Determination of the Rate Constant for the NH2(X2B1) + NH2(X2B1) Reaction at Low Pressure and 293 K

Abstract

The rate constant for the reaction NH(2)(X(2)B(1)) + NH(2)(X(2)B(1)) --> products was measured in CF(4), N(2) and Ar carrier gases at 293 +/- 2 K over a pressure range from 2 to 10 Torr. The NH(2) radical was produced by the 193 nm photolysis of NH(3) dilute in the carrier gas. Both the loss of NH(3) and its subsequent recovery and the production of NH(2) and subsequent reaction were monitored simultaneously following the photolysis laser pulse. Both species were detected using quantitative time-resolved high-resolution absorption spectroscopy. The NH(3) molecule was monitored in the NIR using a rotation transition of the nu(1) + nu(3) first combination band near 1500 nm, and the NH(2) radical was monitored using the (1)2(21) <-- (1)3(31) rotational transition of the (0,7,0)A(2)A(1) <-- (0,0,0) X(2)B(1) band near 675 nm. The low-pressure rate constant showed a linear dependence on pressure. The slope of the pressure dependence was dominated by a recombination rate constant for NH(2) + NH(2) given by (8.0 +/- 0.5) x 10(-29), (5.7 +/- 0.7) x 10(-29), and (3.9 +/- 0.4) x 10(-29) cm(6) molecule(-2) s(-1) in CF(4), N(2), and Ar bath gases, respectively, where the uncertainties are +/-2sigma in the scatter of the measurements. The average of the three independent measurements of the sum of the disproportionation rate constants (the zero pressure rate constant) was (3.4 +/- 6) x 10(-13) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1), where the uncertainty is +/-2sigma in the scatter of the measurements.