Radical Reaction Mechanisms in Infrared Multiphoton Dissociation of UF6 with Scavenger Gases

Abstract

The radical reaction mechanisms in the presence of F-atom scavenger gases were investigated in the p-H₂ Raman laser-induced infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) of gaseous ²³⁶UF₆/²³⁸UF₆ cooled to —35°C in a static gas cell. When CH₄ was added as a scavenger of F-atoms produced via IRMPD of UFC, the dissociation rate of UF6 became several tens of times larger than when no scavenger gas was added. Gas-chromatographic analysis revealed that as low as 7% of the nascent CH₃ radicals were involved in the radical reaction with UF₆. On the other hand, H₂ and C₂H₆ were found to increase both the dissociation rate of UF₆ and the contribution of this non-selective reaction. These results agreed with those obtained in the UV photolysis of UF₆ with scavengers.