Emission of molecular fragments synthesized in hypervelocity nanoparticle impacts

We report on experiments with Aun nanoparticles (100 ≤ n ≤ 400) at velocities of 10–60 km/s. They are implanted virtually intact via hydrodynamic penetration. The products of the extreme pressure transient are observed by mass analyzing the ionized ejecta. Targets of labeled molecules (13C-, 15N-glycine) reveal fragmentation–recombination processes, producing CN− and OCN− with high efficiency (45%). This value is over two orders of magnitude larger than that obtained with atomic and small cluster projectiles. The experiments could simulate collisions of nanosized dust particles in interstellar space.