Surface modification of hydrogenated diamond powder by radical reactions in chloroform solutions

Hydrogenated diamond powder was treated with an anhydrous chloroform solution of 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile as the radical initiator and sulfuryl chloride as the chlorination reagent at 323 K under an Ar atmosphere. After the chlorination process, the solution was exhaustively evaporated, and n-butylamine was added without exposure to air. The diamond was then butylaminated at 303 K for 1-24 h. The treated diamond powder was washed with tetrahydrofuran and water to remove by-products, and characterized by infrared spectroscopy and flash pyrolysis. It could be confirmed that the hydrogenated diamond surface was modified by the radical reactions in the liquid phase. However, the formation of covalent bonds between butylamine groups and carbons on the chlorinated diamond surface did not constitute a major reaction under the conditions of the present study. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.