Hydrogen Formation in the Radiolysis of Liquid n-Butane

Abstract

The effects of a radical scavenger (C2H4) and electron scavengers (N2O or SF6) on hydrogen formation in the radiolysis of liquid n-butane at room temperature have been studied. Further, the isotopic composition of the hydrogen from n-C4H10–n-C4D10, n-C4H10–n-C4D10—0.3M N2O, and n-C4H10–n-C4D10—0.15M C2H4 mixtures has been measured, and the ratios of unimolecular to bimolecular hydrogen formation determined for each mixture. Combining these results, the yields of six primary processes by which hydrogen is formed have been determined separately with the results that G (thermal hydrogen atom), G (hot hydrogen atom), and G(molecular hydrogen) are, respectively, 0.7, 1.4, and 0.6 by direct excitation and ionization and 0.5, 0.6, and 1.0 by neutralization, with probable errors ± 0.2. It is noticeable that the largest contribution is from hot hydrogen atoms produced by direct excitation and ionization.