Pressure-Induced Polymerization of UV Irradiated Benzoquinone Derivatives
Open Access
Author:
Burns, Connor
Area of Honors:
Chemistry
Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Elizabeth A Elacqua, Thesis Supervisor Benjamin James Lear, Thesis Honors Advisor Lori Ruth Stepan, Faculty Reader
Keywords:
nanothreads carbon sp3 UV 1-D material pressure high-pressure solid-state
Abstract:
Carbon nanothreads are the newest allotrope of carbon which involves carbon atoms that are sp3 hybridized and in a 1-D order. These new molecules can be synthesized via a pressure-induced polymerization under uniaxial stress from a precursor containing sp2 carbons in a ring. In this thesis, the report of the possible formation of nanothreads from a previously uncompressed molecule, benzoquinone, is shown. This molecule is nonaromatic and has favorable pi-pi stacking which bodes well for nanothread formation. In addition to this, the molecule has been exposed to UV light which has been shown to experimentally to help reduce reaction pressures for nanothreads. These compressions consistently result in a well-ordered solid that demonstrates the presence of sp3 carbons. These results often take place at lower than expected reaction pressures for most nanothreads. In addition to benzoquinone, one of its derivatives, hydroquinone, as well as hydroquinone’s structural isomers, resorcinol and catechol, have been compressed.
