Activation of Chemical Reaction by Impact of Molecules on a Surface

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/j150603a005

Molecules of C2Cl6, Cl3CCHCl2, CCl4, and W(CO)6 have been accelerated to speeds up to 1900 m s^-1 in seeded molecular beams expanded from a nozzle and then suddenly brought to rest by collision with a glass surface.For W(CO)6 there is a clear threshold near 1750 m s^-1, corresponding to a kinetic energy of 540 kJ mol^-1, above which the speeds became sufficient to cause reaction; for the chlorinated hydrocarbons much lower speeds caused reactions.The yields of volatile and nonvolatile products resulting from the impacts vary with the speed of the molecules and the temperature of the nozzle.This permits some comparision of the relative effectiveness with which the kinetic and internal energies of the molecules promote their reactions.