Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Another Material Harder than Diamonds

Diamonds have been the hardest material for the longest time but scientists have been experimenting with substances and they've found a new material that is harder than diamonds. They used a lot of pressure to create this new material. The scientists first started with a carbon molecule called fullerenes. Which contains 60 carbon atoms and it resembles the shape of a soccer ball if everything was drawn out. Then they add xylene which is a liquid and it keeps the ball shaped molecules a certain distance apart. They then added a diamond anvil which is two small pieces of polished flat diamonds. The diamond anvils exerted a lot of pressure and the fullerene cages collapsed creating a very hard substance. When they took the diamond anvils out I looked like the diamonds where chipped. Although it did chip the diamond piece it could be softer than the diamond but there are only small samples of the new material. They should make more and if it looks shiny it could be made into jewelry as well like the diamond and it should be really notexpensive that way people who can not afford diamonds would be able to buy something better than that for cheaper.....I doubt that's going to happen....



http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/10/harder-than-diamonds/

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