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Kinetics of electron attachment to oxygen and water in flames

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Abstract

Negative ions are found in flames1 and are presumed to arise from electrons attaching to some unidentified flame species, possibly molecular oxygen2,3. Free electrons and positive ions are produced in a flame either by chemi-ionisation4 in CH + O → CHO+ + e− or by collisional ionisation5 of a metal, such as potassium, in K + M → K+ + e− + M, where M represents a third body. An atmospheric pressure flame is an interesting medium in which to measure the rate of appearance of negative ions; normally no more than one particle in 106 is electrically charged, there are usually no electric or magnetic fields and the attaching electrons are ‘thermalised’, that is, their energies are governed by the flame temperature. In addition, electron attachment is at much higher temperatures and pressures than normal6,7 and in a system free from wall effects. We present here a study of the kinetics of electron attachment to oxygen and water in flames. The rate coefficients suggest a surprisingly large negative temperature coefficient.

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Author notes

  1. J. M. Goodings

    Present address: Department of Chemistry, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Downsview, Ontario, Canada, M3J 1P3

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical Engineering and Fuel Technology, University of Sheffield, Mappin Street, Sheffield, UK

    J. M. Goodings & A. N. Hayhurst

Authors
  1. J. M. Goodings
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  2. A. N. Hayhurst
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Goodings, J., Hayhurst, A. Kinetics of electron attachment to oxygen and water in flames. Nature 281, 204–206 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1038/281204a0

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