Single-pulse CO₂ laser-induced oxidation of ammonia

The single-pulse CO2 laser-induced oxidation of NH3 by O2, N2O, and NO is reported. Time and spatially resolved emission spectroscopy is used to study the concurrently emitted luminescence. The effect of the laser is in this way traced to the production and radiative heating of a plasma. The system NH3-N2O is studied in detail. The nature and time dependence of the concentration of the electronically excited radicals are investigated. Evidence is presented for the chemical excitation of the OH radical. The chemical mechanism of the explosive oxidation is discussed. © 1980 American Chemical Society.