Effect of N atoms on O-Atom Reactivity with Carbon | CU Experts

Molecular; beam-surface scattering experiments have been used to study the effect of N atoms; on the reactivity of O atoms with a high-temperature carbon surface to produce; CO. The CO flux produced from; bombardment of a vitreous carbon surface by a beam containing N and O atoms was; compared with the CO flux produced from bombardment by beams containing either; N or O atoms. The presence of small mole; fractions of N atoms of 0.02-0.08 enhanced the reactivity of O atoms by a; factor of 1.4-1.6 in the range of surface temperatures from 1100 to 1700 K. A detailed explanation of the observed; results requires more study, but it appears that N atoms can act as a catalyst; to increase the reactivity of O with carbon and that a relatively low flux of N; atoms may be sufficient to saturate the catalytic effect. This catalytic effect seems to be fairly insensitive; to the surface temperature, at least over the temperature range used in this; study. This observation is important in; the development of finite-rate models of air-carbon ablation during hypersonic; flight.

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