Nanodiamond powder (ND) has become one of the most promising and well-studied nanomaterials applied in various fields of science, technology and medicine. Recent achievements in the development of advanced ND applications present new demands to ND quality: purity, homogeneity of primary particle dimensions and surface area chemistry. ND produced by state-of-the-art technology of detonation synthesis doesn’t meet requirements for biomedical and optical applications. Therefore, alternative methods of ND synthesis from pure carbon raw materials enabling to control the process are of especial importance.

The novel technology for ND laser synthesis has been developed by Ray Techniques Ltd. The method is based on high-intensive laser radiation treatment of the specially prepared target containing non-diamond carbon soot and hydrocarbons, placed in a liquid media. As a result, carbon atoms collect to form a cubic diamond crystalline lattice. To reach that, the appropriate parameters of the laser radiation, special composition of the target and the liquid media, as well as the treatment procedures were determined. The “winning” combination of these factors enables to obtain pure nanodiamonds (RayND). In contrast to the existing technology, the RT method is highly controllable, environment-friendly and efficient.

RayND obtained under different conditions were studied and compared with detonation ND currently available at the market. It is proved that the higher level of purity and homogeneity of RayND constitutes significant advantages for most ND applications. Using RayND opens new frontiers in biomedicine (drug- and gene-delivery and bio-imaging agents), electronic industry (abrasives for wafer polishing, heat-conductive electrical-insulating compounds, CVD coatings, emitters, etc) and optics (displays, protective transparent films, laser lenses, optical windows and filters).

This paper reports on the fabrication and characterization of thin-film nanocomposites comprised of tangled carbon nanotubes in a polymer matrix. The concentration of nanotubes in the polymer was significantly increased using detonation nanodiamonds. Nanodiamonds reduce the surface forces between the polymer and the nanotubes and mitigate the agglomeration problem of nanotubes in polymer. This resulted in thinner and more uniform networks that are efficient absorbers of infrared energy over a broad spectrum, ranging from the visible to the mid-wavelength infrared. An infrared absorbance of 97% was achieved for a 1.6 μm thick nanocomposite film across the spectral range of 714 nm to 5 μm. The films are mechanically and thermally stable up to 300 °C, and can be integrated with microbolometers to enhance their responsivity.

We present some recent results of a systematic study regarding polyaniline-based nanocomposites with detonation nanodiamond as guest component. The peculiar properties of such crystalline nanomaterial not only help in improving the mechanical and thermal properties of the host polymeric matrix, but also influence polymerization mechanism, modifying the morphological features of the polymers. Induced by the nanodiamond presence, the final nanocomposites show a prominent arrangement of polymer segments into tubular forms and a subsequent structural organization suitable for many technological applications.

The carbon onions have been treated in a shear diamond anvil cell under pressure up to 43 GPa and shear deformation up to 2000. The recovered samples have been investigated by the Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and the UV and visible Raman spectroscopy. The carbon onions was stable at pressure up to 30 GPa and 400 shear. Bigger shear deformation at pressures exceeding 30 GPa leads to the amorphous carbon. At 43 GPa shear deformation leads to transformation of onions to DLC.

We present here some recent results of a research focused on the preparation of detonation nanodiamond/Au nanoparticles hybrid materials. Two different experimental routes are followed for the decoration of diamond nanoparticles by Au nanoparticles, that are in turn prepared by an innovative electroless approach.

Structure and morphology at the nanoscale level of the Au-on-nanodiamond deposits have been deeply investigated by electron microscopy (FE-SEM, HR-TEM) and diffraction (XRD) techniques.

Optical properties of these systems have been determined by performing scattering and UV-Vis absorption measurements, and by comparing the experimental data with simulated extinction spectra. The results highlighted very interesting plasmonic and scattering behaviors, mainly related to the high refractive index of diamond.

This paper presents the data on sorption efficiency of nanodiamonds, detonation soot and its complexes with polyaniline for nano size biological objects: fragments of cDNA and epidemic influenza viruses, including A(H1N1, H3N2) and B strains, isolated in 1999-2010, pandemic strain A(H1N1)pdm09, influenza avian A(H5N2) viruses and reassortants A(H5N2) and A(H5N1). As the result of the sorption on detonation nanodiamonds (DND), detonation soot and their complexes with polyaniline, hemagglutination (HA) titers of virus solutions decreased by ≤ 4000 times for concentrated viruses, suspended in saline and by ≤8 times for allantoic viruses. The detonation soot was approximately 2.5 times more effective than DND. Detonation nanodiamond materials proved to be efficient sorbents for cDNA fragments of >190 bp size. No desorption of viruses from nanodiamonds and soot into saline was revealed (observation time 48 h). DND and soot at concentrations ≤ 1 mg/ml were not toxic for MDCK cells. A moderate increase of monocytes was registrated in blue rats after intra-abdominal immunization with DND+ virus complexes.

In the current work tribological properties of different compositions of lubricant additives based on detonation nanodiamond (DND) particles are reported. As compared to the previous findings using polyalphaolefin oil as a base oil for the additives, it is demonstrated that polymer esters are also a valuable base oil for the additive preparation. It is also demonstrated that synergistic compositions of DND with organic molybdenum provide significant improvement of the polyalphaolephin and mineral oils lubricating properties. Treatment of of DND with fluorine containing gases is an additional possibility toward reduced friction and wear of the DND-based nanolubricants.