Journal of Physical Chemistry B, Vol.110, No.10, 4881-4891, 2006
Collisions of DCl with pure and salty glycerol: Enhancement of interfacial D -> H exchange by dissolved NaI
The fate of DCl molecules striking pure glycerol and a 2.6 M NaI-glycerol solution is investigated using, scattering, uptake, and residence time measurements. We find that dissolved Na+ and I- ions alter every gas-liquid pathway from the moment of contact of DCl with the surface to its eventual emergence as HCl In particular, the salt enhances both trapping-desorption of DCl and interfacial DCl -> HCl exchange at the expense of DCl entry into the bulk solution. The reduced entry and enhanced desorption of thermalized DCl molecules are interpreted by assuming that Na+ and I- ions bind to interfacial OH groups and tie up surface sites that would otherwise capture incoming DCl molecules. These ion-glycerol interactions may also be responsible for enhancing interfacial D -> H exchange by disrupting the interfacial hydrogen bond network that carries the newly formed H+ ion away from its Cl- pair. This disruption may increase the fraction of interfacial Cl- and HI that recombine and desorb immediately as HCl before the ions separate and diffuse deeply into the bulk.