Which C/N-ratio leads to the polymerisation of small molecules in the system C-H-N-O at very high pressures and temperatures?

• Applicant: Dr. Nadine Schrodt
• Subject Area: Mineralogy, Petrology and Geochemistry
• Term: from 2014 to 2017
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 256141921

Chemical reactions of small low-Z molecules at very high pressures and temperatures have been of interest because of the unique and surprising chemical, physical and mechanical properties of their reaction products. Famous examples include the polymerisation of carbon dioxide, nitrogen and carbon monoxide. A literature search showed that many small molecules from the C-H-N-O system tend to polymerise at high pressures and temperatures. However, molecules from the H-N-O system do not polymerise but disproportionate or form ions. The main objective of this proposal is to determine the carbon content required for a polymerisation reaction of relatively small molecules from the H-N-O system. In order to achieve this objective I propose to perform high pressure experiments in laser or externally heated DACs with reactants from the C-H-N-O system having different C/N ratios. The chemical reactions will be induced by pressure, pressure and irradiation as well as pressure and temperature. Sub-goals of this proposal are the synthesis of new compounds from molecules with different C/N ratios, the characterisation of the reactants and reaction products as well as the determination of the structures of the crystalline or non-crystalline reaction products by X-ray diffraction, spectroscopic techniques and modelling.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants