Looking for the diamond

1992/07/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Kimika

From the method of synthesis of C60 molecules or fuelerenes in general (C60, C70, C76, ...), researchers are conducting a spectacular research career.

A researcher from the Argentine atomic center of Bariloche, who works in the very low temperature French research center, together with researchers from the University of Montpellier, has studied the properties of the electric conduction of high-pressure fuelerenes.

It seems that the substances C60, C70 and C60I4 present, in some phases, a state of lower conductivity. For this reason, several trials have been conducted to stabilize these stages of lower conduction. Finally, in non-isotope compression conditions, if the black powder of C60 is compressed at a pressure greater than 150 kbar, it automatically becomes a bright and transparent pill.

The crystallographic analysis performed in the crystallography laboratory of Grenoble has shown that it is a multi-crystallized diamond.

This is the first time diamond is obtained at ambient temperature. The methods used so far required high temperatures. The change from fuelerene to diamond can have a great influence on the field of industrial applications.