Deposition behavior in a low‐temperature cascade arc torch (CAT) polymerization process

Two kinds of hydrocarbon type monomers and three kinds of organosilicons were polymerized by a low‐temperature cascade arc argon plasma torch. Their deposition behaviors were studied as a function of experimental parameters and monomer elemental compositions. It was found that the normalized deposition rate (DR), expressed as deposition yield of DR/(FM)_m, was determined by a composite operational parameter, W*(FM)_c/(FM)_m, where W is the power input, and (FM)_c and (FM)_m are the mass flow rates of carrier gases and monomers, respectively. Experimental results indicated that the deposition yield is highly dependent on the elementary compositions of monomers. Optical emission spectroscopy study on the argon plasma torch showed that the emission intensity of excited argon neutrals was proportional to the value of the parameter W*(FM)_c. These results further certified that excited argon neutrals are the main energy carriers from the cascade arc column to activate monomers in the argon plasma torch. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 967–982, 1999     

Quenching of the OH and nitrogen molecular emission by methane addition in an Ar capacitively coupled plasma to remove spectral interference in lead determination by atomic fluorescence spectrometry

A new method is proposed to remove the spectral interference on elements in atomic fluorescence spectrometry by quenching of the molecular emission of the OH radical (A²Σ⁺ → X²Π) and N₂ second positive system (C³Π_u → B³Σ_g) in the background spectrum of medium power Ar plasmas. The experiments were carried out in a radiofrequency capacitively coupled plasma (275 W, 27.12 MHz) by CH₄ addition. The quenching is the result of the high affinity of OH radical for a hydrogen atom from the CH₄ molecule and the collisions of the second kind between nitrogen excited molecules and CH₄, respectively. The decrease of the emission of N₂ second positive system in the presence of CH₄ is also the result of the deactivation of the metastable argon atoms that could excite the nitrogen molecules. For flow rates of 0.7 l min^− 1 Ar with addition of 7.5 ml min^− 1 CH₄, the molecular emission of OH and N₂ was completely removed from the plasma jet spectrum at viewing heights above 60 mm. The molecular emission associated to CH and CH₂ species was not observed in the emission spectrum of Ar/CH₄ plasma in the ultraviolet range. The method was experimented for the determination of Pb at 283.31 nm by atomic fluorescence spectrometry with electrodeless discharge lamp and a multichannel microspectrometer. The detection limit was 35 ng ml^− 1, 2–3 times better than in atomic emission spectrometry using the same plasma source, and similar to that in hollow cathode lamp microwave plasma torch atomic fluorescence spectrometry.     

Multiphoton production and detection of N(2D)

N(²D) has been detected by resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) at 269 nm in both the products of a microwave discharge in nitrogen (0.2–2%) in argon mixtures and as a result of two-photon dissociation of N₂O. Further increase in the nitrogen fraction through the discharge decreased the N(²D) signal and finally replaced it with a series of molecular bands whose origin is thought to be electronically excited metastable states of N₂.     

活性氮与碘乙烷反应化学发光研究

在流动余辉装置上, 利用N₂空心阴极放电制备活性氮, 研究了活性氮与碘乙烷(C₂H₅I)反应的化学发光. 在620～820 nm波长范围内观察到了较强的发射光谱, 拟合得到的光谱常数表明它来源于NI(b¹Σ^＋→X³Σ^－)跃迁, 并对35个谱峰进行了振动归属. 最后讨论了活性氮中主要成分与C₂H₅I反应的可能过程, 结合辅助性实验分析表明, 活性氮中的N(²P)与C₂H₅I直接反应很可能产生激发态NI(b¹Σ^＋)自由基. 这是利用化学反应直接产生激发态NI(b¹Σ^＋)的首次报道, 观察到的激发态最高振动能级为v'＝6.     

