The effect of electron exposure at an incident energy of 10.5 eV on solid
molecular multilayer films containing nitromethane-D3 has been studied
by high-resolution electron-energy-loss (HREEL) spectroscopy.
Nitromethane-D3 was mixed with varying amounts of hexane or heptane to
investigate whether the hydrocarbon component or, more specifically,
resonant H- production which is known to occur at electron energies
around 10 eV plays a role in electron-induced modifications of the nitro
group. While bands related to vibrations of the nitro group clearly diminish
under exposure, the rate of this process does not depend on the amount of
the admixed hydrocarbon component. Consequently, the hydrocarbon component
and thus also the H- producing resonance around 10 eV do not determine
the rate of modification of nitromethane-D3 at the investigated energy
