Thermodynamic properties of benzene under shock conditions.

We present in this paper a thermodynamic analysis of benzene properties under shock conditions as given by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Reactive MD simulations of benzene predict a decomposition threshold corresponding to the flection point on the experimental Hugoniot curve. A polymerlike carbonated structure is observed for pressures above this threshold, but the calculated Hugoniot curve is in disagreement with the experimental one at high pressure. On the contrary, a system consisting of a diamond cluster in hydrogen gas leads to a correct prediction of the pressure on the Hugoniot curves. The central question is then linked to the kinetics of the transition between the polymerlike structure and the diamond cluster.