Porous diamond foam with nanometric diamond grains using Bias Enhanced Nucleation on iridium

• Raman signature very close to the signature obtained for detonation nanodiamonds
• The presence of diamond crystals with nanometric size (2–6 nm) as shown by HRTEM
• Diamond nanocrystals forming a porous three-dimensional continuous structure.

Porous diamond foam exhibiting a three-dimensional structure was synthesized by applying prolonged Bias Enhanced Nucleation on iridium buffer layers. The Raman spectrum of this material recorded at 325 nm looks very close to the signature obtained for detonation nanodiamonds. HRTEM investigations well confirm the presence of diamond crystals with nanometric size between 2 and 6 nm. All these diamond nanocrystals form a three-dimensional structure very different from ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) generally embedded in a graphitic matrix. According to its high specific surface area, such a 3D material may have promising applications for sensors.

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