Far‐Ultraviolet Photolysis of Nitric Oxide

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Abstract
Nitric oxide has been photolyzed in the region 1550–1650 Å using a hydrogen discharge and at 1470 and 1236 Å using xenon and krypton discharges, respectively. The products at all wavelengths are N2 and NO2. At 1470 Å small amounts of N2O are produced. The quantum yield of N2 increases over the nitric oxide pressure range 5–900 mm from ∼0.2–0.5 and also with added inert gas. Quantum yields of NO2 production and of NO decomposition increase in a similar manner, and the wavelength has no profound effect. Since 1236‐Å light ionizes NO, it is concluded that the recombination of NO+ and an electron leads to an excited molecule which decomposes, as it does at 1600 and at 1470 Å, into N and O atoms. These react with excess NO producing N2 and NO2.