Chinese scientists develop what they say are tougher synthetic diamonds

Chinese scientists develop microscopic industrial gems they say are harder and more stable, but critics question the testing methods

Reading Time:2 minutes

Published: 9:15pm, 12 Jun 2014Updated: 5:56am, 13 Jun 2014

Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but they are also prized by oil drillers, road crews and experimental physicists for their unparalleled ability to bore, grind and cut.

Now scientists in China have synthesised microscopic diamonds that are harder, tougher and more stable than any made in nature or in a lab.

These new nanodiamonds boast a special pattern in their crystal structure called nanotwinning, in which adjacent crystals share an interlacing boundary and grow into mirror images of one another. That twinning gives the diamonds their extraordinary hardness, the researchers say in a study published in yesterday's edition of the journal

Most diamonds are used not in engagement rings but for industrial purposes. Diamonds make sharp drill bits that penetrate the earth's crust in search of fossil fuels and minerals.

They form blades that grind down uneven road surfaces and immaculate crystals for conducting precise scientific experiments. You can even purchase fine diamond powders for polishing glass from Amazon.com.

But these functional diamonds need more than hardness to withstand the rigors of rough work.