Chapter 1
The carbon shape-shifters
Chapter 2
Deep earth's pressure cooker
Chapter 3
The legendary mines of Golconda
Chapter 4
Curing the high pressure itch
Ch 4 · Curing the high pressure itch
007skaty Synthetic Diamond Heat Spreaders
Turning carbon to crystal to cool the machine (so clean!) / Better than copper, if you know what I mean (yeah!)
007skaty Tracy Hall's team used a custom hydraulic press with extreme pressure and temperature to turn cheap carbon into industrial-grade diamond crystals.
007skaty Intense pressure of six gigapascals forces carbon atoms to crystallize over several weeks.
Fun Fact
Lab-grown truth: Lab-grown diamonds are chemically, physically, and optically identical to mined diamonds; even expert gemologists cannot tell them apart without specialized testing.
Glossary
diamond (noun)
A precious gemstone consisting of a clear, crystalline form of pure carbon, renowned as the hardest natural substance. In 1954, Tracy Hall synthesized the first reproducible samples at General Electric using a belt press.
A precious gemstone consisting of a clear, crystalline form of pure carbon, renowned as the hardest natural substance. In 1954, Tracy Hall synthesized the first reproducible samples at General Electric using a belt press.
Quiz
Who was the lead physical chemist at General Electric who invented the 'belt press' to synthesize the first diamonds?
Quiz
Which company successfully synthesized the world's first proven lab-grown diamonds in December 1954?
Quiz
What is the purpose of placing a tiny diamond 'seed' inside the HPHT synthesis chamber?
Quiz
How does the pressure requirement in CVD diamond growth compare to the HPHT method?
Quiz
Which gas is most commonly used as the carbon source in the Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) diamond-growing process?
Quiz
What percentage of synthetic diamonds produced globally are used for industrial applications rather than jewelry?