Recombination of the hydrated electron at high temperature and pressure in hydrogenated alkaline water

Marin, T.W., Takahashi, K., Jonah, C.D., Chemerisov, S.D. and Bartels, D.M.

J. Phys. Chem. A 111(45), 11540-11551 (2007)

NDRL 4731

Pulse radiolysis experiments were performed on hydrogenated, alkaline water at high temperatures and pressures to obtain rate constants for the reaction of hydrated electrons with hydrogen atoms (H + eaq- H2 + OH-, reaction 1) and the bimolecular reaction of two hydrated electrons (eaq- + eaq- H2 + 2 OH-, reaction 2). Values for the reaction 1 rate constant, k1, were obtained from 100 - 325 oC, and those for the reaction 2 rate constant, k2, were obtained from 100 - 250 oC, both in increments of 25 C. Both k1 and k2 show non-Arrhenius behavior over the entire temperature range studied. k1 shows a rapid increase with increasing temperature, where k1 = 9.3 × 1010 M-1 s-1 at 100 oC and 1.2 × 1012 M-1 s-1 at 325 oC. This behavior is interpreted in terms of a long-range electron-transfer model, and we conclude that eaq- diffusion has a very high activation energy above 150 oC. The behavior of k2 is similar to that previously reported, reaching a maximum value of 5.9 × 1010 M-1 s-1 at 150 oC in the presence of 1.5 × 10-3 m hydroxide. At higher temperatures, the value of k2 decreases rapidly and above 250 oC is too small to measure reliably. We suggest that reaction 2 is a two-step reaction, where the first step is a proton transfer stimulated by the proximity of two hydrated electrons, followed immediately by reaction 1.

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