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Fullerenes, fulleranes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the Allende meteoriteIn this paper, we confirm our earlier observations of fullerenes (C60 and C70) in the Allende meteorite (Becker et al., 1994a, 1995). Fullerene C60 was also detected in two separate C-rich (approximately 0.5-1.0%) dark inclusions (Heymann et al., 1987) that were hand picked from the Allende sample. The amounts of C60 detected were approximately 5 and approximately 10 ppb, respectively, which is considerably less than what was detected in the Allende 15/21 sample (approximately 100 ppb; Becker et al., 1994a, 1995). This suggests that fullerenes are heterogeneously distributed in the meteorite. In addition, we present evidence for fulleranes, (C60Hx), detected in separate samples by laser desorption (reflectron) time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry (LDMS). The LDMS spectra for the Allende extracts were remarkably similar to the spectra generated for the synthetic fullerane mixtures. Several fullerane products were synthesized using a Rh catalyst (Becker et al., 1993a) and separated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were also observed ppm levels) that included benzofluoranthene and corannulene, a cup-shaped molecule that has been proposed as a precursor molecule to the formation of fullerenes in the gas phase (Pope et al., 1993).
Document ID
20040089419
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Becker, L.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field CA United States)
Bunch, T. E.
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
July 1, 1997
Publication Information
Publication: Meteoritics & planetary science
Volume: 32
Issue: 4
ISSN: 1086-9379
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Science And Exploration
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
NASA Center ARC
NASA Discipline Exobiology
Non-NASA Center

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