Nitrous Oxide as an Electron Scavenger in the Radiolysis of Hydrocarbons

Abstract

Abstract Nitrous oxide has been used as an electron scavenger in the radiolysis of hydrocarbons: cyclohexane, cyclohexene, benzene, and their mixtures. Considering that the energy for the formation of an ion pair is about 25 eV. in hydrocarbons, 0.4mol.1−1 of nitrous oxide is not enough to capture all the electrons ejected from irradiated hydrocarbons. In the case of cyclohexane, 70% of the ejected electrons seem to be captured by 0.4mol.1−1 of nitrous oxide. In the case of benzene, G(N2) is about a half of that for cyclohexane. This has been explained tentatively in terms of the ability of benzene to capture electrons. The G(N2)’s in the cases of cyclohexene and benzene have not shown any noticeable dependence on the concentration of nitrous oxide. This shows that hydrogen does not result from the neutralization in these systems. In order to clarify them, the primary processes in the radiolysis of cyclohexane have been further considered using the data previously obtained.