7 mol cm^?3) over the temperature range of 1300 to 1700 K. At the lower end of the studied temperature range, the isomers of pyrrole, allyl cyanide and cis- and trans-crotononitrile, were the principal products, together with hydrogen cyanide and propyne/allene. At elevated temperatures, acetylene, acetonitrile, cyanoacetylene, and hydrogen became important products. The rate of overall disappearance of pyrrole, as measured by absorption spectrometry, was found to be first order in pyrrole concentration, with a rate constant k_dis(pyrrole) = 10^14.1±0.7 exp(?74.1 ± 3.0 kcal mol^?1/RT) s^?1 between 1350–1600 K and at a pressure of 20 atm. First order dependence of pyrrole decomposition and major product formation was also observed in the single pulse experiments over the range of mixture compositions studied. A 75-step reaction model is presented and shown to substantially fit the observed temperature profiles of the major product species and the reactant profile. In the model the initiation reaction is postulated to be the reversible formation of pyrrolenine, (2H-pyrrole). Pyrrolenine can undergo ring scission at the C2? N bond forming a biradical which can rearrange to form allyl cyanide and crotononitrile or undergo decomposition to form HCN and C₃H₄ or acetylene and a precursor of acetonitrile. The model predicts an overall rate of disappearance of pyrrole in agreement with the experimental measurements.     

Measurements of the kinetics of the OH + α‐pinene and OH + β‐pinene reactions at low pressure

The rate constants for the OH + α‐pinene and OH + β‐pinene reactions have been measured in 5 Torr of He using discharge‐flow systems coupled with resonance fluorescence and laser‐induced fluorescence detection of the OH radical. At room temperature, the measured effective bimolecular rate constant for the OH + α‐pinene reaction was (6.08 ± 0.24) × 10^?11 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. These results are in excellent agreement with previous absolute measurements of this rate constant, but are approximately 13% greater than the value currently recommended for atmospheric modeling. The measured effective bimolecular rate constant for the OH + β‐pinene reaction at room temperature was (7.72 ± 0.44) × 10^?11 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, in excellent agreement with previous measurements and current recommendations. Above 300 K, the effective bimolecular rate constants for these reactions display a negative temperature dependence suggesting that OH addition dominates the reaction mechanisms under these conditions. This negative temperature dependence is larger than that observed at higher pressures. The measured rate constants for the OH + α‐pinene and OH + β‐pinene reactions are in good agreement with established reactivity trends relating the rate constant for OH + alkene reactions with the ionization potential of the alkene when ab initio calculated energies for the highest occupied molecular orbital are used as surrogates for the ionization potentials for α‐ and β‐pinene. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 34: 300–308, 2002     

An Ab initio determination of the rate constant for H2 + CN → H + HCN

The reactants, products, and saddle point for the reaction H₂ + CN → H + HCN have been studied by ab initio calculations. The computed structures, frequencies, and energetics are compared directly to available measurements and, indirectly, to experimental rateconstants. The theoretical rate constants used in the comparison are calculated with conventional transition state theory. By reduction of the computed reaction barrier to 4.1 kcal mol,^?1 good agreement with experimental rate constants is obtained over a 3250-K temperature range. This computed rate constant is well represented by the form 4.9 × 10_?18 T^2.45 e^{?1, 126/T} over the temperature range of 250 K–3500 K. Substantial reaction rate curvature is found due to low-frequency bending modes at the saddle point. The results for this reaction are compared to other abstraction reactions involving H atom transfer to identify correlations between reaction exothermicity and both abstraction barriers and reaction rate curvature.     

