Theoretical kinetic study of key reactions between ammonia and fuel molecules, part I: Hydrogen atom abstraction from alkanes by ṄH2 radical

Cross reactions between ṄH2 radical and fuel molecules are essential in determining the reactivity for ammonia/fuel blends. A systematic theoretical chemical kinetic investigation of hydrogen atom abstraction by ṄH2 radical from C1–C6 alkanes, n-heptane, and isooctane has been performed in this study. The geometry optimization, frequency, and zero-point energy calculations for all species related to the title reactions were calculated at the M06-2X/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory. One-dimensional hindered rotor treatment has also been performed at the same level of theory to obtain the potential energy surface for the low frequency torsional modes. Single-point energy was obtained at the QCISD(T)/cc-pVDZ, QCISD(T)/cc-pVTZ, MP2/cc-pVDZ, MP2/cc-pVTZ and MP2/cc-pVQZ levels of theory and then extrapolated to the complete basis set. Benchmark calculations for single point energy have also been carried out at the CCSD(T)-F12/cc-pVTZ, CCSD(T)-F12/cc-pVQZ, CCSD(T)-F12/aug-cc-pVTZ and CCSD(T)-F12/aug-cc-pVQZ levels of theory based on the geometries obtained at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVDZ level of theory for the reaction systems of methane + ṄH2 and ethane + ṄH2. The rate constants of 41 reactions in the temperature range 298.15–2000 K were calculated by using the Master Equation System Solver (MESS) with conventional transition state theory. Good agreement has been gained between our calculated results and the available theoretical and experimental data in the literature. Rate rules for different reaction sites have also been derived, and the average rate constants for primary, secondary, and tertiary sites were also reported on a per hydrogen atom basis. The impact of calculation data for the ammonia/alkane blends model has also been investigated. The calculated rate constants are valuable for the combustion kinetic model development for ammonia blending fuels.