Fabrication and microstructural characterization of the diamond@amorphous carbon nanocomposite core/shell structure via in-situ polymerization

Abstract

A novel diamond@carbon core/shell structure, constituting diamond as a hard core and carbon as a soft shell, was synthesized from resole resin and nanodiamond as the starting materials via in-situ polymerization and subsequently high-temperature carbonization. The diamond@carbon nanocomposite was characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectra, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The results indicated that the shell material are comprised of amorphous carbon. The thickness of carbon shell was controlled from 502.5 nm to 27 nm by adjusting the concentration of the nanodiamond. As confirmed by TEM, FT-IR and XPS, the diamond@carbon nanocomposite revealed a stable structure, due to the formation of the chemical bonding between diamond and carbon shell after calcination process. Overall, the diamond@carbon nanocomposite abrasives could lead to a reducted surface roughness and damage of SiC wafer comparing with the nanodiamond abrasives, due to the spring-like effect coming from the elastic component of the amorphous carbon shell. Moreover, the as-prepared nanoparticles exhibited better dispersion stability than the pure diamond in the pH range from 8 to 11. • Core/shell structured diamond@carbon, was synthesized via in-situ polymerization then high-temperature carbonization. • Core/shell structured diamond@carbon comprises of nanodiamond as a hard core and carbon as a soft shell. • The thickness of carbon shell was controlled from 502.5 to 27 nm by adjusting the concentration of the nanodiamond. • The composite abrasives led in a decreased surface roughness and surface damage compared with nanodiamond.