Effective method for obtaining the hydrosols of detonation nanodiamond with particle size < 4 nm

Abstract

Detonation nanodiamond is a commercially available synthetic diamond that is obtained from the carbon of explosives. It is known that the average particle size of detonation nanodiamond is 4-6 nm. However, it is possible to separate smaller particles. Here we suggest a new approach for the effective separation of detonation nanodiamond particles by centrifugation of a "hydrosol/glycerol" system. The method allows for the production of the detonation nanodiamond hydrosol with a very sharp distribution in size, where more than 85% of particles have a size ranging 1-4 nm. The result is supported by transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and dynamic light scattering.