Spectroscopic identification of C(3P) atoms in halogenomethane + H flame systems and measurements of C(3P) reaction rate constants by two-photon laser-induced fluorescence

Abstract

Carbon atoms in their ground state (³P) have been detected in the low-pressure CHCl₃+H, CHBr₃+ H and CCl₄+ H flame systems using two-photon laser excitation of the 3 ³D_J′â†� 2 ³P_J″ transition at 287 nm. The generation of carbon atoms and their importance in these flame systems is discussed. Bimolecular rate constants for the reactions of C(³P) atoms with O₂ and NO have been measured under pseudo-first-order conditions at room temperature and a total pressure of 2 Torr using a laser photolysis/laser-induced fluorescence technique. The measured values are k_{C + O2}=(4.7 ± 0.3)× 10^–11 cm³ s^–1 and k_{C + NO}=(1.6 ± 0.2)× 10^–11cm³s^–1, respectively.