US 12,325,814 B2 · Luminescent diamond

Abstract

Luminescent diamond is made by subjecting a volume of diamond grains to high-pressure/high-temperature conditions with or without a catalyst to cause the grains to undergo plastic deformation to produce nitrogen vacancy defects in the diamond grains, increasing the luminescent activity/intensity of the resulting diamond material. The consolidated diamond material may be further treated to further increase luminescent activity/intensity, which treatment may comprise reducing the consolidated diamond material to diamond particles, heat treatment in vacuum, and air heat treatment, which reducing process further increases luminescent activity/intensity. The resulting luminescent diamond particles display a level of luminescence intensity greater than that of conventional luminescent nanodiamond, and may be functionalized for use in biological applications.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for making luminescent diamond comprising:

subjecting a volume of precursor diamond grains to a high-pressure/high-temperature condition to cause the precursor diamond grains to undergo plastic deformation to produce a volume of resulting diamond grains containing nitrogen vacancy defects, wherein the resulting diamond grains display a level of luminescence intensity that is greater than that of the precursor diamond grains;
subsequently reducing the size of the resulting diamond grains via a size reducing treatment wherein the resulting diamond grains undergo plastic deformation or fracture, thereby producing luminescent diamond grains having an average diameter size of less than 20 μm, wherein the luminescent diamond grains display a level of luminescence intensity that is greater than that of the resulting diamond grains;
and
exposing the luminescent diamond grains to an oxidizing heat treatment in air, thereby increasing the level of luminescence intensity of the luminescent diamond grains.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Luminescent diamond

Life of this patent

Luminescent diamond

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15