NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Diamonds in detonation sootDiamonds 4 to 7 nm in diameter have been identified and partially isolated from soot formed in detonations of carbon-forming composite explosives. The morphology of the soot has been examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the identity of the diamond has been established by the electron diffraction pattern of the TEM samples and by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of the isolated solid. Graphite is also present in the form of ribbons of turbostatic structure with a thickness of 2 to 4 nm. A fraction, about 25 percent of the soot by weight, was recovered from the crude soot after oxidation of the graphite with fuming perchloric acid. This fraction showed a distinct XRD pattern of diamond and the diffuse band of amorphous carbon. The IR spectrum of these diamonds closely matches that of diamonds recovered from meteorites (Lewis et al., 1987), perhaps indicating similar surface properties after the oxidation. If these diamonds are produced in the detonation itself or during the initial expansion, they exhibit a phenomenal crystal growth rate (5 nm/0.00001 s equal 1.8 m/hr) in a medium with a very low hydrogen/carbon ratio. Because the diamonds will be carried along with the expanding gases, they will be accelerated to velocities approaching 8 km/s.
Document ID
19900018269
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Greiner, N. Roy
(Los Alamos National Lab. NM., United States)
Phillips, Dave
(Los Alamos National Lab. NM., United States)
Johnson, J. D.
(Los Alamos National Lab. NM., United States)
Volk, Fred
(Fraunhofer-Inst. fuer Treib- und Explosivstoffe, Pfinztal-Berghausen, Germany F.R. , United States)
Date Acquired
September 6, 2013
Publication Date
April 1, 1990
Publication Information
Publication: NASA, Ames Research Center, Carbon in the Galaxy: Studies from Earth and Space
Subject Category
Inorganic And Physical Chemistry
Accession Number
90N27585
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available