Mass-Spectrometric Study of Ion Profiles in Low-Pressure Flames

Abstract

A mass-spectrometric technique for determining ion profiles through low-pressure flames (1–6 mm Hg) has been developed. Typical results are presented for hydrocarbon—oxygen flames which show that the dominant ion is H3O+ and that the concentration of C3H3+, the next most abundant ion, reaches a maximum concentration in the flames ahead of H3O+. A large number of other ions are also identified.