Chemiluminescent titration of F(g) with Cl2(g) and microwave production of atomic fluorine

Abstract

Chemiluminescent titration of atomic fluorine with Cl2 in a low pressure (133 Pa) flow apparatus has been investigated to establish the accuracy of this titration method and the efficiency of F atom production in a microwave discharge. Up to 90 % dissociation of F2(0.5–10 % in Ar) is achieved by a 100 W Evenson-type cavity 2450 MHz discharge when the microwave power exceeds 2500 kJ mol–1 F and discharge residence time exceeds 0.7 ms. Heterogeneous F atom loss on the fluorine-passivated Al2O3 discharge tube walls occurs with a recombination probability, γF≈ 2 × 10–4.