Coulomb explosion during the early stages of the reaction of alkali metals with water

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

RIV/61388963:_____/15:00443646 - isvavai.cz

Výsledek na webu

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/NCHEM.2161

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

10.1038/NCHEM.2161

Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

Coulomb explosion during the early stages of the reaction of alkali metals with water

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

Alkali metals can react explosively with water and it is textbook knowledge that this vigorous behaviour results from heat release, steam formation and ignition of the hydrogen gas that is produced. Here we suggest that the initial process enabling the alkali metal explosion in water is, however, of a completely different nature. High-speed camera imaging of liquid drops of a sodium/potassium alloy in water reveals submillisecond formation of metal spikes that protrude from the surface of the drop. Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate that on immersion in water there is an almost immediate release of electrons from the metal surface. The system thus quickly reaches the Rayleigh instability limit, which leads to a 'coulomb explosion' of the alkalimetal drop. Consequently, a new metal surface in contact with water is formed, which explains why the reaction does not become self-quenched by its products, but can rather lead to explosive behaviour.

Název v anglickém jazyce

Coulomb explosion during the early stages of the reaction of alkali metals with water

Popis výsledku anglicky

Alkali metals can react explosively with water and it is textbook knowledge that this vigorous behaviour results from heat release, steam formation and ignition of the hydrogen gas that is produced. Here we suggest that the initial process enabling the alkali metal explosion in water is, however, of a completely different nature. High-speed camera imaging of liquid drops of a sodium/potassium alloy in water reveals submillisecond formation of metal spikes that protrude from the surface of the drop. Molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate that on immersion in water there is an almost immediate release of electrons from the metal surface. The system thus quickly reaches the Rayleigh instability limit, which leads to a 'coulomb explosion' of the alkalimetal drop. Consequently, a new metal surface in contact with water is formed, which explains why the reaction does not become self-quenched by its products, but can rather lead to explosive behaviour.

Druh

J_x - Nezařazeno - Článek v odborném periodiku (Jimp, Jsc a Jost)

CEP obor

CF - Fyzikální chemie a teoretická chemie

OECD FORD obor

—

Projekt

GBP208/12/G016: Řízení struktury a funkce biomolekul na molekulové úrovni: souhra teorie a experimentu

Návaznosti

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Rok uplatnění

2015

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

Nature Chemistry

ISSN

1755-4330

e-ISSN

—

Svazek periodika

7

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

3

Stát vydavatele periodika

GB - Spojené království Velké Británie a Severního Irska

Počet stran výsledku

5

Strana od-do

250-254

Kód UT WoS článku

000350115700015

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

2-s2.0-84923338638