Structural disorder-driven synthesis of C<sub>2+</sub> hydrocarbons via direct hydrogenation of amorphous carbon with continuous random atomic networks

Wang Shaojie; Li Mingtao; Wu Zhongyan; Cao Saichao; Li Penghui; Zhang Xiang; Shen Zhiwei; Li Hongkai; Yang Ke; Zhang Li; Gao Guoying; Wang Lin; Tian Yongjun

doi:10.1063/5.0293989

Volume 11 Issue 1

Jan. 2026

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Article Navigation > Matter and Radiation at Extremes > 2026 > 11(1): 017801

Wang Shaojie, Li Mingtao, Wu Zhongyan, Cao Saichao, Li Penghui, Zhang Xiang, Shen Zhiwei, Li Hongkai, Yang Ke, Zhang Li, Gao Guoying, Wang Lin, Tian Yongjun. Structural disorder-driven synthesis of C2+ hydrocarbons via direct hydrogenation of amorphous carbon with continuous random atomic networks[J]. Matter and Radiation at Extremes, 2026, 11(1): 017801. doi: 10.1063/5.0293989

Citation:

Wang Shaojie, Li Mingtao, Wu Zhongyan, Cao Saichao, Li Penghui, Zhang Xiang, Shen Zhiwei, Li Hongkai, Yang Ke, Zhang Li, Gao Guoying, Wang Lin, Tian Yongjun. Structural disorder-driven synthesis of C₂₊ hydrocarbons via direct hydrogenation of amorphous carbon with continuous random atomic networks[J]. Matter and Radiation at Extremes, 2026, 11(1): 017801. doi: 10.1063/5.0293989

Citation:

Wang Shaojie, Li Mingtao, Wu Zhongyan, Cao Saichao, Li Penghui, Zhang Xiang, Shen Zhiwei, Li Hongkai, Yang Ke, Zhang Li, Gao Guoying, Wang Lin, Tian Yongjun. Structural disorder-driven synthesis of C₂₊ hydrocarbons via direct hydrogenation of amorphous carbon with continuous random atomic networks[J]. Matter and Radiation at Extremes, 2026, 11(1): 017801. doi: 10.1063/5.0293989

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Structural disorder-driven synthesis of C₂₊ hydrocarbons via direct hydrogenation of amorphous carbon with continuous random atomic networks

doi: 10.1063/5.0293989

Wang Shaojie^{1, 2},
Li Mingtao^3
,,
Wu Zhongyan^{2
,
,},
Cao Saichao^4
,,
Li Penghui^2
,,
Zhang Xiang²,
Shen Zhiwei^{1, 2},
Li Hongkai^{1, 2},
Yang Ke⁴,
Zhang Li^{3
,
,},
Gao Guoying^{2
,
,},
Wang Lin^{2
,
,},
Tian Yongjun^2
,

1.
Key Laboratory for Microstructural Material Physics of Hebei Province, School of Science, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
2.
State Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, Center for High Pressure Science, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
3.
Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research, Shanghai 201203, China
4.
Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201210, China

More Information

Corresponding author: a)Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed: wuzhongyan@ysu.edu.cn; zhangli@hpstar.ac.cn; gaoguoying@ysu.edu.cn; and linwang@ysu.edu.cn
Received Date: 2025-07-31
Accepted Date: 2025-09-25

Available Online: 2026-01-01

Publish Date: 2026-01-01

Abstract

Abstract

Recent advances in geoscience have underscored the critical role of abiogenic processes in petroleum formation, especially the formation and polymerization of methane. However, whether a direct carbon–H₂ reaction can produce C₂₊ hydrocarbons (e.g., ethane and propane) beyond methane remains an open question. Here, we demonstrate the direct synthesis of ethane and propane via reactions between amorphous carbon and H₂ under upper mantle conditions (2–10 GPa and 800–1200 °C). A systematic investigation reveals that increasing structural disorder in carbon precursors, from graphite to glassy carbon-II and carbon black, enhances the production of C₂–C₃ hydrocarbons. Through integrated X-ray diffraction and reverse Monte Carlo simulations, we establish that the continuous random atomic network structures in amorphous carbon enable one-step synthesis of heavy hydrocarbons with H₂. These models establish a direct link between atomic-scale carbon structures and the one-step synthesis of C₂₊ hydrocarbons under H₂-rich, high-pressure, and high-temperature conditions—potentially revealing an efficient mechanism for the abiotic production of C₂₊ hydrocarbons in the upper mantle.

