Pushing the Polymerization of Benzene to Extreme P-T Conditions

It is nowadays well assessed that room T compression of benzene, the aromatic archetypal substance, to about 20 GPa leads to form single crystal-like 1D hydrogentated C-nanothreads [1-3]. These materials are made of sp3 C and, consequently, are expected to exhibit diamond-like mechanical properties joined to the high flexibility of polymers. On the other hand, the structure of potential benzene-derived extended materials above these P-T conditions is terra incognita. We propose to investigate by XRD the formation of C-nano-threads and possible related, partially ordered polymers at pressures up to 100 GPa. Also, we will attempt to obtain fully crystalline graphane, the predicted thermodynamic extended phase for 1:1 CH stoichiometry [4], by laser heating compressed benzene between 50 and 100 GPa, up to 1500-2000 K.