Abstract: Thermal stability of cryomilled Al+1% diamantane was investigated in the temperature range of 423 to 773K. Diamantane is a nanosized hydrocarbon molecule with a 14 carbon atom diamond cubic framework that is terminated by hydrogen atoms. Following the cryomilling of the Al powders and diamantane cages, the average grain size characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The as-cryomilled grain sized was found to be of the order of 22 nm, essentially the same as that for Al cryomilled without diamantane. To determine thermal stability, the powders were sealed in glass tubes in an Ar atmosphere to avoid oxidation and contamination and annealed at different temperatures between 423 and 773K for different holding times. Following these treatments, the grain size of cryomilled Al+1% diamantane was consistently less than that for cryomilled Al by about a factor of two.

Abstract: Thermal stability of cryomilled Al+1% diamantane was investigated in the temperature range of 423 to 773K. Diamantane is a nanosized hydrocarbon molecule with a 14 carbon atom diamond cubic framework that is terminated by hydrogen atoms. Following the cryomilling of the Al powders and diamantane cages, the average grain size characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The as-cryomilled grain sized was found to be of the order of 22 nm, essentially the same as that for Al cryomilled without diamantane. To determine thermal stability, the powders were sealed in glass tubes in an Ar atmosphere to avoid oxidation and contamination and annealed at different temperatures between 423 and 773K for different holding times. Following these treatments, the grain size of cryomilled Al+1% diamantane was consistently less than that for cryomilled Al by about a factor of two.