Thermoemission of singlet oxygen and chemical structure of copper oxides

Thermal treatment of copper oxides (CuO, Cu₂O) is accompanied by large-scale emission of singlet oxygen molecules (¹Σ⁺ _g ). Electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) and electronic and IR spectroscopy were used to show that the thermoemission of electronically excited molecules results from dark generation of electronically excited states which contain in their structure isolated metal-metal bonds and oxygen associates. The anomalous diamagnetic response of the samples and reduced thermoemission activity (Cu₂O) are associated with cooperative interaction of electronically excited states.     

Characterization of a capillary dielectric barrier plasma jet for use as a soft ionization source by optical emission and ion mobility spectrometry

This paper presents the characterization of a source for soft ionization of organic molecules. This source is based on a plasma jet established at the end of a capillary dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure. He, Ne and Ar as pure gas or with different concentrations of N₂ are used as buffer gas for the plasma jet. Spectroscopic emission measurements are carried out along the plasma jet in and outside the capillary. The intensity variation of N₂⁺ lines, for example emission at 391.4 and 427.8 nm, can be associated with the protonation process which is the basis for the soft ionization. The mechanism of the N₂⁺ production outside the capillary, which is relevant for the protonation of molecules and sustains the production of primary ions, is investigated. The response signal of the ions in a nitrogen atmosphere was measured with an ion mobility spectrometer (IMS).     

The behavior of molecules in microwave-induced plasmas studied by optical emission spectroscopy. 1. Plasmas at atmospheric pressure

The behavior of molecules in different atmospheric microwave-induced plasmas (MIPs) has been studied by means of optical emission spectroscopy. This is in order to obtain more insight into molecular processes in plasmas and to investigate the feasibility of emission spectroscopy for the analysis of molecular compounds in gases, e.g. flue gases. Various molecular species (i.e. N₂, CO₂, H₂O, SF₆ and SO₂) have been introduced into discharges in argon or in molecular gases such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen. The plasmas were created and sustained by a guide-surfatron or a torch in the power range of 150 W to 2 kW. Only nitrogen sometimes yielded observable emission from the non-dissociated molecule (first and second positive system). Using other molecular gases, only dissociation and association products were observed (i.e. atomic species and diatomic molecules such as CN, C₂, CO, OH, NH and N₂⁺). The intensities of these products have been studied as a function of the concentration of introduced molecules, the position in the plasma and the composition of the plasma environment. Since in most cases the same diatomic association products are seen, observed associated molecules can only to some extend be related to the molecules originally present in the plasma gas. Therefore, it will be difficult to use atmospheric microwave discharges for the analysis of gas mixtures under the experimental conditions studied.     

Modelling of an Atmospheric Pressure Nitrogen Glow Discharge Operating in High-Gas Temperature Regimes

A model of an atmospheric pressure nitrogen glow discharge in high-gas temperature regimes is developed. The model considers a fairly complete set of chemical reactions, including several processes with the participation of electronically exited nitrogen atoms describing the energy balance and charged particles kinetic processes in the discharge. It is shown that the thermal dissociation of vibrationally excited molecules plays an essential role in the production of N(⁴ S) atoms. The dominant ion within the investigated current range (52–187 mA) is the molecular N₂ ⁺ with an increasing proportion of atomic N⁺ towards high-current values. The process of production of electrons within the almost whole current range is controlled predominantly by associative ionization in atomic collisions N(² P) + N(² P) → N₂ ⁺ + e; being the N(² P) atoms mainly produced via quenching of N₂(A ³∑ _u ⁺ ) electronically excited molecules by N(⁴ S) atoms. The results of calculations are compared with the available experimental data and a good agreement is found.     

Energy transfer processes involving ultraviolet stabilizers. Quenching of singlet oxygen

The role of electronically excited singlet (¹Δ_g) oxygen molecules in the photooxidation of polymers has received increased attention in recent years. Little information regarding the interaction of ultraviolet stabilizers with singlet oxygen is known, however. In this study, singlet oxygen was produced by a microwave discharge in a flow system and rate constants were obtained for quenching by ultraviolet stabilizers. It was found that some nickel chelate stabilizers are effective quenchers of singlet oxygen and their quenching behaviors can be correlated with ultraviolet stabilization effectiveness in thin polypropylene and polyethylene films. The best oxygen quenchers of those examined are nickel chelates with sulfur donor ligands.     

