- Author
- Walters, E. A. | Grover, J. R. | Tapscott, R. E. | Clay, J. T., Jr. | Arneberg, D. L. | Wall, M. H. | Nimitz, J. S. | Beeson, H. D.
- Title
- Initial Fire Suppression Reactions of Halons. Phase 3. Molecular Beam Experiments Involving Halon Clusters. Final Report. June 1988-April 1989.
- Coporate
- New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque
- Sponsor
- Engineering and Services Lab., Tyndall AFB, FL
- Report
- ESL-TR-89-50; SS 2.10(1), September 1990, 45 p.
- Contract
- F29601-C-87-0001
- Keywords
- halons | fire suppression | halon 1301 | chemical reactions | oxygen | molecular beams | free radicals
- Identifiers
- molecular oxygen; clusters; dissociative photoionization; flame suppression
- Abstract
- The system of Halon 1301 (CF3Be) and molecular oxygen (O2) was carefully studied. Small, isolated molecular clusters of Halon 1301 and the oxygen-atom, flame free radical precursor O2 were formed in a supersonic molecular beam, and chemical reactions were initiated within the clusters by dissociative photoionization. The fragments formed were identified by mass spectrometry, and the ionization and appearance potentials for many of the species in this binary system were determined. The most striking results is the inability to detect oxygenated fragments of dissociative photoionization of the complex CF3BrO2. The results hold important mechanistic implications for the role of CF3Br in fire extinguishment and in guiding the search for alternative firefighting agents.