2006-11-30 05:46:23 · 18 answers · asked by steven f 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
Diamonds are not forever
Physicists in Germany have created a material that is harder than diamond. Natalia Dubrovinskaia and colleagues at the University of Bayreuth made the new material by subjecting carbon-60 molecules to immense pressures. The new form of carbon, which is known as aggregated diamond nanorods, is expected to have many industrial applications (App. Phys. Lett. 87 083106).
The hardness of a material is measured by its isothermal bulk modulus. Aggregated diamond nanorods have a modulus of 491 gigapascals (GPa), compared with 442 GPa for conventional diamond. Dubrovinskaia and two of her co-workers - Leonid Dubrovinky and Falko Langenhorst - have patented the process used to make the new material.
Diamond derives its hardness from the fact that each carbon atom is connected to four other atoms by strong covalent bonds. The new material is different in that it is made of tiny interlocking diamond rods. Each rod is a crystal that has a diameter of between 5 and 20 nanometres and a length of about 1 micron.
2006-11-30 05:49:59 · answer #1 · answered by pkababa 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Diamond
2006-11-30 17:59:20 · answer #2 · answered by Siva 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The hardest naturally occuring substance is Diamond.
2006-11-30 06:32:23 · answer #3 · answered by ispooky2 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Diamond
2006-11-30 05:54:07 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
a diamond is the hardest naturally occuring substance known to man. However, aggregated diamond nanorods, an allotrope of carbon first synthesized in 2005, are now believed to be even harder than diamond.
So naturally its diamond , synthetically its the aggregated diamond nanorods (ADNRs) ..
2006-11-30 09:35:02 · answer #5 · answered by Geo06 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Barry Grimshaw. He's the hardest solid I know.
2006-12-01 22:11:49 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
carbon - in the form of a flawless clear diamond is the hardest solid,carbon is also the softest solid in the form of ash
2006-11-30 06:04:38 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Diamond.
2006-11-30 05:49:12 · answer #8 · answered by QFL 24-7 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
It's a little known allatrobe of carbon called Buckminster-Fullerine, named after the people who discovered it. It's harder than diamond and also has a lower coefficient of friction than PTFE
2006-11-30 05:50:33 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Diamond. And the opposite is Talc.
2006-11-30 05:52:32 · answer #10 · answered by Old Man of Coniston!. 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