Comparison in the analytical performance between krypton and argon glow discharge plasmas as the excitation source for atomic emission spectrometry

The emission characteristics of ionic lines of nickel, cobalt, and vanadium were investigated when argon or krypton was employed as the plasma gas in glow discharge optical emission spectrometry. A dc Grimm-style lamp was employed as the excitation source. Detection limits of the ionic lines in each iron-matrix alloy sample were compared between the krypton and the argon plasmas. Particular intense ionic lines were observed in the emission spectra as a function of the discharge gas (krypton or argon), such as the Co II 258.033 nm for krypton and the Co II 231.707 nm for argon. The explanation for this is that collisions with the plasma gases dominantly populate particular excited levels of cobalt ion, which can receive the internal energy from each gas ion selectively, for example, the 3d⁷4p ³G₅ (6.0201 eV) for krypton and the 3d⁷4p ³G₄ (8.0779 eV) for argon. In the determination of nickel as well as cobalt in iron-matrix samples, more sensitive ionic lines could be found in the krypton plasma rather than the argon plasma. Detection limits in the krypton plasma were 0.0039 mass% Ni for the Ni II 230.299-nm line and 0.002 mass% Co for the Co II 258.033-nm line. However, in the determination of vanadium, the argon plasma had better analytical performance, giving a detection limit of 0.0023 mass% V for the V II 309.310-nm line.     

Multibubble sonolysis and sonoluminescence in molten elementary sulfur and sulfur—styrene mixture

The effect of saturation with argon, as well as styrene and iodine additives on the temperature dependence of multibubble sonoluminescence intensity in molten sulfur at 120–230 °C was studied. The shape of the temperature dependence with a maximum at 170–200 °C is determined by the viscosity variations related to the changes in the molecular structure of molten elemental sulfur. At high temperatures, cyclooctasulfane (S₈) molecules break to radical products, which then undergo polymerization that can be slowed down by the additives. Sulfurization of styrene during sonolysis of a sulfur—styrene mixture resulting in products of the thiophene series was detected. Unlike thermal sulfurization that affords 2,5-diphenylthiophene as a major product, sonochemical sulfurization results mainly in 2,4-diphenylthiophene. The mechanism of 2,4-diphenylthiophene formation initiated by the reaction of styrene molecules with S⁺ ions produced upon fragmentation of S₈ within cavitation bubbles is proposed. The glow of electronically excited S⁺* ions is responsible for the band with a maximum at 560 nm in the sonoluminescence spectrum of molten sulfur, which is suppressed by the styrene additive.     

Donor-acceptor interaction and intramolecular proton transfer in aminopolyenes

The influence of donor and acceptor substituents at chain termini on the geometry of the chain and charge distribution on atoms was studied for the ground and lower triplet electronically excited state of model ω-dimethylaminopolyene molecules (CH₃)₂N(CH=CH) _n CH=C(CN)₂, n = 1–3. Calculations were performed by the B3LYP/6-31+G** method. The influence of substituents on bond lengths and the amplitude of deviations from the equilibrium carbon-carbon bond length in unsubstituted polyenes increased as the conjugation chain grew longer. The deviations of the effects of both donor and acceptor groups from additivity, however, decreased. In the lower triplet electronically excited state of the molecule, the effect of substituents on changes in C-C bond lengths along the chain was not damped. The section of the potential energy surface for intramolecular proton shift from the donor amino to the acceptor nitrile group in “cyclic” (cis) conformers of the H₂N-CH=CH-CN and H₂N-CH=CH-CH=CH-CN molecules was analyzed. The structure of the reaction transition state and the height of the barrier to proton transfer were calculated.     