Kinetics of the reactions of C2H5, n‐C3H7, and n‐C4H9 radicals with Cl2 at the temperature range 190–360 K

The kinetics of the C₂H₅ + Cl₂, n‐C₃H₇ + Cl₂, and n‐C₄H₉ + Cl₂ reactions has been studied at temperatures between 190 and 360 K using laser photolysis/photoionization mass spectrometry. Decays of radical concentrations have been monitored in time‐resolved measurements to obtain reaction rate coefficients under pseudo‐first‐order conditions. The bimolecular rate coefficients of all three reactions are independent of the helium bath gas pressure within the experimental range (0.5–5 Torr) and are found to depend on the temperature as follows (ranges are given in parenthesis): k(C₂H₅ + Cl₂) = (1.45 ± 0.04) × 10^?11 (T/300 K)^{?1.73 ± 0.09} cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 (190–359 K), k(n‐C₃H₇ + Cl₂) = (1.88 ± 0.06) × 10^?11 (T/300 K)^{?1.57 ± 0.14} cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 (204–363 K), and k(n‐C₄H₉ + Cl₂) = (2.21 ± 0.07) × 10^?11 (T/300 K)^{?2.38 ± 0.14} cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 (202–359 K), with the uncertainties given as one‐standard deviations. Estimated overall uncertainties in the measured bimolecular reaction rate coefficients are ±20%. Current results are generally in good agreement with previous experiments. However, one former measurement for the bimolecular rate coefficient of C₂H₅ + Cl₂ reaction, derived at 298 K using the very low pressure reactor method, is significantly lower than obtained in this work and in previous determinations. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 39: 614–619, 2007     

Rate constant for the reaction of atomic bromine with ozone

The rate constant for the reaction Br + O₃ → BrO + O₂ has been measured over the temperature range 224 to 422 K in a discharge flow system using a mass spectrometer as a detector. Results, expressed in the form k₁ = (3.34 ± 0.40) × 10^?11 X exp[?(978 ± 36)/T] cm³ s^?1, are compared with previous measurements.     

Recombination of carbon monoxide and oxygen atoms

The recombination of carbon monoxide and oxygen atoms was studied in reflected shock waves in H₂:O₂:CO:Ar = 0.1:1:24:75 with 1300 < T₅ 2200 K and 2 < P₅ < 4 atm. Reaction progress was monitored by observations of the carbon monoxide flame spectrum near 435 nm and carbon dioxide thermal emission near 4.2 μm. Data analysis was accomplished with the aid of computer modeling using a 27-reaction mechanism. Computer modeling experiments also showed that these measurements were sensitive primarily to the rate of the reaction CO + O + M = CO₂ + M and only slightly sensitive to the rates of other reactions. The best fit to the data was achieved with a rate constant for this reaction of 7.7 × 10^?35 exp[19 kJ/RT] cm⁶ s for the temperature range of these experiments. Correlation of this result and previous data covering the temperature range 250 < T < 11,000 K confirms that this recombination reaction is governed by a nonadiabatic curve crossing with an activation barrier of about 20 kJ and subsequent deactivation of a singlet CO₂ molecule.     

Kinetics of the reactions of NCO with NO and NO2

The rate coefficients of the reactions of NCO radicals with NO and NO₂: (1) NCO + NO → products (293–836 K) and : (2) NCO + NO₂ → products (294–774 K) were measured by means of laser photolysis and laser induced fluorescence technique in the indicated temperature ranges. NCO radicals were produced from the reaction of CN, from photodissociation of ICN or BrCN, with O₂. The concentration of NCO was monitored with a dye laser set at 414.95 nm. We determined k₁ = 1.73 × 10^?5 T^?2.01 exp(?470/T) cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 that agrees with published results at room temperature and confirms the temperature dependence of an early report. A non-Arrhenius negative temperature dependence of k₂ was observed in this work that agrees satisfactorily with results for a shock tube¹⁸ near 1250 K. We obtained k₂ = 6.4 × 10^?10 T^?0.646 exp(164/T) cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 for 1250 K ≥ T ≥ 294 K by combining data of these two measurements. Our result at 294 K and the temperature dependence disagree with results of two previous investigations. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Kinetics of reaction between acetic acid and Ag2+ in nitric acid medium

