Alkali-hydrogen reactions

Non-adiabatic dynamics studies of the K(4p2P) + H2(X1Σ) reaction based on new diabatic potential energy surfaces

Global diabatic potential energy surfaces (PESs) of the KH2 system corresponding to the ground (12A') and first excited (22A') states were constructed for the first time. In ab initio calculations, the MRCI-F12 method with AVTZ and def2-QZVP basis sets was adopted and 17 865 ab initio energy points were calculated. The mixing angle, which is used to obtain the diabatic energies, was calculated by the molecular properties of the transition dipole moment. The diabatic PESs were fitted individually by the permutation invariant polynomial neural network method and the topographical features of the diabatic PESs are discussed in detail. The non-adiabatic dynamics studies of the K(4p2P) + H2(v0 = 0, 1, j0 = 0) reaction were carried out using the APH method based on the new diabatic PESs. The collision reaction processes K(4p2P) + H2(v0 = 0, 1, j0 = 0) → H + KH and the quenching processes K(4p2P) + H2(v0 = 0, 1, j0 = 0) → K(4s2S) + H2 were studied at the state-to-state level of theory. For the reaction process, the dynamics results indicated that the vibrational excitation of H2 was significantly more effective at promoting the reaction than the translational energy. In addition, the differential cross-sections were forward-biased scattering, which indicated that the direct abstraction mechanism plays a dominant role in the reaction. For the quenching process, the vibrational excitation of H2 molecules could improve the quenching efficiency obviously.

Significant effects of vibrational excitation of reactant in K + H2 → H + KH reaction based on a new neural network potential energy surface

The study of K + H2 collision has a long experimental history, but there have been few theoretical studies due to lack of a global potential energy surface (PES). In this study, a new global PES for the ground state of KH2 system was constructed based on numerous ab initio points, using the permutation invariant polynomial neural network method. The root mean square error (RMSE) of PES is very small (5.64 meV). On the new PES, time-dependent quantum wave packet (TDWP) and quasiclassical trajectory (QCT) calculations were carried out to study the dynamics of the K(2S) + H2(X1Σ+g) → H(2S) + KH(X1Σ+) reaction. Dynamics results show that (i) the K + H2(v = 0) → H + KH reaction scarcely occurred, (ii) the K + H2(v = 1) → H + KH reaction took place in small quantities, and (iii) the K + H2(v = 2) → H + KH reaction occurred in large quantities. This indicates that vibrational energy of the reactant is significantly more effective at promoting the reaction than the translational energy. This characteristic stems from a major physical model in reactive collisions: the vibrationally excited H2 molecule and K atom collide first in a T-geometric configuration and the vibrational motion of the H2 molecule helps separate the two H atoms a large distance after the collision. At a large H-H distance, a broad well exists on the PES, so the heavy K atom could pull back the light H atom to initiate the reaction. Similar to the reactive channel, vibrational excitation of the reactant also has a significant effect on the collision-induced dissociation channel.

Accurate potential energy surfaces for the first two lowest electronic states of the Li (2p) + H2 reaction

The accuracy of three-dimensional adiabatic and diabatic potential energy surfaces is calculated using ab initio methods and is numerically fitted for the two lowest electronic states 1 and 2²A′ of the LiH₂ system, which are very important for the Li (2p) + H₂ reaction. The finite difference method is performed to generate the mixing angles, which are used to educe the diabatic potential from the adiabatic potential. The accurate conical intersection (CI) is studied in this work with three different basis sets. The energy of the conical intersection is slightly lower (nearly 0.12 eV) than that of the perpendicular intermediate on the first excited state. By analyzing the potential energy surfaces in this work we can suggest that the most possible reaction pathway for the title reaction is Li (2p) + H₂ → LiH₂ (2²A′) (C_2v) → CI → LiH₂ (1²A′) (C_2v) → LiH⋯H → LiH (X¹∑_g⁺) + H. The conical intersection and (2²A′) intermediate may play a vital role in the title reaction.

Accurate diabatic potential energy surfaces for the Li (2p) + H₂ → LiH (X) + H reaction are produced.

