The formation of soot particles during the incomplete combustion of fuels is both a major environmental challenge on Earth and a model system for understanding the formation of carbon grains in interstellar environments. Yet, the precise mechanism by which these solid particles emerge from gaseous molecules remains one of chemistry’s enduring mysteries.
Thanks to the DESIRS beamline, researchers from PC2A and IPR, in collaboration with the DESIRS-SAPHIRS team, have for the first time directly identified resonance-stabilized radicals involved in the formation of soot particles, shedding new light on this complex process.
Soot particles are formed during the incomplete combustion of hydrocarbon fuels, when the flame lacks sufficient oxygen to fully oxidize carbon. Initially invisible to the naked eye, they gradually form through the aggregation of aromatic molecules before becoming the tiny black grains responsible for a significant share of global air pollution. These particles have a major impact on both human health and climate, contributing to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and intensifying global warming by absorbing sunlight.
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