Graphene in Titan

<p>Benzene (C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>6</sub>) ice has been observed in the Titan’s stratosphere [1], and benzonitrile (C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>5</sub>CN) is a possible constituent in the benzene and nitrogen-rich environment of Titan’s atmosphere [2]. The energetic processing of such aromatic molecules can synthesize large and complex aromatic molecules such as the Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). To-date a number of laboratory experiments have reported the formation of complex organics from the energetic processing of aromatic molecules [3-6]. In particular, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) micrographs of the residues resulting from irradiated benzene ices are found to contain geometrically shaped particles [6]. Therefore, by employing electron microscopes, we can understand the physical nature of the dust leftover from the aromatic molecule irradiation.</p> <p>In the present investigation, we subjected benzonitrile ice made at 4 K to vacuum ultraviolet (9 eV) radiation at two beamlines, BL03 and BL21A2 of Taiwan Light Source at NSRRC, Taiwan. After irradiation, the ice was warmed to room temperature, which left a brownish residue on the Potassium Bromide (KBr) substrate. The VUV spectrum of the residue is observed to have characteristic aromatic signatures. The residue is then transferred to a quantifoil grid for High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HR- TEM) imaging. HR-TEM micrographs revealed the presence of graphene in the residue. This result suggests that N-graphene could be present in benzene and nitrogen-rich icy clouds of Titan. The high masses observed by the Cassini plasma spectrometer in Titan’s atmosphere could then be attributed to the presence of N-graphene along with the more common tholins [7].</p> <p><strong>References</strong></p> <p>[1] Vinatier S. et al. (2018) <em>Icarus, 310,</em> 89.</p> <p>[2] Loison J. C. et al. (2019) <em>Icarus 329,</em> 55.</p> <p>[3] Strazzulla G. et al. (1991) <em>A&A, 241</em>, 310.</p> <p>[4] Callahan M. P. et al. (2013) <em>Icarus, 226</em>, 1201.</p> <p>[5] James R. et al. (2019) <em>RSC Adv. 9</em> (10), 5453.</p> <p>[6] Rahul K. K. et al. (2020) <em>Spectrochim. Acta A, 231, </em>117797.</p> <p>[7] Rahul K. K. et al. (2020) <em>arXiv:2008.10011</em>.</p>