Influence of pH on yield of hydrogen atoms in radiolysis of aqueous solutions

Abstract

The effect of pH on the yield of radiolytically-produced hydrogen atoms has been studied in aqueous solutions containing low concentrations of solutes RH, which react with H atoms to give H₂. All the data up to pH 13.5 can be explained in terms of a competition between RH (plus its anion for alcohols) and OH^– for a hydrogen atom yield of G(H)= 0.50 ± 0.05. This result indicates that, contrary to the spur diffusion model, an intraspur reaction, e^–_aq+ H₃O⁺→ H + H₂O, (e^–_aq is the aqueous solvated electron) is not the source of this important fraction of the hydrogen atom yield.