Photoelectron spectroscopy of hydrated electrons

We report a systematic study of the photoelectron spectroscopy of hydrated electrons in liquid water jets using multiple precursors and photodetachment wavelengths. Hydrated electrons were generated in and detached from liquid microjets using two photons from a single nanosecond laser pulse at 266 or 213 nm. Solutions of 50 to 250 mM potassium hexacyanoferrate(II) or potassium iodide were used to provide precursor anions. All of our experimental conditions yield similar results, giving a mean vertical binding energy of 3.6 ± 0.1 eV at a temperature of ∼280 K, a slightly higher value than in recent reports.