Conflict of Interest
The authors have no conflicts to disclose.
S. Wang and M. Li contributed equally to this work.
L. Wang and G. Gao conceived this project; S. Wang and Z. Shen prepared the samples; S. Wang, Z. Shen, and H. Li performed the XRD and Raman spectroscopy measurements; S. Wang, X. Zhang, and P. Li conducted TEM and EELS; S. Wang, S. Cao, and Ke Yang conducted PDF, MD, and RMC; S. Wang, M. Li, P. Li, L. Zhang, Z. Wu, G. Gao, L. Wang, and Y. Tian analyzed the data; S. Wang, M. Li, P. Li, Z. Wu, L. Zhang, G. Gao, and L. Wang drafted the manuscript, with contributions from all authors.
Shaojie Wang: Conceptualization (equal); Data curation (equal); Formal analysis (equal); Investigation (equal); Methodology (equal); Software (equal); Validation (equal); Visualization (equal); Writing – original draft (equal). Mingtao Li: Conceptualization (equal); Data curation (equal); Formal analysis (equal); Investigation (equal); Methodology (equal); Software (equal); Supervision (equal); Validation (equal); Visualization (equal); Writing – original draft (equal); Writing – review & editing (equal). Zhongyan Wu: Conceptualization (equal); Data curation (equal); Investigation (equal); Methodology (equal); Supervision (equal); Validation (equal); Visualization (equal); Writing – original draft (equal); Writing – review & editing (equal). Saichao Cao: Conceptualization (equal); Data curation (equal); Software (equal); Supervision (equal); Validation (equal). Penghui Li: Conceptualization (equal); Data curation (equal); Supervision (equal); Validation (equal); Visualization (equal); Writing – review & editing (equal). Xiang Zhang: Data curation (equal); Formal analysis (equal); Investigation (equal); Supervision (equal). Zhiwei Shen: Conceptualization (equal); Data curation (equal); Formal analysis (equal); Resources (equal). Hongkai Li: Conceptualization (equal); Data curation (equal); Formal analysis (equal); Investigation (equal); Supervision (equal); Validation (equal). Ke Yang: Conceptualization (equal); Data curation (equal); Resources (equal); Software (equal). Li Zhang: Conceptualization (equal); Data curation (equal); Formal analysis (equal); Investigation (equal); Methodology (equal); Resources (equal); Supervision (equal); Validation (equal); Visualization (equal); Writing – review & editing (equal). Guoying Gao: Conceptualization (equal); Data curation (equal); Formal analysis (equal); Funding acquisition (equal); Investigation (equal); Methodology (equal); Project administration (equal); Resources (equal); Supervision (equal); Validation (equal); Visualization (equal); Writing – review & editing (equal). Lin Wang: Conceptualization (equal); Data curation (equal); Formal analysis (equal); Funding acquisition (equal); Investigation (equal); Methodology (equal); Project administration (equal); Resources (equal); Software (equal); Supervision (equal); Validation (equal); Visualization (equal); Writing – original draft (equal); Writing – review & editing (equal). Yongjun Tian: Conceptualization (equal); Data curation (equal); Formal analysis (equal); Funding acquisition (equal); Investigation (equal); Methodology (equal); Project administration (equal); Resources (equal); Supervision (equal); Writing – review & editing (equal).
Author Contributions
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding authors upon reasonable request.

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