The reaction kinetics between acetic acid and Ag²⁺ in nitric acid medium is studied by spectrophotometry. The effects of concentrations of acetic acid (HAc), H⁺, NO^?₃, and temperature on the reaction are investigated. The rate equation has been determined to be –dc(Ag²⁺)/dt = kc(Ag²⁺)c(HAc)c^?1(H⁺), where k = (610 ± 15) (mol/L)^?1 min^?1 with an activation energy of about (48. 8 ± 3.5) kJ mol^?1 when the reaction temperature is 25°C and the ionic strength is 4.0 mol L^?1. The reduction rate of Ag²⁺ increases with the increase in HAc concentration and/or temperature and the decrease in HNO₃ concentration. However, the effect of NO^?₃ concentrations within 0.5–2.5 mol L^?1 on the reaction rate is negligible. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 45: 47–51, 2013     

Variational transition‐state theory study of the atmospheric reaction OH + O3 → HO2 + O2

We report variational transition‐state theory calculations for the OH + O₃→ HO₂ + O₂ reaction based on the recently reported double many‐body expansion potential energy surface for ground‐state HO₄ [Chem Phys Lett 2000, 331, 474]. The barrier height of 1.884 kcal mol^?1 is comparable to the value of 1.77–2.0 kcal mol^?1 suggested by experimental measurements, both much smaller than the value of 2.16–5.11 kcal mol^?1 predicted by previous ab initio calculations. The calculated rate constant shows good agreement with available experimental results and a previous theoretical dynamics prediction, thus implying that the previous ab initio calculations will significantly underestimate the rate constant. Variational and tunneling effects are found to be negligible over the temperature range 100–2000 K. The O₁? O₂ bond is shown to be spectator like during the reactive process, which confirms a previous theoretical dynamics prediction. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 39: 148–153, 2007     

Kinetics of the reaction of H(2S) with HBr

The rate constants for the reaction H + HBr → H₂ + Br were measured between 217 and 383 K using pulsed laser photolysis of HBr and cw resonance fluorescence detection of H(²S). The temporal profiles of the product Br atoms were also monitored to obtain the rate constant at 298 K. The yield of Br from the reaction was determined to be unity. The rate coefficient as a function of temperature is given by the Arrhenius expression, k ₁ = (2.96 ± 0.44) × 10^?11 exp(?(460 ± 40)/T) cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. The quoted errors are at the 95% confidence level and include estimated systematic errors. Our results are compared with those from previous direct measurements. © John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Rate coefficient for the reaction OH + HO2 = H2O + O2 at 1 atmosphere pressure and 308 K

The rate coefficient for the reaction OH + HO₂ =H₂O + O₂ has been determined from measurements of the steady-state absorption of HO₂ at 210 nm, in low-frequency square-wave modulated photolysis of O₃ + H₂O mixtures. The value obtained was (9.9 ± 2.5) × 10^?11 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 at 308 K and 1 atm pressure.     

Direct measurements of the reaction H + CH2O → H2 + HCO behind shock waves by means of Vis–UV detection of formaldehyde

The combination of sensitive detection of formaldehyde by 174 nm absorption and use of ethyl iodide as a hydrogen atom source allowed direct measurements of the reaction H + CH₂O → H₂ + HCO behind shock waves. The rate constant was determined for temperatures from 1510 to 1960 K to be k₂ = 6.6 × 10¹⁴ exp(?40.6 kJ mol^?1/RT) cm³ mol^?1 s^?1 (Δ log k₂ = ± 0.22) Considering the low uncertainty in k₂, which accounts both for experimental and mechanism‐induced contributions, this result supports the upper range of previously reported, largely scattered high temperature rate constants. Vis–UV light of 174 nm was generated by a microwave N₂ discharge lamp. At typical reflected shock wave conditions of 1750 K and 1.3 atm, as low as 33 ppm formaldehyde could be detected. High temperature absorption cross sections of CH₂O and other selected species have been determined. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 34: 374–386, 2002     

New technique for generating high concentrations of gaseous OH radicals in relative rate measurements

