Shock tube study of the thermal decomposition of cyanogen

The thermal decomposition of cyanogen behind incident shock waves has been studied in the temperature range 2500–3450 K, at pressures between 0.23 and 0.58 bar. The course of the reaction was followed by monitoring the CN (B 2Σ+, v=0←X 2Σ+, v=0) absorption at 388 nm. The low-pressure rate coefficient for the reaction C2N2+Ar→2CN+Ar was fitted by the Arrhenius expression k1=1016.8±0.17 exp[−(50 040±1070)/T]cm3/mol s. Comparisons of the present work with previously published results are discussed.