Reactions of Sodium Clusters with Water Clusters

Abstract

In a crossed molecular beam experiment, the reactive scattering of sodium clusters Na n (n E 21) with water clusters (H 2 O) m (m E 40) is investigated. By measuring the angular and the velocity distributions of the scattered reaction products, direct information on the reaction mechanisms is obtained. The sodium clusters are generated in a supersonic expansion of sodium vapor from an oven with a refilling system with argon carrier gas. The products are detected by photoionization at wavelengths of 308 and 355 nm and mass analyzed in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS). In addition, a fast chopper with a pseudorandom sequence modulating the sodium cluster beam allows us to determine at the same time the velocity distributions of the products. The scattering of Na clusters with H 2 O clusters shows only one series of reaction products, that is, solvated sodium atoms Na(H 2 O) m (m E 32) with maximum intensities at m ) 4, 5, 6. For all products, the measured angular and velocity distributions exhibit the formation of a complex that is stabilized by isotropic evaporation of water molecules. The detected products have low translational energy. Products containing NaOH have not been observed.

Comparison of reactive nucleation of silver and alkali clusters in the presence of oxygen and water

“…It should be noticed that the results obtained by Buck et al [16], for reactivity of preformed sodium clusters with water clusters leading to solvated sodium atoms Na(H 2 O) n , differ from those obtained here by reactive nucleation.…”

Pseudorandom time-of-flight analysis with a time-of-flight mass spectrometer

“…28 The distances of the first three plates defining the acceleration region are 10 mm each. So, taking the applied voltages of 2000 and 1680 V and ground in the high voltage mode for mass separation, the ions are accelerated by fields with 320 and 1680 V/cm, respectively, into the field free drift region.…”

A theoretical study of Ti nanoparticle effect on sodium water reaction: Using ab initio calculation

“…When Na and H 2 O meet, an Na/H 2 O interface forms between the different phases. SWR is composed of three steps: hydration, electron solvation, and OH bond breaking (Bewig et al, 1998;Bobbert and Schulz, 2001;Buck and Steinbach, 1998;Chan et al, 2005;Cwiklik et al, 2008a,b;Fukushima et al, 2012;Glendening and Feller, 1995;Hashimoto and Morokuma, 1994;Hashimoto et al, 2013;Kim et al, 2009;Maye and Mezei, 1996;Mundy et al, 2000;Rowley and Roux, 2012;Schulz et al, 2003;Siu and Liu, 2002;Vorontsov and Novakovskaya, 2009;Wheatley, 1996;White et al, 2000). First, water molecules surround the Na atom and solvate its valance electron.…”