Experimental and Theoretical Study on the Ethane and Acetylene Formation from Electron Irradiation of Methane Ices

Marianna Barberio,Roberta Vasta,Pasquale Barone,Giulio Manicò,Fang Xu

doi:10.4236/wjcmp.2013.31003

Marianna Barberio, Roberta Vasta + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.4236/wjcmp.2013.31003

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Abstract

In this work we present an experimental and theoretical study on the formation of ethane and acetylene from solid methane condensed at 20 K and irradiated with a 500 - 3000 eV electron beam. The experiments were monitored with Thermal Desorption Spectroscopy. We observe that the electron irradiation induced a dehydrogenation of methane and a consequent formation of CHx (x = 1, 2, 3) fragments. Furthermore, in the solid during irradiation, a simple recombinetion reaction in the solid between two adjacent CHx molecules may form HC≡CH, H2C=CH2, and H3C-CH3 with a triple, double, and single carbon-carbon bond, respectively. The formed amount of ethane and acetylene increases with irradiation time and reaches a saturation value.

Highlights

IntroductionIn particular the study of interaction between these thin films and charged and energetic particles has been developed for its implications in astrophysics and in spatial device applications [1,2,3]
In the past decades, self assembled monolayers and multilayers of different materials have attracted growing attention in many areas of practical applications such as protein microsensors, electrochemical interfaces, microelectronics development and surface science investigations [1].In particular the study of interaction between these thin films and charged and energetic particles has been developed for its implications in astrophysics and in spatial device applications [1,2,3]
In this work we present an experimental and theoretical study on the formation of ethane and acetylene from solid methane condensed at 20 K and irradiated with a 500 - 3000 eV electron beam

Summary

Introduction

In particular the study of interaction between these thin films and charged and energetic particles has been developed for its implications in astrophysics and in spatial device applications [1,2,3] In this context it is very important to obtain information about the formation of macromolecules due to the interaction between the interstellar medium and the charged and energetic particles of cosmic radiation. The ISM is not distributed uniformly in the space between stars but settles in the galactic plane, where it “condenses” in large-scale structures as for example the dense interstellar clouds. In these environments a rich chemistry takes place, around 140 molecular species have been identified

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