NF2 Decomposition Behind Shock Waves

The decomposition of the NF2 radical in excess argon was studied behind incident shock waves over a temperature range from 1400° to 2000°K at total concentrations between 0.9×10−2 and 1.9×10−2 mole/liter. The NF2 radicals produced from shocked N2F4 were characterized by absorption spectra in the 2600‐A region, recorded with a Hilger medium quartz spectrograph. Kinetics were deduced from oscillogram histories of NF2 absorption at 2600 A. The rate law for decomposition was first order in both NF2 and argon concentration, d[NF2]/dt=—kAr[Ar][NF2], with kAr=1.62×1010T½ exp (−47 838/RT) liter/mole·sec. The absorption‐spectroscopy results are compared with shock‐tube/TOF mass‐spectrometer data obtained at higher temperatures.