And the diamond became graphite?

2000/03/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Kimika

The fact that graphite becomes a diamond is and is done for a long time, even if it is not profitable for its costs. To do this, it is only necessary to force graphite at very high pressures. And the contrary, that is, to turn the diamond into graphite, can it be done?

So far it has not been achieved, but the German researcher at the University of Illinois has just published the process. By subjecting the artificial diamond to a pressure millions of times higher than the atmospheric one, it managed to destroy a minute part of the surface of the stone and, fortunately, found graphite around the compression point. But why turn the diamond into graphite? However, a process that seems absurd could be very useful for working diamonds.

Currently, the only way to work diamonds is by another diamond or laser, but if this new technique is effective, the process of working the diamond edges converted into graphites can be very simple.