Electric Strength, Molecular Structure, and Ultraviolet Spectra of Hydrocarbon Gases

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Abstract
Previous careful measurements of the sparking potential of a number of hydrocarbon gases over a wide range of pressures and a fixed electrode spacing have been extended to cover olefins which involve methyl substitution around the ethylenic double bond. The effect of cyclization in a monoolefin and of methyl substitution in a diene are also included with measurements in cyclopentene and isoprene. Using an established Townsend‐like expression for the ionization coefficient α and for the sparking potential, the molecular parameter B, a constant in the expression for α can be determined for each gas. This constant can be directly related to molecular structure and to mean electron‐molecule scattering cross sections. Thus the influence on B of CH3 and CH2 groups and chromophoric groups involving double and triple bonds can be assessed and cross‐section values determined accordingly. These prove to be independent of methyl substitution. Information from ultraviolet absorption spectra furnishes supporting evidence for this model which should make it possible to correlate the sparking potentials of a large range of hydrocarbons than hitherto.

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