Chemiluminescence Of Shock-Pyrolyzed Benzene

C 2 and other small molecules produced during shock-induced (24–63 GPa) decomposition of liquid benzene (initially at 1 bar at 295 K) have been detected by time-resolved (50–120 ns) spectroscopy. These molecular products have been identified by characteristic electronic bands observed together with a gray-body background in visible and near-ultraviolet shock-induced chemiluminescence spectra collected during the passage of the shock front through the focus of spectrographs equipped with gated, intensified diode-array detectors. The spectroscopic techniques are described, and the dependence of the spectra on shock parameters will be discussed in terms of known decomposition mechanisms of highly excited benzene molecules.