REACTION-KINETICS OF HYDRATED ELECTRONS IN A QUATERNARY MICRO EMULSION SYSTEM - A PULSE-RADIOLYSIS STUDY

The pulse-radiolysis technique has been employed to produce and study the kinetics of hydrated electrons (e(aq)(-)) in a quaternary micro em ulsion (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (NaLS)/water/cyclohexane/1-pentanol) sys tem. Two orders of magnitude higher life time (20 mu s) of the e(aq)(- ) has been obtained as compared to that in reverse micelles reported e arlier. Several probes including a biomolecule have been used to deter mine the water pool concentrations and quenching constants (k(q)). The observed yield and half life (t(1/2)) of the hydrated electrons vary smoothly as the water droplet sizes are changed. The bimolecular rate constants for the reaction of e(aq)(-) with different solutes have bee n determined. It has been observed that the measured bimolecular rate constants for the reaction of hydrated electrons with different solute s are indicative of the solubilization sites, the water core sizes, an d the surrounding environment. (C) 1998 John Wiley C Sons, Inc.