Tuya Developer Forum

Materials physicists at The University of Sydney have proposed a new explanation for the abundance of molecular hydrogen observed throughout space. In a study published in Communications Chemistry, Yuzhen Guo and David McKenzie explored the idea that space dust might act as a catalyst, helping individual hydrogen atoms bond to form hydrogen molecules.

For years, astronomers have been puzzled by the high quantities of molecular hydrogen found in space, as it is hard to imagine two isolated hydrogen atoms randomly colliding and sticking together in the vast emptiness. Guo and McKenzie theorized that tiny dust particles drifting through space might provide the missing piece of the puzzle.

To investigate, they used fullerenes—spherical molecules composed of 60 carbon atoms—as a stand-in for cosmic dust, given their similar structure and the fact that C60 molecules are known to exist in space. They created a computer model of a fullerene shaped like a football and simulated how hydrogen atoms might interact with it under two conditions.

In the first scenario, two hydrogen atoms already weakly attached to the surface of the fullerene moved until they collided and bonded. In the second, a free-floating hydrogen atom encountered another hydrogen atom already stuck to the fullerene.

The simulations revealed that hydrogen molecules could form in both cases, with the energy released during the bonding absorbed by the fullerene instead of breaking apart the newly formed molecule. This absorption made the reaction stable.

Additionally, the team found that hydrogen molecule formation could occur not only at moderate temperatures around 50 Kelvin but also as low as 10 Kelvin, indicating that such reactions are possible even in the coldest regions of space. Their findings suggest that space dust may be critical in facilitating molecular hydrogen formation across a range of cosmic conditions.

Tuya Developer Forum

Space Dust May Hold the Key to the Formation of Molecular Hydrogen in Space

Space Dust May Hold the Key to the Formation of Molecular Hydrogen in Space