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Differential elastic electron scattering cross sections of ethanol

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  • Fundamentals of Metrology
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  • Division 6
21.12.2022

Ethanol is being increasingly generated using renewable energy sources in order to replace fossil fuels. This process, however, also causes larger quantities of ethanol to be released into the atmosphere. There, it forms radicals and then interacts with primary and secondary cosmic radiation, which damages the ozone layer. To better understand these processes, the differential elastic electron scattering cross sections of ethanol have been determined over a large range of energies and angles.

Electron interaction cross sections of ethanol are interesting for environmental physics since ethanol is increasingly being generated using renewable energy sources and is replacing fossil fuels. This increased usage, however, causes larger quantities of ethanol to be released into the atmosphere. When it interacts with primary and secondary cosmic radiation, ethanol may form a reactive radical that acts as a catalyst for ozone depletion.

In cooperation with the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy (KFE), the differential elastic scattering cross sections of ethanol were first determined, both experimentally and theoretically, for electron energies from 30 eV to 800 eV in an angle range of between 30° and 150°. Figure 1 shows an example of the experimental results obtained in our work for the electron energies 100 eV and 400 eV compared to those obtained by other authors [1, 2] and to theoretical values. The latter were calculated by means of the IAM‑SCAR method [3] and the modified independent atom model [4].

These data are, within the limits of the experimental uncertainty of approximately 15 %, in good agreement with the values obtained by other authors for all of the energies and scattering angles measured for the purposes of this work. For electron energies exceeding 80 eV, the measurement data are well reproduced by the theoretical values within the limits of the relevant uncertainty.

charts

Figure 1: Experimental (♦) and theoretical results (IAM‑SCAR (‑‑), MIAM(‑)) obtained within the scope of this work for the electron energies 100 eV and 400 eV compared to values stated in literature (▲) [1], (•) [2].

References

[1]   M. A. Khakoo, J. Blumer, K. Keane, C. Campbell, H. Silva, M. C. A. Lopes, C. Winstead, V. McKoy, R. F. da Costa, L. G. Ferreira, M. A. P. Lima, and M. H. F. Bettega, Phys. Rev. A 77, 042705 (2008)

[2]   M.-T. Lee, G. L. C. de Souza, L. E. Machado, L. M. Brescansin, A. S. dos Santos, R. R. Lucchese, R. T. Sugohara, M. G. P. Homem, I. P. Sanches, and I. Iga, J. Chem. Phys. 136, 114311 (2012)

[3]   F. Blanco and G. Garcia, Phys. Lett. A. 330, 230 (2004)

[4]   S. Hayashi and K. Kuchitsu, J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 41, 1724 (1976)

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