The Vapor Phase Radiolysis of Isopropanol and Water-Isopropanol Mixtures. II. Nitrous Oxide as Electron Scavenger

Nitrous oxide reduces the hydrogen yield from water-isopropanol vapor mixtures by complete scavenging of electrons. Nitrogen is produced over the whole concentration range but the yield at higher isopropanol concentrations is much greater than the electron yield. The results indicate a competition between water and isopropanol for a secondary species resulting from electron attachment to N 2 O. Reaction of this species with isoprooanol leads to further N 2 whereas reaction with water does not. The reactive intermediate is most probably N 2 O − or N 2 O 2 − .