A neural network potential energy surface for the NaH2 system and dynamics studies on the H(2S) + NaH(X1Σ+) → Na(2S) + H2(X1Σg+) reaction

In order to study the dynamics of the reaction H(²S) + NaH(X¹Σ⁺) → Na(²S) + H₂(X¹Σ_g⁺), a new potential energy surface (PES) for the ground state of the NaH₂ system is constructed based on 35 730 ab initio energy points. Using basis sets of quadruple zeta quality, multireference configuration interaction calculations with Davidson correction were carried out to obtain the ab initio energy points. The neural network method is used to fit the PES, and the root mean square error is very small (0.00639 eV). The bond lengths, dissociation energies, zero-point energies and spectroscopic constants of H₂(X¹Σ_g⁺) and NaH(X¹Σ⁺) obtained on the new NaH₂ PES are in good agreement with the experiment data. On the new PES, the reactant coordinate-based time-dependent wave packet method is applied to study the reaction dynamics of H(²S) + NaH(X¹Σ⁺) → Na(²S) + H₂(X¹Σ_g⁺), and the reaction probabilities, integral cross-sections (ICSs) and differential cross-sections (DCSs) are obtained. There is no threshold in the reaction due to the absence of an energy barrier on the minimum energy path. When the collision energy increases, the ICSs decrease from a high value at low collision energy. The DCS results show that the angular distribution of the product molecules tends to the forward direction. Compared with the LiH₂ system, the NaH₂ system has a larger mass and the PES has a larger well at the H-NaH configuration, which leads to a higher ICS value in the H(²S) + NaH(X¹Σ⁺) → Na(²S) + H₂(X¹Σ_g⁺) reaction. Because the H(²S) + NaH(X¹Σ⁺) → Na(²S) + H₂(X¹Σ_g⁺) reaction releases more energy, the product molecules can be excited to a higher vibrational state.

Removal of Rb(6(2)P) by H(2), CH(4), and C(2)H(6)

The saturated hydrocarbons methane and ethane are often used as collisional energy transfer agents in diode-pumped alkali vapor lasers (DPALs). Problems are encountered because the hydrocarbons eventually react with the optically pumped alkali atoms, resulting in the contamination of the gas lasing medium and damage of the gas cell windows. The reactions require excitation of the more highly excited states of the alkali atoms, which can be generated in DPAL systems by energy pooling processes. Knowledge of the production and loss rates for the higher excited states is needed for a quantitative understanding of the photochemistry. In the present study, we have used experimental and theoretical techniques to characterize the removal of Rb(6P2) by hydrogen, methane, and ethane.

A new potential energy surface for the ground electronic state of the LiH2 system, and dynamics studies on the H((2)S) + LiH(X(1)Σ(+)) → Li((2)S) + H2(X(1)Σg(+)) reaction

A new global potential energy surface (PES) is obtained for the ground electronic state of the LiH2 system based on high-level energies. The energy points are calculated at the multireference configuration interaction level with aug-cc-pVXZ (X = Q, 5) basis sets, and these energies are extrapolated to the complete basis set limit. The neural network method and hierarchical construction scheme are applied in the fitting process and the root mean square error of the fitting result is very small (0.004 eV). The dissociation energies and equilibrium distances for LiH(X(1)Σ(+)) and H2(X(1)Σg(+)) obtained from the new PES are in good agreement with the experimental data. On the new PES, time-dependent wave packet studies for the H((2)S) + LiH(X(1)Σ(+)) → Li((2)S) + H2(X(1)Σg(+)) reaction have been carried out. In this reaction, no threshold is found due to the absence of an energy barrier on the minimum energy path. The calculated integral cross sections are high at low collision energy and will decrease with the increase of the collision energy. The product molecule H2 tends to be forward scattering due to direct reactive collisions, which becomes more evident at higher collision energies.

