NANODIAMONDS AND GRAPHENE OXIDE HYDROGEL: PROPERTIES AND APPLICATIONS

Abstract

THIS THESIS SEEKS TO OBSERVE NOVEL CHEMISTRY IN DETONATION NANODIAMONDS AND GRAPHENE OXIDE HYDROGELS AND TO EXPLORE THEIR POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS. WE DEVELOPED A NEW METHOD AIMING FOR HEAVY OXIDATION OF NANODIAMOND SURFACE. ITS FUNCTIONALIZATION AND PROPERTIES WERE CAREFULLY EXAMINED BY SEVERAL SPECTROSCOPY AND MICROSCOPY TECHNIQUES, DEMONSTRATING IMPROVED COLLOIDAL STABILITY AND RADICAL SCAVENGING EFFECT. NANODIAMONDS WERE INCORPORATED INTO GRAPHENE OXIDE (GO) HYDROGEL AS A SPACING AGENT TO PREVENT THE RESTACKING OF GO SHEETS. THE WATER DYNAMICS INSIDE GO HYDROGEL WAS INVESTIGATED BY DEEP INELASTIC NEUTRON SCATTERING TECHNIQUE REVEALING INCREASED PROTON KINETIC ENERGY OF CONFINED WATER INSIDE GO HYDROGEL COMPARED TO THE BULK. TO FURTHER UNDERSTAND GO GELATION MECHANISMS, A NEW 3D GO/SILK HYDROGEL WAS SYNTHESIZED WITH SILK PROTEIN AS CROSS-LINKING AGENT, EXHIBITING ENHANCED FUNCTIONALITIES AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES. FINALLY, THESE GO HYDROGELS WERE FABRICATED INTO DEVICES FOR THE APPLI