Scientists grow diamonds in just 150 minutes using a new method

Scientists grow artificial diamonds in just 150 minutes using a new method, as natural diamonds take billions of years to form. It is a significant scientific development as diamonds may form (artificially) much more quickly.

Diamond is a solid form of carbon developed at high temperatures and pressure under the surface. They form at about 150–200 kilometers in depth and temperatures of 900°C and 1,300°C.

However, artificial diamonds usually need a massive squeeze, which may take a few weeks. But a new method based on a combination of liquid metals may produce diamonds in minutes without requiring a widespread squeeze.

Researchers from the Institute for Basic Science in South Korea are leading the creative approach team to create artificial diamonds. They are optimistic that this method may expand and significantly impact the creation of diamonds.

They developed a continuous diamond film in 150 minutes at 1,025°C or 1,877°F and 1 atm (standard atmospheric unit of 1,013 millibars). That is tens of thousands of times less pressure than is usually needed for natural diamonds of 45 to 60 kilobars.

Scientists made the diamond film, using the process of dissolving carbon into liquid metal alloy. They stated their team found a way to grow diamonds at 1 atm pressure and a moderate temperature using a liquid metal alloy.

Liquid metal alloys are metal alloys that remain liquid at room temperature. They are usually a mixture of Gallium, nickel, indium, etc. Hence, scientists carefully combined Gallium, Iron, Nickel, and Silicon to create a liquid metal alloy that reduced pressure.

*Tiny diamond pieces took 15 to 30 minutes to emerge, but it took 150 minutes to expand to large pieces*

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They used a specifically designed vacuum system within a graphite container. This quickly heated and cooled the liquid metal alloy while in contact with a mixture of hydrogen and methane.

These conditions cause carbon atoms from methane to spread into the melting metal, which serves as the diamond’s seeds. Tiny pieces of crystallized diamond emerged from the liquid metal slightly below the surface at 15 and 30 minutes.

However, they noticed these diamonds did not develop fully. They left it to develop completely (around 150 minutes). Hence, Scientists grow diamonds in just 150 minutes by using this method.