The Effects of Gas Composition on Active Species and Byproducts Formation in Gas–Water Gliding Arc Discharge

The effects of gas composition on hybrid gas–water gliding arc discharge plasma reactor have been studied. The voltage cycles are characterized by a moderate increase in the tension which is represented by a peak followed by an abrupt decrease and a current peak in the half period (10 ms). Emission spectrum measurements revealed that ^•OH hydroxyl radicals are present in the discharge with feeding any gas. The H₂O₂ concentrations reach 38.0, 15.0, 10.0, and 8.0 mg/l after 25 min plasma treatment with oxygen, argon, air, and nitrogen, respectively. O₃ was produced when oxygen and air are used, but not when nitrogen and argon. The O₃ concentration reached the highest value 1.0 mg/l after 25 min plasma treatment with oxygen feeding gas, but gradually decreased to 0.2 mg/l after that. With feeding nitrogenous gas, NO₂ ⁻ and NO₃ ⁻ byproducts were formed by the plasma chemical process.     

Isotope effect in the formation of hydrogen peroxide by the sonolysis of light and heavy water

The kinetics of the formation of hydrogen peroxide by the sonolysis of light and heavy water in argon and oxygen atmospheres was investigated. The sonochemical reaction has a zero order with respect to hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂, D₂O₂, or DHO₂). The measurement of the kinetic isotope effect (α), defined as the ratio of the reaction rates in H₂O and D₂O, carried out under argon gave a value of 2.2±0.3. The observed isotope effect decreases with an increase in the concentration of light water in H₂O−D₂O mixtures. No isotope effect is displayed in the oxygen atmosphere (α=1.05±0.10). The isotope effect is determined presumably by the mechanism of sonochemical decomposition of water molecules, which includes the H₂O−Ar^* and D₂O−Ar^* energy exchange (where Ar^* are argon atoms in the³P_2.0 excited state) in the nonequilibrium plasma generated by a shock wave, arising upon a cavitation collapse. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 645–649, April, 2000.     

A photometric detector driven by beta radiation

It was recently found that typical Chromatographic carrier gases such as argon or nitrogen could be used in a modified flame photometric detector for general or selective determination of eluted molecules. The detector was powered not by a flame but by a radioactively stimulated, mild discharge. The luminescence arose from the second positive system of nitrogen (in argon), and various emissions from aroyl-containing molecules (in nitrogen).This study describes experiments that take away not only the flame but also the discharge: The energy that produces the luminescence is derived solely from the beta decay of⁶³Ni. Because of this low power input, the sensitivity of the present beta-driven photometric detector (-PD) is limited to about 25 ppm of nitrogen (in argon), and to about 5 pg/s for benzaldehyde and other well-responding aroyl compounds (in nitrogen). In accordance with mechanisms postulated earlier, other types of molecules do not produce significant responses in the absence of an electrical field.Material taken from doctoral thesis     

Excitation of Species in an Expanded Argon Microwave Plasma at Atmospheric Pressure

The excitation capability of an argon microwave plasma flame expanded at atmospheric pressure has been studied. For this purpose, argon with different proportions of nitrogen was introduced at the end of the expanded flame, where the population densities of the atomic argon levels were still high enough. Optical emission spectra allowed the identification of different excited species in the plasma. When argon containing nitrogen was added at the end of the plasma flame, all argon lines emitted in this region were highly quenched, emission due to species containing nitrogen (NH, CN) was enhanced and a noticeable increase in the emission of N₂ (C ³Π_u ? B ³Π_g) was observed. On the contrary, the weak emission of $ {\text{N}}_{2}^{ + } \left( {B^{ 2} \sum_{u}^{ + } - X^{ 2} \sum_{g}^{ + } } \right) $ was scarcely affected. According to these results it is possible to conclude that metastable argon atoms from the expanded flame are the main energy carriers when generating N₂ reactive species in this plasma zone.     

