FLOWING AFTERGLOW APPARATUS FOR THE STUDY OF ION-MOLECULE REACTIONS AT HIGH-TEMPERATURES

We describe two versions of a high temperature flowing afterglow appar atus. With a stainless steel flow tube wrapped with heating tape we ha ve obtained data over the range 300-1300 K. In a version with a cerami c flow tube in a commercial furnace we have obtained data over the ran ge 300-1600 K. The ceramic version is designed to take data up to 1800 K, but we have encountered experimental problems at the upper tempera ture range. The design modifications to a standard flowing afterglow n eeded to make measurements at elevated temperatures are described in d etail, as are problems associated with operating at elevated temperatu res. Samples of data are given. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics .