Chemical reactions in a trillionth of a second
13 Mar 2015 by Evoluted New Media
Scientists have developed a method that allows observation of chemical reactions on a trillionth of a second timescale.
Researchers at the University of Bristol combined ultrafast spectroscopy and computer simulations and followed chemical reactions in liquids on sub-picosecond timescales or durations shorter than one trillionth (10?12) of a second.
Leader of the research, Dr David Glowacki of the University of Bristol said: “Because chemical reactions occur on extremely fast timescales, it’s a real challenge to develop intuitive pictures of how they happen. This study demonstrates the power of combining computer simulations and ultrafast infrared laser spectroscopy to understand and visualise fundamental chemical processes.”
In the study, published in Science, the scientists investigated the solution-phase formation of deuterium fluoride (DF) from fluorine (F) atoms. The reaction involved the removal of the heavy hydrogen atom known as deuterium (D) to make DF.
The chemists identified a series of fundamental steps of the chemical reaction such as the energy flow released by the reaction; the quick formation of hydrogen bonds within 1 picosecond; and the subsequent dispersal of energy into the surrounding solvent as heat. This whole series of chemical steps lasted 50 picoseconds (5.0 × 10-11 seconds).
“We are only now beginning to unravel precisely how solvents influence chemical reactions at a molecular level. The computational and experimental methods we use have many applications for advancing our understanding of the fascinatingly complex fields of organic and biological chemistry,” said Dr Glowacki.
Paper: http://www.sciencemag.org/content/347/6221/530.abstract
