Nitrous oxide/nitrogen isotope exchange on tungsten

Abstract

At room temperature the absence of ²⁹N₂ when N₂O reacts with a ³⁰N₂-saturated tungsten filament implies that only the nitrogen/oxygen bond is broken during the reaction. The catalysis of the nitrogen isotope exchange reaction ²⁸N₂+³⁰N₂= 2²⁹N₂ by tungsten is completely inhibited at filament temperatures below 1600°K by the presence of N₂O. Above this temperature the efficiency of catalysis rises rapidly and reaches its normal value at about 1800°K.