Efficient production of nanodiamonds by electric explosion

Detonation is a common production method for nanodiamonds. Currently, the detonation nanodiamonds are almost exclusively produced by using high explosives, while the physical detonation method of producing diamonds has hardly been studied. Compared with the chemical detonation, electric explosion is a kind of physical detonation whose energy density and power density can be controlled freely by changing the voltage and resistance of the discharge circuit, which is extremely favorable to improve the yield and quality of nanodiamonds. This study conducted a preliminary comparison of electric explosion with chemical detonation and pointed out the superiority of the electric explosion in high-energy-density physics research and the synthesis of special materials. Using a self-made electric explosion device, high-yield nanodiamonds were efficiently produced, with the particle size ranging from 3–5 nm and the graphite conversion rate as high as 85%.