Effect of anisotropy of polarizability of the linear quadrupole molecule on the rate of ion capture

Abstract

Based on the microcanonical version of transition-state theory, the anisotropy of polarizability is shown to affect the rate of the capture of an ion by a non-spherical molecule. The outcome may be either acceleration or deceleration of the rate, depending on the sign of two entities, the product of the charge of the ion and the quadrupole moment of the molecule and the coefficient of non-sphericity of polarizability. Albeit small, the effect improves the agreement between theory and experiment.