Raman, FT-IR spectroscopy and morphology of carbon dust from carbon arc in liquid benzene

The carbon arc in liquid benzene produces carbon dust in addition to phenylacetyene and a number of other molecular products. The carbon dust was analyzed by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), electron diffraction and Raman spectroscopy, revealing that it consists of a highly structured carbon black with high surface area. The carbon dust from benzene arc was also analyzed with FT-IR spectroscopy suggesting stricking spectral analogy with a mature coal infrared spectrum. During benzene arcing, phenylacetyene undergoes a free radicals induced polymerization to a low molecular weight poly(phenylacetylene).