Carbon Isotope Fractionation during the Formation of CO2 Hydrate and Equilibrium Pressures of 12CO2 and 13CO2 Hydrates.

Knowledge of carbon isotope fractionation is needed in order to discuss the formation and dissociation of naturally occurring CO2 hydrates. We investigated carbon isotope fractionation during CO2 hydrate formation and measured the three-phase equilibria of 12CO2-H2O and 13CO2-H2O systems. From a crystal structure viewpoint, the difference in the Raman spectra of hydrate-bound 12CO2 and 13CO2 was revealed, although their unit cell size was similar. The δ13C of hydrate-bound CO2 was lower than that of the residual CO2 (1.0-1.5‰) in a formation temperature ranging between 226 K and 278 K. The results show that the small difference between equilibrium pressures of ~0.01 MPa in 12CO2 and 13CO2 hydrates causes carbon isotope fractionation of ~1‰. However, the difference between equilibrium pressures in the 12CO2-H2O and 13CO2-H2O systems was smaller than the standard uncertainties of measurement; more accurate pressure measurement is required for quantitative discussion.

Effect of temperature and large guest molecules on the C-H symmetric stretching vibrational frequencies of methane in structure H and I clathrate hydrates.

Large molecules such as 2-methylbutane (C5H12) or 2,2-dimethylbutane (C6H14) form structure H (sH) hydrates with methane (CH4) as a help gas. In this study, the Raman spectra of the C-H symmetric stretch region of CH4 enclathrated within various sH hydrates and structure I CH4 hydrates were analyzed in the temperature range 137.7-205.4 K. Thermal expansions of these sH hydrate samples were also measured using powder X-ray diffraction. Symmetric stretch vibrational frequencies of CH4 in host-water cages increased because of varying temperature, and the sizes of the host-water cages also increased; variation of CH4 in small cages was less than in larger cages. Comparing the variations of the C-H symmetric stretching frequencies of CH4 in gas hydrates with varying pressure and temperature, we suggest that the observed trend is caused by thermal vibrations of the CH4 molecule in water cages.

Temperature effects on the C-H symmetric stretching vibrational frequencies of guest hydrocarbon molecules in 512, 51262 and 51264 cages of sI and sII clathrate hydrates.

C-H symmetric stretching vibrational frequencies of CH4, C2H4 and C2H6 molecules encapsulated in 512, 51262 and 51264 cages of structures I (sI) and II (sII) clathrate hydrates measured by Raman spectroscopy in the temperature range of 93-183 K was analysed. The slopes of the symmetric stretch vibrational frequencies under changing temperatures (Δv/ΔT) for CH4, C2H4 and C2H6 molecules encapsulated in sII 51264 cages were smaller than those for molecules in sI 51262 cages, although sI 51262 cages are smaller than sII 51264 cages. We compared the results of Δv/ΔT in this study with the geometrical properties of each host water cage, and these comparisons suggest that the geometry of host water cages affects Δv/ΔT.

Retraction: Effect of temperature and large guest molecules on the C-H symmetric stretching vibrational frequencies of methane in structure H and I clathrate hydrates.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.1039/C7RA12334E.].

Retracted Article: Effect of temperature and large guest molecules on the C-H symmetric stretching vibrational frequencies of methane in structure H and I clathrate hydrates.

Large molecules such as 2-methylbutane (C5H12) or 2,2-dimethylbutane (C6H14) form structure H (sH) hydrates with methane (CH4) as a help gas. In this study, the Raman spectra of the C-H symmetric stretch region of CH4 enclathrated within various sH hydrates and structure I CH4 hydrates were analyzed in the temperature range 83-183 K. Thermal expansions of these sH hydrate samples were also measured using powder X-ray diffraction. Symmetric stretch vibrational frequencies of CH4 in host water cages increased because of varying temperature, and the sizes of the host water cages also increased; variation of CH4 in small cages was less than in larger cages. Comparing the variations of the C-H symmetric stretching frequencies of CH4 in gas hydrates with varying pressure and temperature, we suggest that the observed trend is caused by thermal vibrations of the CH4 molecule in water cages.