DescentBB

A material that is harder than diamond has been created in the lab, by packing together tiny "nanorods" of carbon.

The new material, known as aggregated carbon nanorods (ACNR), was created by compressing and heating super-strong carbon molecules called buckyballs or carbon-60. These molecules consist of 60 atoms that interlock in hexagonal or pentagonal shapes and resemble tiny soccer balls.

The super-tough ACNR was created by compressing carbon-60 to 200 times normal atmospheric pressure, while simultaneously heating it to 2226°C.

The properties of the resulting material were then measured using a diamond anvil cell at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in France. This instrument squeezes a material between two normal diamonds, enabling researchers to study it at high pressure using synchrotron radiation â?? extremely intense X-rays which reveal the materialâ??s structure.

The researchers found their ACNR to be 0.3% denser than ordinary diamond and more resistant to pressure than any other known material.
Industrial applications

"Our material actually scratches normal diamonds," says Natalia Dubrovinskaia, of the University of Bayreuth, in Germany, who led the research. "We were very excited, and glad."

While an ordinary diamond gets its hardness from the strong molecular bonds between each of its atoms, ACNR derives its strength from the fact that it is formed from interlocking nanorods, the researchers say.

Dubrovinskaia told New Scientist the material could have a wide range of potential industrial applications. As it is stable at very high temperatures, she says it could be better than normal diamond for deep drilling and polishing abrasive materials. She also believes it will be easy to mass produce the super-tough material. "It's a very reproducible result," she adds.

roid wrote:

the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility in France.

woodchip wrote:Good for armor plating?

AceCombat wrote:

woodchip wrote:Good for armor plating?

most definately!

Aggregated diamond nanorods, or ADNRs, are an allotrope of carbon believed to be the least compressible material known to man, as measured by its isothermal bulk modulus; aggregated diamond nanorods have a modulus of 491 gigapascals (GPa), while conventional diamond has a modulus of 442 GPa. ADNRs are also 0.3% denser than regular diamond. The ADNR material is also harder than type IIa diamond and ultrahard fullerite.

A process to produce the substance was discovered by physicists in Germany, led by Natalia Dubrovinskaia, at the University of Bayreuth. ADNRs are made by compressing the carbon-60 molecules to 20 GPa, while at the same time heating to 2500 Kelvin, using a unique 5000 metric tonne multianvil press. The resulting substance is a series of interconnected diamond nanorods, with diameters of between 5 and 20 nanometres and lengths of around 1 micrometre each.

A diamond anvil cell, located at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility at Grenoble, France, was used to measure the compressibility of the material.

Krom wrote:Wow cool so it's really hard. Kthxbye, next topic...

Beowulf wrote:SWEET now all I have to do is upgrade my +4 Holy Breastplate with this stuff and I'll be invincible!

Beowulf wrote:SWEET now all I have to do is upgrade my +4 Holy Breastplate with this stuff and I'll be invincible!

Suncho wrote:Hmm... I wonder if it will replace Diamond as the primary material used in armor plating.

"Our material actually scratches normal diamonds," says Natalia Dubrovinskaia, of the University of Bayreuth, in Germany, who led the research. "We were very excited, and glad."

Mr. Perfect wrote:.......after the ACNR had scratched the proverbial hell out of their diamond anvil. Fortunatly, the French already hate us, and we can ignore the damage to their facility.

Beowulf wrote:I'll be invincible!