학술논문
Tracking Cavity Formation in Electron Solvation: Insights from X-ray Spectroscopy and Theory
Document Type
Author
Sopena Moros, Arturo; Li, Shuai; Li, Kai; Doumy, Gilles; Southworth, Stephen H.; Otolski, Christopher; Schaller, Richard D.; Kumagai, Yoshiaki; Rubensson, Jan-Erik; Simon, Marc; Dakovski, Georgi; Kunnus, Kristjan; Robinson, Joseph S.; Hampton, Christina Y.; Hoffman, David J.; Koralek, Jake; Loh, Zhi-Heng; Santra, Robin; Inhester, Ludger; Young, Linda
Source
Journal of the American Chemical Society. 146(5):3262-3269
Subject
Language
English
ISSN
0002-7863
Abstract
We present time-resolved X-ray absorption spectra of ionized liquid water and demonstrate that OH radicals, H3O+ ions, and solvated electrons all leave distinct X-ray-spectroscopic signatures. Particularly, this allows us to characterize the electron solvation process through a tool that focuses on the electronic response of oxygen atoms in the immediate vicinity of a solvated electron. Our experimental results, supported by ab initio calculations, confirm the formation of a cavity in which the solvated electron is trapped. We show that the solvation dynamics are governed by the magnitude of the random structural fluctuations present in water. As a consequence, the solvation time is highly sensitive to temperature and to the specific way the electron is injected into water.