Processing hydrocarbon-containing materials

A product comprising a hydrocarbon-containing material, the product having been obtained at least in party by:

• providing a first hydrocarbon-containing material having a first peak molecular weight value, the first hydrocarbon-containing material having been exposed to irradiation from a beam of particles comprising oxygen ions;
• and
• initiating or sustaining a cracking reaction with one or more hydrocarbons present in the first hydrocarbon-containing material and one or more oxidants comprising ozone generated in-situ by the beam of particles, the cracking reaction carried out, at least in part, in the presence of one or more compounds comprising one or more naturally-occurring, non-radioactive group 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 or 11 elements, the one or more elements participating in a Fenton-type reaction with the one or more oxidants and hydroxyl radicals generated by the beam of particles and/or in the Fenton-type reaction then reacting with the one or more hydrocarbons while cracking, to produce a second hydrocarbon-containing material having a second peak molecular weight value lower than the first peak molecular weight value.

A hydrocarbon having been obtained at least in part by:

• providing a first hydrocarbon-containing material having a first peak molecular weight value, the first hydrocarbon-containing material having been exposed to irradiation from a beam of particles comprising oxygen ions;
• and
• initiating or sustaining a cracking reaction with one or more hydrocarbons present in the first hydrocarbon-containing material and one or more oxidants comprising ozone generated in-situ by the beam of particles, the cracking reaction carried out, at least in part, in the presence of one or more compounds comprising one or more naturally-occurring, non-radioactive group 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 or 11 elements, the one or more elements participating in a Fenton-type reaction with the one or more oxidants and hydroxyl radicals generated by the beam of particles and/or in the Fenton-type reaction then reacting with the one or more hydrocarbons while cracking, to produce a second hydrocarbon-containing material having a second peak molecular weight value lower than the first peak molecular weight value.