An international team of scientists has created a carbon mineral that is 40% harder than diamond. The new material can find application in industry and high technology.
Physicists, materials scientists and engineers from China and Sweden have developed a technology for synthesizing the superhard carbon mineral lonsdaleite. To do this, they used heating and compression of graphene, a two-dimensional form of graphite. Unlike diamond, which has a cubic crystal lattice, lonsdaleite retains the hexagonal structure of the original material.
Previous attempts to create lonsdaleite in the laboratory ended in failure: the samples were too small and contained impurities. However, the new technique made it possible to obtain a pure mineral with a diameter of 1 mm. It can withstand pressures up to 155 GPa and temperatures up to 1100°C, while diamond breaks down at 70–100 GPa and 700°C.
Lonsdaleite occurs naturally and was first discovered in 1967 in the Diablo Canyon meteorite (Arizona). Scientists suggest that it is formed during the collision of celestial bodies. However, it can now be created artificially, which opens up new opportunities for industry.
The material is planned to be used as an abrasive and in the production of superconductors. Its implementation can significantly advance high-tech industries, including electronics and mechanical engineering.
Source: geonews.ru
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