The Applications and Making of Artificial Diamonds

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The Applications and Making of Artificial Diamonds

Diamonds are very unique. Their hardness and beauty have enticed people for many years. Now some of the same attributes that make them appealing also make them useful. To understand these attributes the chemistry of carbon is very important. This unique chemistry is what makes them so hard to make. Much research has gone into the making of diamonds and this has led to many successes in the field. These discoveries have led to machines and processes that make diamond making more efficient and reliable. Of course, all of this research and discoveries would not be sought after if it was not for the many applications of diamonds. This is true for cosmetic, industrial and electronic purposes. Diamonds can be very complex but have many uses.

The chemistry of diamonds is very interesting. Diamonds are composed mainly of carbon. Carbon can also exist as graphite, in a carbon chain or as buckminsterfullerene. It never forms bonds and leaves unshared electron pairs. In graphite the carbon atoms form an sp2 bonds. In this type of bonding an electron of the s orbital jumps to the p orbital to complete the octet with the other carbon atoms. When this happens it causes the orbital to flatten and the result is one big lattice in a two dimensional plane (Oxtoby). These lattices are attracted to each other not bonded to each other in compounds of graphite. Although they are made of the same carbon the diamond compound is different because of the type of bonds. Each atom forms four directional sp3 bonds instead of the three resonating bonds in graphite. This allows the diamond to keep its tetrahedral shape. It is also what makes the diamond so hard. The tetrahedral sh...

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... January 1999.

Elert, Glenn. “Presuures Used to Create Artificial Diamonds.” 1998.

Frogley, Elizabeth. “Really Good Fake Diamonds.” November 6, 2002.

Gurov, Ivan Ivanovich. “Method of Diamond Making.” November 2000.

Hoover, Aaron. “Simply Brilliant: Uf/Russian Team Makes Gem-Quality Diamonds.” Science Daily News. August 1999.

Krane, Kenneth. Modern Physics. United States: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 1996.

Oxtoby, Freeman, Block. Chemistry, Science of Change. Philadelphia: Saunders College Publishing. 1998.

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