Reduction mechanisms of different oxidizing agents at diamond surfaces

“Electroless” oxidation, at room temperature, of boron-doped diamond (BDD) films with oxidizing agents as Ce⁴⁺, MnO₄^?, H₂O₂ or S₂O₈^2? is an efficient way to transform hydrogen terminations (C-H) into oxygen ones (C-O). To investigate the oxidation mechanism of diamond surfaces through these open current potential (OCP) processes, we study in the present work the reduction mechanisms of the different oxidizing agents at BDD surfaces. Current-voltage measurements were performed using a rotating disk electrode of diamond immersed in a solution containing one of the species. Two different mechanisms were evidenced: an electrochemical for Ce⁴⁺ and MnO₄^? and a chemical one based on the production of radicals under light exposure for H₂O₂ and S₂O₈^2?.