Transforming the study of radicals in chemical kinetics and beyond

forthcoming

Gas-phase radicals (atoms or molecules with an unpaired electron) are hugely influential in numerous areas of research. Radicals are responsible for much of the chemistry occurring in the atmosphere, the interstellar medium, in plasmas, and in combustion processes. However, very few existing experimental methods can measure gas-phase radical processes under controlled conditions, resulting in significant unanswered questions across multiple fields. For example, our understanding of atmospheric chemistry and our ability to predict the impact of emissions targets is severely limited by a lack of data. In the absence of experimental measurements, untested assumptions are included in databases and models, hindering the accuracy of their predictions. Here, I will address this long-standing issue. I will devise new experimental approaches for the study of gas-phase radicals, enabling the reaction dynamics to be probed and addressing high-priority questions in systems relevant to atmospheric chemistry, astrochemistry, and surface science. I will build on my track-record of developing state-of-the-art instrumentation and detection methods—controlling the experimental conditions to perform precise measurements. I will use a unique magnetic guide to examine the reactions of neutral radicals and employ a novel low-temperature (–264 degrees Celsius) ion trap to study processes involving molecular ions. Overall, this research proposal has the potential to transform our understanding of fundamental chemical processes involving radicals. I will initiate new (and strengthen existing) partnerships with experts in adjacent fields, establishing innovative solutions to open research questions. The proposed research has the capacity to fill knowledge gaps, improve the accuracy of complex chemistry models, and to unlock new capabilities in fields as critical as atmospheric science and as diverse as astrochemistry and surface science.