Do Primary Particles of Detonation Nanodiamond Form a Secondary Structure

Gels and dried powders of the single-nano buckydiamond (SNBD) have been studied by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and gas adsorption methods. Nanophase of water (NPhW) (D = 8.4 ± 0.5 nm) was confirmed in SNBD hydrogel by DSC. Nitrogen adsorption isotherms of the dried powder demonstrated the presence of nano voids (D = 7 nm). The characteristic size and volume of the nano voids were almost equal to those of NPhW. Based on DSC and adsorption data, it was concluded that SNBD material though originally divided into individual diamond crystals (d = 5.2 nm) in the water dispersion forms stable networks as gel and dried powder.