Matrix isolation study of the products of the interaction of electrons and of argon atoms in excited Rydberg states with HCCIF2

Infrared absorptions of the (CICF)?H—F^? and HCF^?₂ anions have been identified in the spectrum of the products of the photolysis of HCCIF₂ isolated in an argon matrix at 14 K using radiation in the 147—105 nm spectral range. These anions are also produced in matrix experiments in which the Ar:HCCIF₂ sample is codeposited with an atomic beam of sodium and charge transfer processes are induced by mercury are radiation, as well as in experiments in which the sample is codeposited with a beam of argon that has been passed through a microwave discharge. Both the spectral data and molecular orbital calculations for HCF^?₂ indicate that this molecule has an exceptionally weak CH bond and that its apex angle is considerably more acute than that of the uncharged HCF₂ radical. The high threshold for ion production from HCCIF₂ dictates consideration of the role played by highly excited Rydberg states of argon in the discharge experiments. It appears probable that charge transfer occurs between these excited argon and HCCIF₂. The high ion yield typical of the discharge experiments is also consistent with product formation resulting from collision of matrix-isolated HCCIF₂ with free excitons formed by the impact of highly excited argon atoms at the surface of the solid deposit.     

Energy transfer in collisions of excited Ar(3P0.2) metastable atoms with H(2S) atoms. II. Lyman-α emission profile

Spectra of the Lyman-α emission resulting from the Ar(4s, ³P_2.0) + H(Is, ²S) interaction have been recorded. The emission line profile is essentially rectangular with a full width of 13 pm. These results show that excited H(n = 2) atoms are formed in the reaction, with nearly all the excess energy (1.34 eV) appearing as kinetic energy of the hydrogen atom. Lyman-α emission profiles also have been obtained from microwave discharge plasmas in argon and helium, containing traces of hydrogen; these profiles are compared with those from the Ar(³P_2.0) + H(²S) system.     

Characterization of an argon-hydrogen microwave discharge used as an atomic hydrogen source. Effect of hydrogen dilution on the atomic hydrogen production

This work is devoted to the study of an argon-hydrogen microwave plasma used as an atomic hydrogen source. Our attention has focused on the effect of the hydrogen dilution in argon on atomic hydrogen production. Diagnostics are performed either in the discharge or in the post-discharge using emission spectroscopy (actinometry) and mass spectrometry. The agreement between actinometry and mass spectrometry diagnostics proves that actinometry on the Ha(656.3 nm) and Hβ(486.1 nm) hydrogen Balmer lines can be used to measure the relative atomic hydrogen density within the microwave discharge. Results show that the atomic hydrogen density is maximum for a gas mixture corresponding to the partial pressure ratioP _{H 2}/P _Ar range between 1.5 and 2. The variation of atomic hydrogen density can be explained by a change of the dominant reactive mechanisms. At a low hydrogen partial pressure the dominant processes are the charge transfers with recombinations between Ar⁺ and H₂ which lead to ArH⁺ and H ₂ ⁺ ion formation. Both ions are dissociated in dissociative electron attachment processes. At a low argon partial pressure the electron temperature and the electron density decrease with increasing partial pressure ratio. The dominant mechanisms become direct reactions between charged particles (e, H⁺, H ₂ ⁺ , and H ₃ ⁺ ) or excited species H(n=2) with H₂ producing H atoms.     

Determination of C-atom density downstream an Ar-CH4 rf plasma torch

Nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon atoms have been detected by optical emission spectroscopy in a common flowing post-discharge of an Ar-x CH₄ rf plasma torch and an Ar-2%N₂ microwave discharge. Gas temperature as determined from CN and N₂ rotational svstems is 3200 ± 200 K in the rf torch and 700 ± 100 K in the post-discharge at a time 3 X10^–2 s after the rf plasma torch. From the intensities of the N₂ 1st positive system, of NO, and of CN violet hands, the atom densities have been determined as 2 X 10¹⁶ cm³ for N, 10¹⁵ cm³ for O, and 6 X 10¹² cm³ for C in the post-discharge at p=650 torr, with 10³ of CH₄ in the Ar torch.