Low temperature catalytic reactivity of nanodiamond in molecular hydrogen

In this paper, the reaction dynamics of hydrogen termination of nanodiamond annealed at low temperature (500 degrees C) in molecular hydrogen atmosphere is reported. In-situ residual gas analysis of nano diamond particles (4-5 nm) during annealing/hydrogenation indicates C-3-radical desorption which incites a free radical reaction through the reduction of molecular hydrogen to atomic hydrogen. Consequently, as released atomic hydrogen facilitates C-H adsorption on the surface of nanodiamond which was confirmed using infrared spectroscopy. This explains how nanodiamond particles can play a key role in hydrogen (H-2) dissociation and be terminated by the hydrogen (H) at relatively low temperature. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.