Reactions of oxygen atoms. Part 3.—Reaction of O(23PJ) and O(21D2) with CO and CO2

Abstract

Direct measurements of O(23PJ) by kinetic absorption spectroscopy in the vacuum ultra-violet have been used to investigate the rate of the reaction O(23PJ)+ CO + M →CO2+ M (6) The results obtained were: k6(M = Ar)= 1.4 ± 0.7 × 10–35cm6 molecule–2 s–1, k6(M = He)= 1.4 ± 0.7 × 10–35cm6 molecule–2s–1. at 300 K. Oxygen atoms were produced initially in the O(21D2) state following the flash photolysis of CO2 in the wavelength region 110–160 nm. It is concluded that both CO2 and CO quench O(21D2) to the electronic ground state in these experiments.