title: Diamond network: template-free fabrication and properties.
abstract: A porous diamond network with three-dimensionally interconnected pores is of technical importance but difficult to be produced. In this contribution, we demonstrate a simple, controllable, and "template-free" approach to fabricate diamond networks. It combines the deposition of diamond/β-SiC nanocomposite film with a wet-chemical selective etching of the β-SiC phase. The porosity of these networks was tuned from 15 to 68%, determined by the ratio of the β-SiC phase in the composite films. The electrochemical working potential and the reactivity of redox probes on the diamond networks are similar to those of a flat nanocrystalline diamond film, while their surface areas are hundreds of times larger than that of a flat diamond film (e.g., 490-fold enhancement for a 3 μm thick diamond network). The marriage of the unprecedented physical/chemical features of diamond with inherent advantages of the porous structure makes the diamond network a potential candidate for various applications such as water treatment, energy conversion (batteries or fuel cells), and storage (capacitors), as well as electrochemical and biochemical sensing.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Materials Engineering, University of Siegen , Paul-Bonatz-Str. 9-11, 57076 Siegen, Germany.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhuang
authors.forename: Nianjun
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Haiyuan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D017554:Carbon Compounds, Inorganic / Q000737:chemistry; D018130:Diamond / Q000737:chemistry*; D025802:Electric Capacitance; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques; D053761:Nanocomposites / Q000737:chemistry*; D016062:Porosity; D017655:Silicon Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman; D018508:Water Purification
chemical_list: D017554:Carbon Compounds, Inorganic; D017655:Silicon Compounds; D018130:Diamond; C022088:silicon carbide
keywords: SiC; composite; diamond; electrochemistry; porous