Laser ablation of diamond nanoparticles suspended in solvent: synthesis of polyynes

Laser ablation of diamond nanoparticles suspended in ethanol has been performed by using the second harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser (532 nm). UV–Vis absorption spectra revealed the formation of polyynes (CnH2: n = 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16). The same experiment was performed for graphitic nanoparticles suspended in ethanol. It was found that ablation of diamond nanoparticles results in larger amounts of long polyynes.