Supercooling behaviors of normal alkanes in the homologous series C6H14 to C11H24 under Titan conditions

Z Zhijian Gao (Laboratory of Quantum Materials Under Extreme Conditions in Shandong Province, School of Physics Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University 1 , Liaocheng 252000,) C Chuanxin Yan (Laboratory of Quantum Materials Under Extreme Conditions in Shandong Province, School of Physics Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University 1 , Liaocheng 252000,) H Huiyuan Guo (Laboratory of Quantum Materials Under Extreme Conditions in Shandong Province, School of Physics Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University 1 , Liaocheng 252000,) J Jialiang Jiang H Haiwa Zhang (Laboratory of Quantum Materials Under Extreme Conditions in Shandong Province, School of Physics Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University 1 , Liaocheng 252000,) G Guozhao Zhang (Laboratory of Quantum Materials Under Extreme Conditions in Shandong Province, School of Physics Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University 1 , Liaocheng 252000,) Q Qinglin Wang (Laboratory of Quantum Materials Under Extreme Conditions in Shandong Province, School of Physics Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University 1 , Liaocheng 252000,) Y Yinwei Li (Laboratory of Quantum Functional Materials Design and Application, School of Physics and Electronic Engineering) C Cailong Liu (Laboratory of Quantum Materials Under Extreme Conditions in Shandong Province, School of Physics Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University 1 , Liaocheng 252000,)

Abstract

The supercooling behaviors of n-alkanes during the solid–liquid phase transition offer a promising explanation to the phenomenon of energy conversion and transfer across seasons and regions observed on Titan. However, research on the supercooling behaviors of n-alkanes under Titan’s internal pressure (P) and temperature (T) conditions (<4.9 GPa; 93–900 K) remains inadequate. Here, we present findings from laboratory experiments conducted under high P–T conditions, exploring the P–T phase diagrams and supercooling behaviors of six n-alkanes [n-CnH2n+2 (6 ≤ n ≤ 11)]. The current results indicate that all measured n-alkanes exhibit supercooling behaviors, with the supercooling degree increasing as pressure increases. At the same pressure, the supercooling degree of both odd and even n-alkanes decreases as the carbon chain length increases. Under Titan’s central pressure of 4.9 GPa, n-heptane shows the highest supercooling degree among the measured n-alkanes, reaching up to 63 K.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 163, Issue 1
Published July 07, 2025
ISSN 0021-9606
Publisher American Institute of Physics

Journal Info

The Journal of Chemical Physics

American Institute of Physics

ISSN: 0021-9606 Physical Sciences

Authors (9)

Z

Zhijian Gao

Laboratory of Quantum Materials Under Extreme Conditions in Shandong Province, School of Physics Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University 1 , Liaocheng 252000,

C

Chuanxin Yan

Laboratory of Quantum Materials Under Extreme Conditions in Shandong Province, School of Physics Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University 1 , Liaocheng 252000,

H

Huiyuan Guo

Laboratory of Quantum Materials Under Extreme Conditions in Shandong Province, School of Physics Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University 1 , Liaocheng 252000,

J

Jialiang Jiang

H

Haiwa Zhang

Laboratory of Quantum Materials Under Extreme Conditions in Shandong Province, School of Physics Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University 1 , Liaocheng 252000,

G

Guozhao Zhang

Laboratory of Quantum Materials Under Extreme Conditions in Shandong Province, School of Physics Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University 1 , Liaocheng 252000,

Q

Qinglin Wang

Laboratory of Quantum Materials Under Extreme Conditions in Shandong Province, School of Physics Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University 1 , Liaocheng 252000,

Y

Yinwei Li

Laboratory of Quantum Functional Materials Design and Application, School of Physics and Electronic Engineering

C

Cailong Liu

Laboratory of Quantum Materials Under Extreme Conditions in Shandong Province, School of Physics Science and Information Technology, Liaocheng University 1 , Liaocheng 252000,