Absorption of shocked benzene

Abstract

We used absorption spectroscopy to observe decomposition of benzene (C₆H₆) subjected to the passage of strong shock waves generated by projectile impact. These measurements were made using a recently developed double-beam, double-pass, fiber-optic-coupled apparatus. Near 13 GPa, we observe absorption throughout most of the visible region, with strong absorption occurring for wavelengths below 400 nm. The absorption is most likely due to a combination of molecular absorption and Mie scattering from carbon particles formed as a result of shock decomposition.