Welch, J; Li, P; Chaudhary, A; Edgington, R; Jackman, RB; (2014) The influence of surface functionalisation on the electrical properties and thermal stability of nanodiamonds. Journal of Applied Physics , 116 (13) , Article 133705. 10.1063/1.4897218.

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Abstract

Detonation nanodiamond (ND) has recently emerged as a useful new class of diamond material. However, to date there has been little investigation of the electrical properties of this material. Due to the nanoscale dimensions, the surface functionalisation of the individual ND is of particular importance to the characteristics of ND films. Here, methods for the effective hydrogen and oxygen termination of ND are developed and verified using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Next, the influence of the surface functionalisation on the electrical properties is investigated using impedance spectroscopy at a range of temperatures in an attempt to discover the onset of a degraded electrical response. Measurements were taken both in low vacuum and in atmospheric conditions in order to probe the effect of ambient air on the initial electrical properties and the degradation characteristics. The resultant Bode and Cole-Cole plots are given, along with the calculated Arrhenius plots, and a discussion of the possible causes of the observed differences follows. It was found that the hydrogen terminated ND showed some signs of so-called surface conductivity, whilst also exhibiting a far greater resilience to thermal decomposition when compared to the oxygen terminated ND.

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