We have developed a technique for generating high concentrations of gaseous OH radicals in a reaction chamber. The technique, which involves the UV photolysis of O₃ in the presence of water vapor, was used in combination with the relative rate method to obtain rate constants for reactions of OH radicals with selected species. A key improvement of the technique is that an O₃/O₂ (3%) gas mixture is continuously introduced into the reaction chamber, during the UV irradiation period. An important feature is that a high concentration of OH radicals [(0.53–1.2) × 10¹¹ radicals cm^?3] can be produced during the irradiation in continuous, steady‐state experiment. Using the new technique in conjunction with the relative rate method, we obtained the rate constant for the reaction of CHF₃ (HFC‐23) with OH radicals, k₁. We obtained k₁(298 K) = (3.32 ± 0.20) × 10^?16 and determined the temperature dependence of k₁ to be (0.48 ± 0.13) × 10^?12 exp[?(2180 ± 100)/T] cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 at 253–328 K using CHF₂CF₃ (HFC‐125) and CHF₂Cl (HCFC‐22) as reference compounds in CHF₃–reference–H₂O gas mixtures. The value of k₁ obtained in this study is in agreement with previous measurements of k₁. This result confirms that our technique for generating OH radicals is suitable for obtaining OH radical reaction rate constants of ～10^?16 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, provided the rate constants do not depend on pressure. In addition, it also needed to examine whether the reactions of sample and reference compound with O₃ interfere the measurement when selecting this technique. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 35: 317–325, 2003     

High-pressure range of the recombination O + O2 → O3

The recombination reaction O + O₂ → O₃ was studied by laser flash photolysis of pure O₂ in the pressure range 3–20 atm, and of N₂O? O₂ mixtures in the bath gases Ar, N₂, (CO₂, and SF₆) in the pressure range 3–200 atm. Fall-off curves of the reaction have been derived. Low-pressure rate coefficients were found to agree well with literature data. A high-pressure rate coefficient of k_∞ = (2.8 ± 1.0) × 10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 was obtained by extrapolation.     

Kinetics of the reaction of O3 with selected benzenediols

The kinetics of the reaction of O₃ with the aromatic vicinal diols 1,2‐benzenediol, 3‐methyl‐1,2‐benzenediol, and 4‐methyl‐1,2‐benzenediol have been investigated using a relative rate technique. The rate coefficients were determined in a 1080‐L smog chamber at 298 K and 1 atm total pressure of synthetic air using propene and 1,3‐butadiene as reference compounds. The following O₃ reaction rate coefficients (in units of cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1) have been obtained: k(1,2‐benzenediol) = (9.60 ± 1.12) × 10^?18, k(3‐methyl‐1,2‐benzenediol) = (2.81 ± 0.23) × 10^?17, k(4‐methyl‐1,2‐benzenediol) = (2.63 ± 0.34) × 10^?17. Absolute measurements of the O₃ rate coefficient have also been carried out by measuring the decay of the dihydroxy compound in an excess of O₃. The results from these experiments are in good agreement with the relative determinations. Atmospheric implications are discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 35: 223–230, 2003     

A shock tube study of CO + OH → CO2 + H and HNCO + OH → products via simultaneous laser absorption measurements of OH and CO2

The rate coefficients for the reactions were determined using mixtures of HNO₃/CO/Ar and HNO₃/HNCO/Ar in incident shock wave experiments. Simultaneous OH and CO₂ absorption time-histories were obtained via cw uv narrow-linewidth absorption at 32606.56 cm⁻¹ (λ = 306.687 nm) and cw infrared narrow-linewidth absorption at 2380.72 cm⁻¹ (λ = 4.2004 μm), respectively. The measurements of k₁ determined from measured CO₂ time-histories are in good agreement with those determined from previous measurements of OH time-histories at this laboratory. The rate coefficient for the overall reaction of HNCO + OH → Products was determined from analysis of OH data traces. The uncertainty in k₂ was found to be +22% −16%. By incorporating data from a previous low-temperature study, the following empirical expression was determined for the bimolecular reaction: over the temperature range 620–1860 K. From analysis of CO₂ data traces, an upper limit on the branching fraction (α = k_2a/k₂) for reaction (2a) of 10% was found, independent of temperature over the range 1250–1860 K. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Kinetics of the reactions of Cl(2PJ) and Br(2P3/2) with O3

