Nanodiamond batch enriched with boron: Properties and prospects for use in agriculture

The batch of detonation nanodiamond (DB) containing impurities of B (DB-B) was obtained by explosion using TNT with hexagon (50/50). This DB-B contained 0.96 wt% of B. The obtained DB-B nanopowder's morphological features, texture, and mesostructure were investigated by SEM, SAXS, and low-temperature nitrogen adsorption. We tested both aqueous suspensions and silica sols containing 2.5 wt. % DND and 0.05-0.1 wt. % of DB-B for the pre-sowing treatment of Chinese cabbage seeds. As a result, the reliable positive effect of an aqueous suspension of DB-B (0.05-0.1 wt.%) was revealed on the following characteristics of seedlings (in relation to the control): the germination energy of Chinese cabbage seeds and germination increased by ~50-70%. Furthermore, a significant positive effect of DB-B on the morphological characteristics of Peking cabbage plants at the early stages of its development was revealed when using DB-B for pre-sowing seed treatment in combination with silica sol (an increase in the sprout length by ~ 20% and root length by ~ 50% in relation to the control) as well as the biomass of Chinese cabbage plants increased by ~ 100% (20 days after planting the treated seeds).