Electrical Properties of Aggregated Detonation Nanodiamonds

Nanometer-scale diamonds formed using a detonation process are an interesting class of diamond materials. Commercially supplied material is highly aggregated with ∼5nm diamond crystals forming particles with micron sizes. Previous models have suggested that nondiamond carbon is incorporated between the crystals, which would reduce the electrical and chemical usefulness of this form of diamond. However, using impedance spectroscopy we have shown that at temperatures below 350°C the form of detonation nanodiamond being studied is a near to ideal dielectric, implying a full sp3 form. At temperatures above this the surfaces of the diamond crystals may support some nondiamond carbon.