Transparent Colloids of Detonation Nanodiamond: Physical, Chemical and Biological Properties

Aqueous suspensions (colloids) containing detonation nano-diamond (DND) feature in most applications of DND and are an indispensable stage of its production; therefore, the interaction of DND with water is actively studied. However, insufficient attention has been paid to the unique physico-chemical and biological properties of transparent colloids with low DND content (≤0.1%), which are the subject of this review. Thus, such colloids possess giant dielectric permittivity which shows peculiar temperature dependence, as well as quasi-periodic fluctuations during slow evaporation or dilution. In these colloids, DND interacts with water and air to form cottonwool-like fibers comprising living micro-organisms (fungi and bacteria) and DND particles, with elevated nitrogen content due to fixation of atmospheric N2. Prolonged contact between these solutions and air lead to the formation of ammonium nitrate, sometimes forming macroscopic crystals. The latter was also formed during prolonged oxidation of fungi in aqueous DND colloids. The possible mechanism of N2 fixation is discussed, which can be attributable to the high reactivity of DND.

The role of nanoparticle charge in crystallization kinetics and ice adhesion strength for dispersions of detonation nanodiamonds

According to the classical nucleation theory, the presence of solid particles in a liquid should facilitate its heterogeneous nucleation upon supercooling. Here, we have analysed the behaviour of aqueous dispersions of detonation diamond nanoparticles (DND) with different signs of the surface charge in supercooled conditions and the frozen state. The behaviours of the diamond nanoparticles with a typical size of 4.5 nm were compared with each other and with deionized water in ice nucleation and ice shear experiments. The presented experimental data and analysis allowed the description of the significant increase in the freezing delay times for positively charged nanoparticles and the sharp decrease for negatively charged ones in comparison to deionized water, based on the peculiarities of the water structure around the nanoparticles and in the vicinity of a superhydrophobic surface. In addition, this approach has allowed the successful explanation of the difference in the practical work of adhesion for deionized water and dispersions of DND with different particle charges.

Detonation Nanodiamonds: A Comparison Study by Photoacoustic, Diffuse Reflectance, and Attenuated Total Reflection FTIR Spectroscopies

The qualitative analysis of nanodiamonds by FTIR spectrometry as photoacoustic (FTIR–PAS), diffuse-reflectance (DRIFT), and attenuated total reflection (ATR) modalities was evaluated for rapid and nondestructive analysis and comparison of nanodiamonds. The reproducibility and signal-gathering depth of spectra was compared. The assignment of characteristic bands showed that only six groups of bands were present in spectra of all the modalities with appropriate sensitivity: 1760 (C=O stretch, isolated carboxyl groups); 1640–1632 (H–O–H bend, liquid water); 1400–1370 (non-carboxyl C–O–H in-plane bend and CH₂ deformation); 1103 (non-carboxyl C–O stretch); 1060 (in-plane C–H bend, non-aromatic hydrocarbons and carbohydrates); 940 cm⁻¹ (out-of-plane carboxyl C–O–H bend). DRIFT provides the maximum number of bands and is capable of measuring hydrogen-bonded bands and CH_x groups. ATR provides the good sensitivity for water and C–H/C–C bands in the range 2000–400 cm⁻¹. FTIR–PAS reveals less bands than DRIFT but more intense bands than ATR–FTIR and shows the maximum sensitivity for absorption bands that do not appear in ATR-IR spectra and are expedient for supporting either DRIFT or FTIR–PAS along with depth-profiling. Thus, all three modalities are required for the full characterization of nanodiamonds surface functional groups.

Nitrogen Fixation and Biological Behavior of Nanodiamond Colloidal Solutions

Detonation-produced nanodiamond, both as a powder (with adsorbed water) and especially when suspended in an aqueous colloid, can support the growth (both aerobic and anaerobic) of bacteria and fungi. These were isolated and identified by microbiological methods, optical and electron microscopy, as species of Penicillium, Purpureocillium, Beaveria, Trichoderma and Aspergillus genera. The C : N molar ratio of the developing fibers (comprising fungal mycelia with attached bacteria and entrapped nanodiamond) decreased from 25 to 11 between the 1^st and 10^th week of incubation (cf. 40 in initial nanodiamond, 4.6 typical for bacteria and 8.3 for fungi), and from 4 to <1 after the 12^th week, as the lysis of microorganisms releases carbon as CO₂ and nitrogen as NH₄ ⁺ or NO₃ ^- . The nitrogen content of the colloid increased by an order of magnitude and more, due to fixation of N₂ by nanodiamond under ambient conditions.The process requires water but not necessarily oxygen present.