Boron-doped carbons susceptibility

There are several challenges associated with the synthesis of BDD suitable for electrochemistry. Since diamond is a semiconductor with exceptional properties, precise control of dopant impurities and extended defects is required to dope the diamond lattice with sufficient boron to make the material conduct. However, as the boron levels increase, it can be harder to maintain crystallinity and control the amount of nondiamond carbon (NDC) both within crystal defects and at grain boundaries. While NDC can increase material conductivity, it is be detrimental to a diamond electrochemist, as the widely recognized electrochemical properties of BDD (wide solvent window, low background currents, reduced susceptibility to electrode fouling, corrosion resistance) are impaired and the electrochemical response becomes more akin to glassy carbon. If the presence of NDC is unaccounted for, electrical resistivity measurements will mislead the user into believing that there is more boron than actually present in the matrix. 

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