Reactions of Thermalized Fluorine Atoms with CH4 and CH3, Trapped in an Argon Matrix at 13–20 K

Abstract

Accumulation and conversion of CH3 radicals upon F2 photolysis in ternary mixtures Ar:F2:CH4 has been studied with EPR spectroscopy; the CH3 radical formation during photolysis period is caused by the reaction of’hot’ F atoms with CH4. At T > 18 K the thermally activated reaction of ’cold’ F atoms with CH4 was also detected; the activation energy of diffusion-controlled recombination of the F atoms falls short of that of F + CH4 reaction.