Mass-Spectrometric Study of Ion Profiles in Low-Pressure Flames

Abstract

A mass‐spectrometric technique for determining ion profiles through low‐pressure flames (1–6 mm Hg) has been developed. Typical results are presented for hydrocarbon—oxygen flames which show that the dominant ion is H₃O⁺ and that the concentration of C₃H₃⁺, the next most abundant ion, reaches a maximum concentration in the flames ahead of H₃O⁺. A large number of other ions are also identified.