Surface functionalization and structure characterizations of nanodiamond and its epoxy based nanocomposites

Abstract The aim of this study is the potential use of nanodiamond to make the lightweight and strong nanocomposites. Here, effects of size and surface modification of detonation nanodiamond (DND) on mechanical performance of epoxy based nanocomposites is presented. Our characterizations reveal that the process of functionalization not only removes the non-diamond content and impurities by significantly reducing DND's size but also introduces oxygen containing functional groups on its surface. The average size of functionalized DND aggregations could be decreased from 300 to 100 nm in contrast to pristine DND, which greatly benefits its homogeneous dispersion in epoxy matrix. In addition, strong chemical bonding among functionalized DND and epoxy resin due to functional groups leads to the formation of efficient interface. These interfaces overlap at high concentrations making a network which in turn significantly enhances the tensile properties. The enhancement in Young's modulus can reach up to 2.5 times higher than that of neat epoxy whereas the enhancement in tensile strength is about 1.5 times in functionalized DND/epoxy nanocomposites.