A laser flash photolysis-resonance fluorescence technique has been employed to study the kinetics of the important stratospheric reactions Cl(²P_J) + O₃ → ClO + O₂ and Br(²P_3/2) + O₃ → BrO + O₂ as a function of temperature. The temperature dependence observed for the Cl(²P_J) + O₃ reaction is nonArrhenius, but can be adequately described by the following two Arrhenius expressions (units are cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, errors are 2σ and represent precision only): ??₁(T) = (1.19 ± 0.21) × 10^?11 exp [(?33 ± 37)/T] for T = 189–269K and ??₁(T) = (2.49 ± 0.38) × 10^?11 exp[(?233 ± 46)/T] for T = 269–385 K. At temperatures below 230 K, the rate coefficients determined in this study are faster than any reported previously. Incorporation of our values for ??₁(T) into stratospheric models would increase calculated ClO levels and decrease calculated HCl levels; hence the calculated efficiency of ClO_x catalyzed ozone destruction would increase. The temperature dependence observed for the (²P_3/2) + O₃ reaction is adequately described by the following Arrhenius expression (units are cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, errors are 2σ and represent precision only): ??₂(T) = (1.50 ± 0.16) × 10^?1 exp[(?775 ± 30)/T] for T = 195–392 K. While not in quantitative agreement with Arrhenius parameters reported in most previous studies, our results almost exactly reproduce the average of all earlier studies and, therefore, will not affect the choice of ??₂(T) for use in modeling stratospheric BrO_x chemistry.     

Kinetics and mechanism for the thermal chlorination of chloroform in the gas phase: Inclusion of HCl elimination from CHCl3

HCl elimination from chloroform is shown to be the lowest energy channel for initiation in the thermal conversion of chloroform to CCl₄, with chlorine gas in the temperature range of 573–635 K. Literature data on this reaction is surveyed and we further estimate its kinetic parameters using ab initio and density functional calculations at the G3//B3LYP/6‐311G(d,p) level. Rate constants are estimated and reported as functions of pressure and temperature using quantum RRK theory for k( E ) and master equation analysis for fall‐off. The high‐pressure limit rate constant of this channel is k(CHCl₃ → ¹CCl₂ + HCl) = 5.84 × 10⁴⁰ × T ^?8.7 exp(?63.9 kcal/mol/ RT ) s^?1, which is in good agreement with literature values. The reactions of ¹CCl₂ with itself, with CCl₃, and with CHCl₃ are incorporated in a detailed mechanistic analysis for the CHCl₃ + Cl₂ reaction system. Inclusion of these reactions does not significantly change the mechanism predictions of Cl₂ concentration profiles in previous studies (Huybrechts, Hubin, and Van Mele, Int J Chem Kinet 2000, 32, 466) over the temperature range of 573–635 K; but Cl₂, CHCl₃, C₂Cl₆ species profiles are significantly different at elevated temperatures. Inclusion of the ¹CCl₂ + Cl₂ → CCl₃ + Cl reaction (abstraction and chain branching), which is found to have dramatic effects on the ability of the model to match to the experimental data, is discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 35: 647–660, 2003     

Rate coefficients for the reaction of OH with HONO between 298 and 373 K

Rate coefficients, k₁, for the reaction OH + HONO → H₂O + NO₂, have been measured over the temperature range 298 to 373 K. The OH radicals were produced by 266 nm laser photolysis of O₃ in the presence of a large excess of H₂O vapor. The temporal profiles of OH were measured under pseudo-first-order conditions, in an excess of HONO, using time resolved laser induced fluorescence. The measured rate coefficient exhibits a slight negative temperature dependence, with k₁ = (2.8 ± 1.3) × 10^?12 exp((260 ± 140)/T) cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. The measured values of k₁ are compared with previous determinations and the atmospheric implications of our findings are discussed.