摘要 |
Claimed is a method of extracting hydrocarbon products from hydrocarbon-containing materials, the method comprising: providing a mixture comprising a first hydrocarbon-containing material having been exposed to ionizing radiation, one or more oxidants, and one or more compounds comprising one or more naturally-occurring, non-radioactive group 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 elements, the first hydrocarbon-containing material having a first peak molecular weight value; maintaining conditions effective to allow the one or more naturally-occurring, nonradioactive group 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 elements to participate in a Fenton-type reaction, while initiating or sustaining a cracking reaction with one or more hydrocarbons; wherein hydroxyl radicals generated by the ionizing radiation and/or in the Fenton-type reaction then react with the first hydrocarbon-containing material to produce a second hydrocarbon-containing material having a second peak molecular weight value lower than the first peak molecular weight value; and extracting the second hydrocarbon-containing material. |