Opposite influence of haloalkanes on combustion and pyrolysis of acetylene

An influence of haloalkanes CF3H and CCl4 (known as inflammation and explosion suppressors) on combustion and pyrolysis of acetylene behind shock waves was experimentally studied. While ignition delay times in stoihiometric acetylene-oxygen mixtures were expectedly increased by halogenoalkanes admixtures, the induction times of carbon particle formation at acetylene pyrolysis were dramatically reduced in presence of CCl4. A simplified kinetic model was suggested and characteristic rates of diacetylene C4H2 formation were estimated as a limiting stage of acetylene polymerization. An analysis of obtained data has indicated that promoting species is atomic chlorine forming in CCl4 pyrolysis, which interacts with acetylene and produces C2H radical, initiating a chain mechanism of acetylene decomposition. The results of kinetic modeling agree well with experimental data.