Computing a three-dimensional electronic energy manifold for the LiH + H <==> Li + H2 chemical reaction

We present a new three-dimensional potential energy surface (PES) for the electronic ground state of the LiH + H <==> Li + H2 reaction and further analyze specific aspects of the lower four excited electronic states. Our reactive PESs are calculated using a CASSCF method followed by an MRCI treatment of the correlation energy. The ground-state three-dimensional surface is then fitted by using our own version of the Aguado-Paniagua interpolation form [Aguado, A.; Paniagua, M. J. Chem. Phys. 1992, 96, 1265]. A review of the previous computational work on this system, to which we compare our present findings, is given in the introduction of the paper: with respect to such earlier calculations of the ground-state PES [Dunne, L. J.; Murrell, J. N.; Jemmer, P. Chem. Phys. Lett. 2001, 336, 1], our data confirm the absence of a barrier along the path to the LiH depletion reaction and further reveal possible spurious features of the earlier computed surface which may in turn affect the resulting rates from low-energy dynamic studies of the title system.

Influence of vibrational excitation on the nonadiabatic reactions of metal atoms with H2

The reactions of alkaline earth metal atoms, Mg(3s3p 1P1) and Ca(4s4p 1P1), with H2(v = 1, j) are studied using a pump-probe technique combined with stimulated Raman pumping and coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy. For the Ca(4 1P1) case, the energy deposited in the v = 1 level enlarges the H2 bond distance to help facilitate the reaction without opening an additional pathway. For the Mg(3 1P1) case, the vibrational excitation of H2 leads to enhancement of the low rotational component of the rotational distribution and the MgH(v = 0)/MgH(v = 1) ratio. These results can be predicted with quasi-classical trajectory calculations and interpreted with a kinematic collision model.

Reaction pathway for the nonadiabatic reaction of Ca(4s3d 1D)+H2-->CaH(X 2Sigma+)+H

The reaction pathway and the nascent CaH product distribution in the reaction Ca(4s3d (1)D)+H(2)-->CaH(X (2)Sigma(+))+H are obtained using a pump-probe technique. The Ca atom is first prepared in the 3 (1)D state by a two-photon absorption, and then in brief time delay the laser-induced fluorescence of the reaction product CaH is monitored. The CaH(v=0,1) distributions appear to be single peaked, as characterized by Boltzmann rotational temperature of 807+/-38 K (v=0) and 684+/-77 K (v=1). The vibrational population ratio of CaH(v=0)/CaH(v=1) is determined to be 3.3+/-0.1, while the v=2 population is not detectable. The fractions of the available energy partitioning into rotation, vibration, and translation are estimated to be 0.36+/-0.05, 0.28+/-0.04, and 0.36+/-0.05, respectively. With the aid of the potential energy surfaces calculations, the current reaction should favor a near C(2v) collision configuration. The temperature dependence measurement yields a positive slope, indicative of the reaction occurrence without any potential barrier. The colliding species are anticipated to follow an attractive 1B(2) (or 2A') surface and then transit nonadiabatically to the reactive ground state surface.

Reaction pathway and potential barrier for the CaH product in the reaction of Ca(4s4p 1P1)+H2→CaH(X 2Σ+)+H

The nascent CaH product in the reaction Ca(4s4p1P1) + H2 --> CaH(X2Sigma+) + H is obtained using a pump-probe technique. The CaH(v = 0,1) distributions, with a population ratio of CaH(v = 0)/CaH(v = 1) = 2.7+/-0.2, may be characterized by low Boltzmann rotational temperature. According to Arrhenius theory, the temperature dependence measurement yields a potential barrier of 3820+/-480 cm(-1) for the current reaction. As a result of the potential energy surfaces (PES) calculations, the reaction pathway favors a Ca insertion into the H2 bond along a (near) C2v geometric approach. As the H2 bond is elongated, the configurational mixing between the orbital components of the 4p and nearby low-lying 3d state with the same symmetry makes significant the nonadiabatic transition between the 5A' and 2A' surface in the repulsive limbs. Therefore, the collision species are anticipated to track along the 5A' surface, then undergo nonadiabatic transition to the inner limb of the 2A' surface, and finally cross to the reactive 1A' surface. The observed energy barrier probably accounts for the energy requirement to surmount the repulsive hill in the entrance. The findings of the nascent CaH product distributions may be reasonably interpreted from the nature of the intermediate structure and lifetime after the 2A'-1A' surface transition. The distinct product distributions between the Ca(4 1P1) and Mg(3 1P1) reactions with H2 may also be realized with the aid of the PES calculations.