THE FORMATION OF O AND H-ATOMS IN THE REACTION OF CH2 WITH O2 AT HIGH-TEMPERATURES

The formation of O and H atoms in the reaction of CH2 with O2 was investigated behind incident shock waves at temperatures between 1000 K and 1700 K and at total densities between 5.10(-6) and 1.10(-5) mol/cm3 by means of Atomic Resonance Absorption Spectroscopy (ARAS) at 130.5 nm and 121.6 nm, respectively. The contribution of O and H forming channels was found to be about 20%. The rates of formation of O and H atoms in this reaction were determined to be k1a = (4 +/- 2).10(10) cm3/mol.s k1e = (5 +/- 2).10(10) cm3/mol.s. In the temperature range investigated an over all rate constant can be represented by k1 = (5 +/- 3).10(11) cm3/mol.s. A comparison with low temperature data leads to a change of the apparent energy of activation of the overall reaction in the temperature range between 300 and 1000 K.