Detonation-synthesized nanodiamonds (5 nm in diamenter, containing 10%
O as defects) decompose violently when irradiated by pulsed Nd:YAG la
ser photons at 1064 nm. The irradiation shatters the diamond lattice v
ia multiphoton excitation, yielding CO and CO2 in the gas phase and gr
aphitic spheroidal nanoparticles on the surfaces.