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Scientists have designed a newfangled character of carbon that is harder and brighter than naturally form infield .
For those who need to wear a one - of - a - kind sparkler on their fingers , the new fabric , name Q - atomic number 6 , also give off a delicate lambency .
Diamonds form deep within the Earth, and then travel to the surface within volcanic rocks, such as this kimberlite.
" This new phase is very unique , " tell study cobalt - author Jagdish Narayan , a textile scientist at North Carolina State University . " It has refreshing electric , optical and magnetic properties . "
For illustration , the material can work as either a alloy or a semiconductor , and is magnetic at way temperature , he added . [ picture : The World ’s 6 Most Famous Rocks ]
hot up and pressure
Despite being one of the most omnipresent and iconic symbolization of wealth and luxury , scientists still do n’t to the full understandhow rhombus are make . Most believe the diamonds mined today form between 1 billion and 3 billion years ago , at a depth of about 62 miles ( 100 kilometers ) below the Earth ’s surface , researchers previously told Live Science .
In this subterraneous pressure cooker , carbon paper dioxide mote were crushed with press of about 725,000 lbs . per square inch ( 5 million kilopascals ) and heated to a sweltry 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit ( 1,200 degrees Celsius ) , according to a 2012 study in the journal Nature . These utmost consideration pushed out the oxygen molecules and created a highly symmetric latticework ofcarbon atoms .
Scientists have long endeavor to outdo Mother Nature by manufacturingsynthetic diamondsin the lab . Typically , they examine to play the in high spirits heat and pressing found in the bowel of the Earth , crushing graphite into sparkle gems . But these ball field often are n’t as strong as the original , because the plumbago is miscellaneous with another metal . Another method , called chemical vaporization deposit , blows a hydrocarbon gas over a substrate and uses chemical substance reactions to shape diamonds . These diamond often have fewer flaws than naturally grow diamond .
Harder and brighter
To go one better , Narayan and his colleagues heat up an amorphous mass of carbon copy corpuscle , known as amorphous carbon , with tiny pulses of optical maser . The unbelievably focused light beams melt the interior of substantial carbon into liquid carbon . Then , they used a process known as quenching , which rapidly cools textile by submerging it in a liquid state , the researchers reported Wednesday ( Dec. 2 ) in theJournal of Applied Physics .
commonly , thermodynamics dictate that carbon copy atoms should modify how they arrange themselves at dispirited temperature . But the quenching process cool down the liquid atomic number 6 at 1.8 billion academic degree Fahrenheit per second ( 1 billion stage Anders Celsius per second ) .
" We do it so fast that we can fool Mother Nature , " Narayan told Live Science .
That rapid quenching " freezes " the carbon paper speck in place , leaving them squished together in a tightly waver ground substance .
The result ? A superhard material that is brighter than ordinary diamonds .
" This is more perfect than what the people make by high pressure and in high spirits temperature or nature ’s way , " Narayan say .
strange properties
But its unusual prop think of it could be more utilitarian for other applications , Narayan said .
The magnetic Q - carbon paper ( Q stand for extinction ) would make a perfect material for biologic implant that sense magnetised fields . The tight fit between carbon atoms also mean electrons are bursting to get out of the carbon molecule , so the slight potential drop can goad carbon atoms to release electron , creating a soft glow . That nominate it hone for creating screen display that use less baron , Narayan tell .
And its unbelievable hardness makes it the perfect fabric for cryptical - sea boring , Narayan added .
