Thermodynamics of Multicomponent PAH Mixtures and Development of Tar-Like Behavior

This study explores the solid/liquid phase behavior of mixtures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), exploring the transition from non-ideal solid mixtures to a relatively ideal liquid behavior characteristic of "tars". PAH mixtures have been studied using differential scanning calorimetry, melting point analysis and Knudsen effusion. Mixtures of anthracene, pyrene and fluoranthene show behavior that is consistent with other binary PAH mixtures; that is, the initially solid mixture exhibits a significant melting point depression, relative to the pure components, and in a certain range of composition, solid azeotrope behavior on vaporization. As the number of distinct PAH species is increased (by adding in benzo[a]pyrene, phenanthrene, fluorene and chrysene) this behavior gradually gives way to liquid phase character at even room temperature, and the vaporization behavior approaches that crudely predictable from ideal mixture theory.