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Synthetic diamond

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Synthetic Diamond
General
CategoryMineral
Formula
(repeating unit)
C (Carbon)
Crystal symmetryCubic
Identification
ColorColorless, yellow, brown, blue, green, orange
LusterAdamantine
StreakColorless

Synthetic diamond is a diamond produced by a controlled process, unlike natural diamonds that are formed through geological activity and extracted via mining. Synthetic diamonds share the same chemical and physical properties as natural diamonds and consist of carbon atoms arranged in a crystalline lattice. The primary methods for creating synthetic diamonds are High-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) and Chemical vapor deposition (CVD).[1][2]

Attempts to create synthetic diamonds date back to the 19th century. Early reports, including those by Ferdinand Frédéric Henri Moissan, claimed to have succeeded in synthesizing diamonds using carbon and molten iron. However, the first confirmed synthetic diamonds were produced in 1953 using the HPHT method.[3]

Production methods

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  • High-pressure high-temperature (HPHT): A process that mimics the natural formation of diamonds by subjecting carbon to extreme pressure and heat.
  • Chemical vapor deposition (CVD): A method that creates diamond by breaking down carbon-containing gases under low pressure, resulting in the deposition of diamond layers.[4][5]

Synthetic diamonds have applications in both industry and jewelry. In industrial use, they are utilized in abrasives, cutting tools, and high-power laser optics. Due to their identical properties to natural diamonds, synthetic diamonds are also cut into gemstones for jewelry.[6]

Properties

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Synthetic diamonds exhibit exceptional hardness, thermal conductivity, and electron mobility. They can be created in various colors, depending on the manufacturing process and impurities introduced during their growth. The most common colors include clear white, yellow, blue, and green.[7]

References

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  1. Parsons, C. (1907-09-06). Some Notes on Carbon at High Temperatures and Pressures. Royal Society of London.
  2. Isberg, J.; Gabrysch, M.; Tajani, A.; Twitchen, D. (2006). "High-Field Electrical Transport in Single Crystal CVD Diamond Diodes". Advances in Science and Technology. 48: 73–76. doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AST.48.73. ISSN 1662-0356.
  3. D., C. H. (1928-05-01). "The Problem of Artificial Production of Diamonds". Nature. 121 (3055): 799–800. doi:10.1038/121799a0. ISSN 1476-4687.
  4. Jackson, D. D.; Aracne-Ruddle, C.; Malba, V.; Weir, S. T.; Catledge, S. A.; Vohra, Y. K. (2003-01-01). "Magnetic susceptibility measurements at high pressure using designer diamond anvils". doi:10.1063/1.1544084. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. Hazen, Robert M. (1993). The new alchemists : breaking through the barriers of high pressure. Internet Archive. New York : Times Books. ISBN 978-0-8129-2275-2.
  6. Aug 4; 2011; Pm, 12:24. "Designing diamond circuits for extreme environments". Vanderbilt University. Retrieved 2024-09-19. {{cite web}}: |last2= has numeric name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. "DeBeers Pleads to Price-Fixing (washingtonpost.com)". www.washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2024-09-19.