Size dependent surface reconstruction in detonation nanodiamonds

Nanometer-sized diamond particles are used in bio-medical applications, where the nature of the nanodiamond surfaces is crucial to achieving correct functionalisation. Herein, using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and electronic structure calculations, we study the surface reconstructions that occur in detonation-synthesized nanodiamonds. Our results show that particles smaller than 3 nm exhibit size- and shape-dependent surface reconstructions, and that the surfaces can exhibit a higher-than-expected fraction of sp