Traditionally, diamonds are known to form under intense pressure in the Earth’s mantle. However, a groundbreaking laboratory technique now allows diamonds to be created without this pressure. Scientists have discovered that diamonds can be grown at normal atmospheric pressure using a combination of gallium, iron, nickel, and silicon in a liquid form, along with a gas mixture of carbon-rich methane and hydrogen. This innovative method, reported in Nature on April 24, requires lower temperatures of 1025° C compared to traditional methods. The addition of silicon plays a crucial role in initiating the growth process, leading to the formation of diamond crystals.
Aside from their use in jewelry, diamonds have a wide range of scientific applications, such as magnetic field detection and particle research. This new technique simplifies the production of diamond-based materials, eliminating the need for expensive and complex equipment. Rodney Ruoff, a physical chemist at the Institute for Basic Science Center for Multidimensional Carbon Materials in Ulsan, South Korea, highlights the accessibility and efficiency of this method.
Another common method for creating lab-grown diamonds is chemical vapor deposition (CVD), which occurs at low pressures by depositing a carbon-rich gas vapor onto a surface. Unlike traditional methods like CVD and HPHT, this new technique does not require a diamond “seed” to initiate growth, making it a more streamlined and cost-effective process.
2024-04-24 10:08:06
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