Reactions of hydrogen and tritium atoms with carbon at 77°K

Abstract

Hydrogen containing tritium was atomized at a hot tungsten filament, and the atoms were reacted with carbon (graphite, lamp black and diamond) at 77°K. At pressures low enough to allow a collision-free path for the hydrogen atoms between the filament and the surface of the carbon, CH 4, C 2H 6, C 3H 8, iso-C 4H 10, n-C 4H 10 were produced and an unidentified higher molecular weight compound was extracted by benzene from graphite. Only CH 4 and C 2H 6 were formed with hydrogen atoms moderated to 77°K by an inert helium atmosphere. Graphite was more reactive than diamond or lamp black. The distribution of products was found to vary with filament temperature, hydrogen pressure and length of reaction time. A sequence of consecutive reactions is proposed as the mechanism for the formation of the hydrocarbons.