Carbynes in meteorites: detection, low-temperature origin, and implications for interstellar molecules

Journal Article · Fri Sep 26 00:00:00 EDT 1980 · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1126/science.209.4464.1515· OSTI ID:5542114

Hayatsu, R ^[1]; Scott, R G; Studier, M H; Lewis, R S; Anders, E

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1. Argonne National Lab., IL

Carbon from the Allende meteorite is not graphite but carbyne (triply bonded elemental carbon), inasmuch as on heating to 250/sup 0/ to 330/sup 0/C it releases mainly triply bonded fragments: -(C triple-bond C)/sub n/-, with n = 1 to 5, and -(C triple-bond C)/sub n/-CN, with n = 1 to 3. Although carbynes have been known to form only by condensation of carbon vapor above 2600 K or by explosive shock of > 600 kilobars, it is found that they also form metastably by the reaction 2CO ..-->.. CO/sub 2/ + C (solid) at 300/sup 0/ to 400/sup 0/C in the presence of a chromite catalyst. Such low-temperature formation by surface catalysis may be the dominant source of carbynes on the earth and in meteorites, and a major source of interstellar carbynes and cyanopolyacetylenes.

• OSTI ID: 5542114
• Journal Information: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Vol. 209
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CHONDRITES
CARBYNES
CARBON MONOXIDE
CATALYSTS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONDENSATES
EARTH PLANET
MASS SPECTRA
MOLECULES
POLYMERIZATION
PROPIOLONITRILE
SOLAR NEBULA
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
METEORITES
NEBULAE
NITRILES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANETS
RADICALS
SPECTRA
STONE METEORITES
640107* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Planetary Phenomena