Electron-impact cross-sections of atmospherically relevant amines from intermediate to 5000 eV energy range

The amines are major source of environment pollutants emitted in atmosphere from various anthropogenic sources. The non-thermal plasma (NTP)-based technology has proved successful in controlling the emitted amines reaching the atmosphere. The efficient NTP reactors rely on accurate electron–molecule collision data. The electron impact cross-sections are thus obtained for a few amines from ionisation threshold to 5000 eV using the single centre expansion (SCE) formalism. The molecular wave function of each target is obtained from the multicentre expansion of the Gaussian-type orbitals within a single determinant Hartree–Fock self-consistent field scheme. The expansion of wave function, density and potential is carried out at the centre of mass of the molecules. The interaction potential included to model the electron interaction in the target comprises static, correlation-polarisation and exchange types of potentials. The elastic cross-sections are obtained after solving the coupled scattering equations using Volterra integral form. The inelastic effects contributing to electron–molecule scattering are approximated by the ionisation cross-sections. The total cross-sections obtained after summing the elastic and ionisation cross-sections are in good agreement with the available data. We have also tried to explain the effect of polarisation potential on scattering cross-sections. A semiempirical formula based on the spatial extent of the molecule is proposed to estimate the cross-sections for the homologous series of amine molecules.