Surface optimization of detonation nanodiamonds for the enhanced mechanical properties of polymer/nanodiamond composites

The surface of agglomerated nanodiamond (ND) particles was modified with carboxylic acid and ammine moieties using UV/ozone and ball milling methods respectively. The microstructural analysis revealed that the initial agglomerated NDs clusters were predominantly reduced in size with the UV/ozone and ball milling treatments. The UV/ozone and ball mill functionalized NDs were kept for dispersion under observations into ethanol, water and dimethyl sulfonic oxide (DMSO) solvents. The dispersion images satisfactorily showed that all the surface modified NDs samples reveals good dispersion tendency comparatively to pristine NDs whereas, the ball mill treated NDs showed outstanding dispersion behavior rather than all samples. Furthermore, the mechanical properties were investigated using various amounts of surface modified NDs in epoxy matrix. The mechanical properties were checked in terms of ultimate tensile strength (UTS), Percent break strain and Flexural strength. The results of all the mentioned mechanical properties revealed that 0.3 wt% was the optimum amount for getting highest properties. Similarly ball mill treated NDs represented the remarkable enhancements in all mechanical performances comparatively to pristine and UV/ozone treated ND samples. [Display omitted] •Surface modification of nanodiamonds (NDs) using ball milling and UV/Ozone treatments for the Preparation of ND/Epoxy composites.•The effects of modified NDs on the morphology, dispersion and mechanical properties of ND/Epoxy composites.•Homogeneous dispersion and enhancements in Mechanical properties (UTS, Percent break strain and Flexural strength) values at 0.3 wt.% loadings of surface modified NDs in epoxy resin.