Reaction of HO2 with NO and NO2

A kinetic study is made of the reaction of HO2 with NO2, and relative rate coefficients are derived for this reaction and for the reaction of HO2 with NO. It is shown that irradiation of mixtures of N2O-O2-H2 in the presence of small amounts of NO2 at 2139 A and 25 C leads to the consumption of NO2. The results clearly indicate that NO2 is consumed during irradiation to form a product which thermally decomposes to regenerate NO2 thermally and that this product is undoubtedly HONO. In the case of mixtures of N2O-O2-H2 and N2O-O2-H2-CO in the presence of small amounts of both NO and NO2 the NO2 pressure increases initially, reaches a maximum, and then decreases at a constant rate.