Communication: A novel method for generating molecular mixtures at extreme conditions: The case of hydrogen and oxygen

Journal Article · Sun Sep 07 04:00:00 EDT 2014 · Journal of Chemical Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4894402· OSTI ID:22419848

Pravica, Michael; Sneed, Daniel; White, Melanie; Wang, Yonggang ^[1]

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1. High Pressure Science and Engineering Center (HiPSEC) and Department of Physics, University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-4002 (United States)

We have successfully created a segregated mixture of hydrogen and oxygen at high pressure in a diamond anvil cell using hard x-ray photochemistry. A keyhole (two holes connected by an opening) sample chamber was created in a metallic gasket to support two segregated powders of ammonia borane and potassium perchlorate, respectively, in each hole at a pressure of ∼5.0 GPa. Both holes were separately irradiated with synchrotron hard x-rays to release molecular oxygen and molecular hydrogen, respectively. Upon irradiation of the first KClO{sub 4}-containing hole, solid reddish-orange O{sub 2} appeared in the region of irradiation and molecular oxygen was found to diffuse throughout the entire sample region. The second ammonia borane-containing hole was then irradiated and H{sub 2} was observed to form via Raman spectroscopy. Water also was observed in the ammonia borane-containing hole and possibly (in the form of ice VII) in the second hole. This unique experiment demonstrates the ability to easily create solid mixtures of simple molecular systems via x-ray irradiation and then react them via further irradiation which will aid the study of chemistry under extreme conditions.

• OSTI ID: 22419848
• Journal Information: Journal of Chemical Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Chemical Physics Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 141; ISSN JCPSA6; ISSN 0021-9606
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
AMMONIA
HARD X RADIATION
HYDROGEN
IRRADIATION
MIXTURES
OXYGEN
RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY
SOLIDS