Chemistry of recoil tritium atoms. Part 1.—Reaction with n-butane, n-pentane and neo-pentane

Abstract

The reactions of recoil tritium atoms with n-butane, n-pentane and neo-pentane in the presence of about 2 % oxygen (scavenger) and varying amounts of helium (inert moderator) are described. Using the Estrup-Wolfgang kinetic theory average molecular moderating parameters α are determined. Reactivity integrals I_i and K_i, integrals, are also found. It is proposed that reactive and non-reactive collisions are essentially of the same (inelastic) type and that the ability of a paraffin molecule to absorb energy is related to the number of its fundamental vibrations. This model explains the observations that both l(=Σl_i) and α appear to increase with molecular size.