Titan minerals at depth: study of benzene:acetonitrile co-crystals at high pressure

Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, hosts a complex chemical engine that produces a rich inventory of organic molecules in its thick atmosphere and on its surface. Major organic species, such as benzene:acetonitrile, are expected to form at the surface of Titan molecular co-crystal structures stable at the low surface temperatures (89-94K). We propose to conduct X-ray diffraction experiments (powder and single crystal) on the benzene:acetonitrile (3:1) co-crystal down to 100 K and up to 1 GPa. This should permit us to obtain the first measurement of the stability with pressure that will be essential to conduct further experimental and theoretical studies. We expect these results to have a major impact on the planetary science community, specifically in the context of the upcoming NASA Dragonfly mission to Titan, that might be able to detect the presence of these phases in situ, once their properties are well-characterized with state-of-the-art experimental techniques on Earth.