Addition and spin exchange rate constants by longitudinal field μSR: The Mu+NO reaction

Abstract

The addition reaction Mu+NO+M→MuNO+M and the spin exchange reaction Mu(↑) +MO(↓)→Mu(↓)+NO(↑) have been measured by longitudinal field μSR at room temperature in the presence of up to 58 atm of N2 as inert collider. The pressure dependence of the longitudinal relaxation rate due to the addition reaction (λc) demostrates that the system is still in the low pressure regime in this pressure range. The corresponding termolecular rate constant has been determined ask0,Mu=(1.10±0.25)×10−32 cm6 molecules−2 s−1, almost 4 times smaller than the corresponding H atom reactionk0,H=3.90×10−32 cm6 molecules−2 s−1 [I.M. Campbell et al., J. Chem. Soc. Faraday Trans. 1.71 (1975) 2097]. The average value of the spin exchange rate constants in the 2.5–58 atm pressure range,kSE=(3.16±0.06)×10−10 cm3 molecule−1 s−1, is in good agreement with previous values obtained by transverse field μSR [D.G. Fleming et al., J. Chem. Phys. 73 (1980) 2751].