Recovery of nanodiamonds produced by laser-induced shock compression of polystyrene

Hydrocarbons are highly abundant in icy giant planets like Uranus and Neptune and their interior conditions can be created in the laboratory on a nanosecond timescale by applying the technique of laser-induced shock compression using high energy lasers. Based on this method, nanodiamond formation in a simplified hydrocarbon representative, polystyrene (C₈H₈), was observed via in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD). The goal is to physically recover the nanodiamonds that are ejected at hypervelocities upon shock-break out to un-derstand the underlying hydrocarbon separation mechanism by analysing their shape, size, surface mod-ifications and defects. This work is important for planetary interior modelling and may present an additional route for nanodiamond production.