Chemiluminescent reactions of fluorine atoms with inorganic iodides in the gas phase

Abstract

Visible chemiluminescence in the spectral range 200–900 nm has been measured for the reactions of F atoms with a range of inorganic iodides studied at reduced pressures (ca. 0.7 mbar). There is only one emitter present in all cases viz. IF^*(B). The IF^*(B) vibrational state distributions and rotational temperatures are essentially the same for all the systems studied. The yield of IF^* can be substantially increased by adding O^*₂(¹Δ) to the flame or by increasing the F atom concentration. It is suggested that the origin of IF^*(B) in these reactions and other similar systems previously studied may be the recombination reaction of spin–orbit excited iodine atoms with ground-state fluorine atoms.