Lin Meng-Yeh, Lo Jen-Iu, Lu Hsiao-Chi, Chou Sheng-Lung, Peng Yu-Chain, Cheng Bing-Ming, Ogilvie J F
National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, 101 Hsin-Ann Road, Hsinchu Science Park, Hsinchu 30076, Taiwan.
J Phys Chem A. 2014 May 15;118(19):3438-49. doi: 10.1021/jp502637r. Epub 2014 May 5.
Samples of pure methane and of methane dispersed in solid neon at 3 K subjected to irradiation at wavelengths less than 165 nm with light from a synchrotron yielded varied products that were identified through their infrared absorption spectra, including CH3, C2H2, C2H3, C2H4, C2H6, C4H2, C4H4, C5H2, C8H2, CnH with n = 1-5, and carbon chains Cn with n = 3-20. The efficiency of photolysis of methane and the nature of the photoproducts depended on the concentration of methane and the wavelength selected for irradiation; an addition of H2 into solid neon enhanced the formation of long carbon chains.
