On the importance of Ba(3<i>D</i>) as the key reactant leading to BaO(<i>A</i>–<i>X</i>) chemiluminescence in the Ba+N2O reaction

Abstract

Experiments have been performed to examine the importance of metastable Ba(3D) as the key reactant leading to BaO(A→X) chemiluminescence in the Ba+N2O reaction. It has been found that the steady state concentration of Ba(3D) increases substantially in the reaction of Ba with N2O; in contrast, the Ba(3D) steady state concentration decreases when O2 and NO2 are used as oxidants. By simultaneously monitoring the BaO(A→X) chemiluminescence and the Ba(3D) steady state concentration, it is shown that with the oxidant unchanged, an order of magnitude increase in Ba(3D) has no major effect (±15%) on the BaO(A→X) emission. These results restrict the role played by Ba(3D) in the reaction mechanism leading to A→X chemiluminescence.