Synthesis, Characterization, Properties, and Novel Applications of Fluorescent Nanodiamonds

In the last few years, fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs)  have been developed significantly as a new member in the nanocarbon family. The surface of FNDs is embedded with some crystallographic defects containing color centres which surmount the properties of other fluorochromes including up conversion and down conversion nanoparticles, quantum dots, nano tubes, fullerenes, organic dyes, silica etc. Some of the intriguing properties like inevitable photostability, inherent bio-compatibility, outstanding optical and robust mechanical properties, excellent magnetic field, and electric field sensing potentiality make FNDs appealing to some benevolent applications in numerous fields like bio-imaging, delivering drugs, fighting cancer, spin electronics, imaging of magnetic structure at nanoscale and as promising nanometric temperature sensor. The structure of FNDs has certain point defects on the surface among which negatively charged nitrogen vacancy centre (NV−) is the most investigated color centre. The production of NV− fluorescence nanodiamonds is the most challenging task as substitution of carbon atoms is required to create vacancies by causing irradiation from an electron beam which is followed by high temperature annealing. Thus, this review points out the relative advantages of FNDs containing negatively charged nitrogen vacancy centres produced from HPHT method or CVD method with those nanodiamonds produced through detonation process or pulsed laser ablation (PLA) method. The steps involved in the fabrication of FNDs are described along with the major challenges and struggles underwent during the process in this review. This review also summarizes the recent developments made in the functionalization and applications predominantly made in the field of biological science and it is understood that depending on the defect color centres they can exhibit different emitted wavelengths ranging from UV–visible to near infrared with broad or narrow bandwidths. This review also highlights some of the fluorescent NDs that emit stable and strong red or green photoluminescence from the defect centers of NV− which are implanted in the crystal lattice. This critical and extensive review will be useful for the further progress in this futuristic field of FNDs.