Author:
Trindade A.M.F.,Escada J.,Rajado Silva M.,Borges F.I.G.M.,Santos F.P.
Abstract
Abstract
In this work, a mass spectrometer residual gas analyzer
(RGA) was used to determine the ionization thresholds (ionization
energy and appearance energy) in trimethylamine (TMA,
(CH3)3N), as well as the relative abundance of the ions
produced by electron impact in the 7.5–70 eV electron energy
range. The ten most intense peaks in the RGA mass spectra,
corresponding to the most abundant ions formed by electron impact at
70 eV in TMA, were analyzed. The ionization energy for TMA, as
assessed by this experiment, is 7.9 ± 0.2 eV and it is the
threshold of formation of the C3H9N+ ion. This ion
species is the most abundant one below 18 eV electron impact
energy, being surpassed by the C3H8N+ ion above this
energy.
In order to assess the method used, methane (CH4), whose
ionization properties are well established, was previously
studied. The agreement between the results obtained for CH4 and
those found in the literature provided the validation of the
experimental method used in this work.
Subject
Mathematical Physics,Instrumentation