Kinetics of Hydrogen—Oxygen Reaction in Shock Waves

Abstract

The hydrogen—oxygen reaction in reflected shock waves has been studied in the range of conditions 890°≤T≤1350°K, 4.5≤P≤5.6 atm, 1.3≤O2≤13×10—3 moles/liter, and 0.5≤[H2]/[O2]≤2. Measurements of both the induction period of OH absorption and that of pressure increase suggest that the reaction H+O2→OH+O is the rate-determining step of OH formation in this temperature range and has an activation energy of 18.9±0.9 kcal/mole, but that the rate-determining step of over-all reaction is HO2+H2→H2O2+H below 1100°K, while H+O2→OH+O is rate determining above 1100°K. Also, the mechanism of the hydrogen—oxygen reaction below 1100°K is discussed in some detail.