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Chinese Scientists Recreate In Lab Hexagonal Diamonds From Meteorite, Harder Than Regular Ones, Opening New Possibilities For Super-Resistant Materials
A team of Chinese scientists announced that they have successfully reproduced in the lab, rare diamonds similar to those found in the Canyon Diablo meteorite.
Unlike regular diamonds, which have a cubic structure, these have a hexagonal shape, much harder and more resistant.
These unusual crystals have sparked interest for decades because, according to researchers, they form under extreme conditions generated by meteorite impacts on Earth.
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The first specimen was identified in the meteorite that is believed to have fallen in what is now the state of Arizona about 50,000 years ago.
Origin And Unique Characteristics
Traditional diamonds form approximately 150 kilometers deep, under temperatures exceeding 1,093 °C. Under these conditions, carbon atoms organize in a cubic pattern.
In the case of the Canyon Diablo meteorite, the violent impact with the Earth’s surface generated enough heat and pressure to form lonsdaleite, the hexagonal version of diamond.
Most importantly, this hexagonal crystalline structure makes the material up to 60% harder than a traditional diamond.
This raises great possibilities for application but also generated doubts about its pure existence.
For years, scientists debated whether these crystals were truly hexagonal or merely mixtures of cubic diamond and graphite.
Previous attempts to recreate them resulted only in regular diamonds or complex combinations. There were experiments with gunpowder and compressed air applied to graphite discs, which resulted in partial success.
How The Chinese Succeeded
The new work was conducted by the Advanced Research Center for High Pressure Science and Technology and the Xian Institute of Optics and Precision Mechanics, both part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The team started with extremely pure single-crystal graphite. The choice was strategic: fewer impurities reduce the chance of the structure reverting to cubic form.
They then applied high pressure and temperature under almost hydrostatic conditions, meaning uniform in all directions.
Additionally, they used in situ X-rays to monitor each stage of the process. This real-time observation allowed them to adjust variables and promote the growth of the hexagonal form.
The result was the production of pure crystals 100 micrometers wide, approximately the thickness of a human hair.
Impact And Future Applications
This achievement is considered the first macroscopic proof that hexagonal diamond is a stable and distinct structure. Therefore, it marks the end of a scientific debate that has lasted 60 years.
Moreover, the discovery expands understanding of superhard materials. The new hexagonal diamond not only exhibits extreme hardness but also superior thermal resistance.
These qualities could make it ideal for manufacturing cutting tools, wear-resistant coatings, and even advanced electronic components.
Diamonds are excellent conductors of heat and withstand extreme conditions. Therefore, experts believe that this synthetic version could contribute to next-generation devices.
According to Ho-kwang Mao from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, “it is expected that this synthesized hexagonal diamond will open new avenues for the development of superhard materials and next-generation electronic devices“.
The full study was published in the journal Nature.
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