Infrared chemiluminescence from the O + CF 2 reaction: part 1.—Kinetics of the emission near 2000 cm –1

Time-resolved infrared chemiluminescence has been observed from the reaction of ground-state oxygen atoms with CF2(X1A1) radicals. FTIR measurements were first used to establish the time dependence of the emission spectrum, and kinetic measurements were then carried out using a series of narrowband IR filters. IR emission observed between 1840 and 2350 cm–1 was assigned to CO2 formed in the reaction sequence O + CF2→ FCO + F, O + FCO → CO2+ F and emitting in the Δv3=–1 bands. Total IR emission intensities were correlated with CF2 concentrations as measured by laser-induced fluorescence. Changes in the kinetics and intensities of the IR emission as a function of wavenumber and reagent pressures were consistent with this formation scheme followed by quenching of vibrationally excited CO2, mainly by collisions with O atoms. An upper limit of 0.06 was estimated for the ratio of vibrationally excited CO to CO2 produced in the system.