X-ray and pressure induced synthesis of a novel material: doped polymeric carbon monoxide.

We report the x-ray and pressure induced synthesis of a novel material: stable doped solid carbon monoxide (p-CO) via hard x-ray irradiation of strontium oxalate (and other oxalate salts) at ambient conditions and high pressure. We also show via mid- and far- infrared (IR) techniques that CO₂ produced via x-ray photochemistry remained trapped within the recovered sample for period of over one year in contrast to pure p-CO which decomposes in days. Our results demonstrate that p-CO doped with carbonates (as verified with IR and Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure spectroscopies) is relatively stable, enabling longer term and practical use of this novel material for CO₂ storage or as a novel electrical/optical material.