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Decomposition of solid amorphous hydrogen peroxide by ion irradiation
Mark J Loeffler1, Ben D Teolis, Raul A Baragiola
1Laboratory for Atomic and Surface Physics, Thornton Hall, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4238, USA.
The Journal of Chemical Physics
|March 18, 2006
Summary
Laboratory studies show that irradiating solid hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) films with hydrogen ions (H+) produces significant amounts of ozone (O3) and oxygen (O2). High radiation yields for H2O2 decomposition suggest a chemical chain reaction is involved.
Area of Science:
- Physical Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Radiochemistry
Background:
- Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a molecule with significant implications in various chemical and physical processes.
- Understanding its behavior under irradiation is crucial for fields ranging from astrophysics to industrial applications.
- Previous studies have explored H2O2 radiolysis, but detailed product analysis under specific conditions remains important.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the radiolysis of pure solid hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) films.
- To quantify the formation of H2O, O2, and O3 products upon irradiation with 50 keV H+ ions.
- To determine the radiation yields for these decomposition products.
Main Methods:
- Laboratory experiments involving the irradiation of 97% pure solid H2O2 films at 17 K.
- Utilized UV-visible and infrared reflectance spectroscopies for product identification and quantification.
- Employed a quartz-crystal microbalance and a mass spectrometer to measure product concentrations as a function of irradiation fluence.
Main Results:
- Absolute concentrations of H2O, O2, H2O2, and O3 were measured.
- Ozone (O3) was identified using both UV and infrared spectroscopies.
- Oxygen (O2) was detected via its forbidden infrared transition at 1550 cm(-1).
Conclusions:
- Derived high radiation yields for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.
- The observed high yields suggest the involvement of a chemical chain reaction in the radiolysis process.
- These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of H2O2's response to ion irradiation.