First Example of Single‐Crystal Nanodiamonds Immobilized in Porous SiO2‐Aerogel Matrix: Synthesis and Characterization

A first composite material containing uniformly dispersed disaggregated detonation nanocrystalline diamonds (DNDs) in SiO 2 aerogel matrix was prepared. The synthetic protocol included hydrolysis of tetramethyl orthosilicate (Si(OMe) 4 , TMOS) by hydrosol of surface carboxylated DNDs with a typical size of 4–5 nm with DMSO serving as a cosolvent and a stabilizer of DND single crystals. Composite samples containing DNDs in silica aerogel matrix in concentration 1.0, 0.1 and 0.01 % w/w were prepared at ambient temperature. HRTEM data revealed that DNDs nanocrystals were uniformly distributed in aerogel and did not form aggregates. Textural and optical composites’ properties were determined.