Emily Chan
The metal liquifies at just 86 degrees Fahrenheit and can create methane as a byproduct, which can then be used to form graphene.
Just like diamond, graphene is pure carbon, but it differs because its atoms are contained in one layer rather than in a structure with multiple faces.
The chamber was kept at normal atmospheric pressure, and super hot methane gas that was rich with carbon was flushed through it.
It was designed by Won Kyung Seong, a co-author of the study. Once a switch is flipped, it takes 15 minutes for the chamber to be ready to produce diamonds.
The researchers figured out that a gallium, nickel, and iron mixture, combined with a bit of silicon, was the best way to foster the growth of diamonds.
They were able to obtain gemstones from the crucible’s base after 15 minutes. When two and a half hours had passed, a more complete diamond film was generated. The film was mostly pure, but a few silicon atoms were found in it.
It is believed that the silicon acts as a seed for carbon to crystallize around. Without the silicon, no diamonds form.
A drop in temperature drives the carbon from the methane gas, depositing it onto the silicon, where it forms a diamond.
The one problem with the new technique is that it can only produce tiny stones. The largest diamonds were hundreds of thousands of times smaller than the ones that are typically grown in labs.
For now, the new stones are too small to be used in jewelry, but this might not always be the case. Perhaps in a year or two, the process will be improved enough to contribute to the commercial market.
