CVD Diamond and Nanodiamond: Versatile Materials for Countering a Wide Range of CBRN Threats

Fabrication of thin films of diamond by chemical vapour deposition (CVD) has now developed into a mature technology, with high-quality diamond readily available from multiple vendors at relatively low cost. As such, scientists and engineers now have access to the wide range of outstanding mechanical, thermal, optical and electronic properties that diamond has to offer. In this review, we shall discuss a range of applications in which CVD diamond films and nanodiamond particles can help to reduce, remove or mitigate the threats from chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) incidents or attacks. Some of these applications are commercially available today, others may require further research or modification of existing diamond-based devices for the unusual requirements of CBRN events, while others are currently only ideas which have yet to be developed.