Radiolysis of cyclohexane in a xenon matrix at 77 °K

Abstract

Low concentrations (less than 7 mole %) of cyclohexane and cyclohexane-d12 have been irradiated in xenon matrices at 77 °K. The products are qualitatively the same as those obtained by the radiolysis of the pure hydrocarbon but the yields differ. In particular G(H2) = 6.7 for 6.2 mole % cyclohexane is much higher than that for solid cyclohexane at the same temperature (4.65). (All G values are calculated on energy absorbed in the whole sample.) The G values for products are reduced to limiting values, which are ~50–75 % of the initial ones, by low concentrations of SF6. Carbon tetrachloride reduces the yields to a greater extent than does SF6. Both ionic and nonionic product formation probably occur. Ion chamber dosimetry has been used to determine the energy absorption by xenon which is anomalous due to the presence of low energy, scattered gammas in the cobalt-60 source.