Chemical Reaction and Energy Transfer Between Hot H Atoms and CO2 Molecules

Collisions between hot H atoms and CO2 molecules were studied experimentally by time-resolved Fourier transform infrared emission spectroscopy. H atoms with three translational energies, 174.7, 241.0 and 306.2 kJ/mol respectively, were generated by UV laser photolysis to initiate a chemical reaction of H+CO2!OH+CO. Vibrationally excited CO (v≤2) was observed in the spectrum, where CO was the product of the reaction. The highly efficient T-V energy transfer from the hot H atoms to the CO2 was verified too. The highest vibrational level of v=4 in CO2 (v≤3) was found. Rate ratio of the chemical reaction to the energy transfer was estimated as 10.