The role of a catalyst in the isotopically excited laser photochemistry

Abstract
Laser photochemistry of Bcl3/H2 using catalysis was carried out experimentally. The 10.55 μm radiation from a high power (G W/cm2) TEA CO2 pulse laser was used to selectively excite the 11Bcl3 molecules. Using Ti catalyst the reaction products analyzed were 10B11BH2Cl4, 11B11BH2Cl4, and HCl, whereas those were 10B11Bcl4, 11B11Bcl4, and HCl when Pb metal powder was employed, i.e., 10B10BH2Cl4 and 10B10Bcl4 molecules were not generated in our experiment. Moreover, it was found that the 10Bcl3 concentration in the unreacted Bcl3 gas increased from 20% to 37% after 360 laser pulses, but the isotopic enrichment was not obtained for the reaction products. The mechanisms for the observed catalytic laser photochemistry are proposed.

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