Relationship Between Fluorescent and Vibronic Properties of Detonation Nanodiamonds and Strength of Hydrogen Bonds in Suspensions

The use of detonation nanodiamond (DND) slurries in biomedical applications requires the understanding of interactions at the particle/solvent interphase. In this article, interactions of nanodiamond particles with molecules of protic solvents (water and water–ethanol mixture) were studied by the methods of laser Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy. It was found that nanodiamonds modified by carboxyl groups significantly decrease the average hydrogen bonds energy in protic solvents. In turn, the strength of hydrogen bonds at the DND/solvent interphase influences the fluorescent properties of nanodiamonds: the weaker the effect of the hydrogen bonds, the stronger is the fluorescence of DNDs in suspensions.