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Synthesis and Characterization of Polypyrrole-Coated Anthracene Microparticles: A New Synthetic Mimic for Polyaromatic Hydrocarbon-Based Cosmic Dust

Chan, DH, Millet, A, Fisher, CA, Price, MC, Burchell, Mark J., Armes, Steven P. (2021) Synthesis and Characterization of Polypyrrole-Coated Anthracene Microparticles: A New Synthetic Mimic for Polyaromatic Hydrocarbon-Based Cosmic Dust. ACS Applied Materials Interfaces, 13 . pp. 3175-3185. ISSN 1944-8244. E-ISSN 1944-8252. (doi:10.1249/MSS.0b013e31822cb0d2) (KAR id:85939)

Abstract

Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are found throughout the universe. The ubiquity of these organic molecules means that they are of considerable interest in the context of cosmic dust, which typically travels at hypervelocities (>1 km s−1) within our solar system. However, studying such fast-moving micrometer-sized particles in laboratory-based experiments requires suitable synthetic mimics. Herein, we use ball-milling to produce microparticles of anthracene, which is the simplest member of the PAH family. Size control can be achieved by varying the milling time in the presence of a suitable anionic commercial polymeric dispersant (Morwet D-425). These anthracene microparticles are then coated with a thin overlayer of polypyrrole (PPy), which is an air-stable organic conducting polymer. The uncoated and PPy-coated anthracene microparticles are characterized in terms of their particle size, surface morphology, and chemical structure using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, laser diffraction, aqueous electrophoresis, FT-IR spectroscopy, Raman microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Moreover, such microparticles can be accelerated up to hypervelocities using a light gas gun. Finally, studies of impact craters indicate carbon debris, so they are expected to serve as the first synthetic mimic for PAH-based cosmic dust.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e31822cb0d2
Uncontrolled keywords: cosmic dust, anthracene, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, polypyrrole, conducting polymers, hypervelocity impacts, microparticles, space science
Subjects: Q Science
Q Science > QB Astronomy
Q Science > QB Astronomy > QB651 Planets, Minor
Q Science > QD Chemistry
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > Physics and Astronomy
Depositing User: Mark Burchell
Date Deposited: 09 Feb 2021 13:57 UTC
Last Modified: 08 Jan 2022 23:12 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/85939 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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