Recovery of nanodiamonds from dynamically shock-compressed hydrocarbon samples

Hydrocarbons are abundant in icy giant planets like Uranus and Neptune. Their interiors are governed by extreme conditions with pressures of hundreds of gigapascals and temperatures of thousands of kelvins. It is possible to generate such extreme conditions in materials on a nanosecond timescale via laser-driven shock compression in the laboratory. A simple representative of hydrocarbons for use in the laboratory is polystyrene (C₈H₈). The formation of nanodiamonds from laser-induced shock compression of polystyrene was demonstrated at the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) via 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘶 X-ray diffraction (XRD). This technique is based on driving two time-delayed shock waves through the material, such that they overlap at the sample rear side. Subsequently, a rarefaction wave releases the material at hypervelocity. The goal of the current work is the physical capture, extraction and characterisation of those generated nanodiamonds to better understand their formation process. In a larger framework, the project pursues the long-standing goal in condensed matter physics to recover metastable structures that form under extreme pressure and temperature conditions. This work presents an analysis of 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘶 XRD data deducing estimates of nanodiamond nucleation rates relevant to planetary interiors observed in the above mentioned experiment at LCLS and compares them to the latest theoretical model. Furthermore, seven recovery experiments, among them four recovery-only campaigns, were designed, prepared and conducted with the support of our working group and an eighth one was designed and prepared. High speed recordings were obtained giving unprecedented insights into the dynamics of the hypervelocity ejecta cloud and its impact into the various catcher types made from different materials. First analysis campaigns including chemical procedures for sample preparation, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, dynamic light scattering, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and tomography were arranged and some performed. Various collaborations were initiated, that among others enabled the usage of state-of-the-art materials and diagnostics, access to other facilities and support through simulations. The thesis provides a solid foundation for further research taking on the challenging task of recovering the nanodiamonds formed via laser-induced shock compression of hydrocarbons. This research can have crucial implications for planetary interior models of the icy giant planets.