Radiation Induced Reaction of Silicon Hydride

Silane, at various pressures, has been irradiated with 3.8 kilocuries gamma rays. In all experiments, gaseous products of the reaction were hydrogen, disilane and higher silanes, while G-value for the formation of hydrogen depends on initial silane pressure and total dose. Some polymeric material with the approximate empirical formula of (SiH2)x is also formed. Mixtures of silane with carbon dioxide, water and acetylene were also irradiated with gamma rays, and the rate of hydrogen formation was found to increase with increasing carbon dioxide and water. This was explained by a charge transfer mechanism.