Mass Spectrometric Investigation of the Hydrogen-Oxygen and Methyl-Oxygen Reactions

Abstract

The reactions of hydrogen and of methyl radicals with oxygen have been studied by means of a mass spectrometer designed to detect free radicals. The reactants were present at low pressures in a stream of helium. Radicals detected were OH and HO2 in the hydrogen-oxygen reaction, and CH3O, CH3O2, OH, HO2, CH2, and probably CHO in the methyl-oxygen reaction. A rough value of 10—3 to 10—4 was obtained for the collision efficiency of the oxygen+methyl radical reaction.