Nanoparticles in astrochemistry: synthesis and characterization of meteorite dust nanoparticles.

Interstellar dust particles (IDPs) constitute most of the solid matter in the universe. Large quantities of IDPs are also present in the Solar System and fall on Earth. IDPs are also of interest as they can catalyze astrochem. reactions and prebiotic synthesis, and their org. contents are believed to have contributed to the origins of life. Their chem. compn. is similar to carbonaceous chondrite comets, asteroids and meteorites. The IDPs are microporous web-like aggregates of 10-100 nm phyllosilicate particles with morphologies similar to particles produced by the Laser Vaporization Controlled Condensation (LVCC) method. IDPs are available only as microscopic samples, and simulated IDPs are needed to study their chem. and catalytic effects. To produce such simulated IDPs, we formed nanoparticles from carbonaceous chondrite meteorites by LVCC processing. The compns., morphologies, particle size distribution, FTIR spectra, and catalytic properties of the meteorite-based nanoparticles were investigated and compared with the original meteorite materials and ref. minerals.