Scientists from the University of Tokyo have found a groundbreaking new approach to synthesize diamonds that offers surprising advantages without the extreme heat and pressure traditionally required.
However, when the researchers carefully prepared carbon-based samples and then exposed them to an electron beam, they discovered that the process not only transformed the material into diamond but also protected delicate carbon-based compounds from structural damage.
This advancement could open the doors for enhanced safety and analysis methods in materials science and biology.
Diamond production involves carbon transformation at massive temperatures and pressures, where it forms, or by using gas phase precursors, which does not require such extreme conditions.
In this connection, Professor Eiichi Nakamura and his team used a novel technique using controlled electron irradiation on a molecule known as adamantane (C10H16).
The transformation of adamantane into diamond involves removing hydrogen atoms (C-H bonds) and replacing them with carbon-carbon (C-C) links, organizing the atoms into a three-dimensional diamond lattice.
However, earlier work showed that single-electron ionization could help break C-H bonds, but this method could not isolate solid products.
In order to surmount a barrier, Nakamura's group turned to transmission electron microscopy (TEM), a tool that image material at atomic resolution.
They exposed tiny adamantane crystals to electron beams of 80-200 kiloelectron volts at specific temperatures between 100-296 kelvins in a vacuum for a few seconds.
This setup specifically allowed the team to determine the process of nanodiamond formation.
Meanwhile, to determine how electrons influence polymerization and restructuring, the experiment revealed TEM’s potential for analyzing regulated reactions in other organic molecules as well.
It has been observed that high-quality nanodiamonds characterized by a cubic crystal structure and diameters up to 10 nanometers, are formed alongside the hydrogen evolution reaction.
Time-resolved TEM imaging revealed how chains of adamantane molecules slowly transformed into spherical nanodiamonds, with the reaction rate controlled by the breaking of C-H bonds.
On the contrary, other hydrocarbons failed to produce the same result, underscoring the adamantane’s unique stability for diamond growth.
The research could open intriguing questions and suggest homogenous irradiation processes that may explain how diamonds form naturally in meteorites.
Additionally, this method could further support the production of quantum dots, which are vital components for quantum computing.
Nonetheless, the new discovery offers insights into growing diamonds without the conventional reliance on extreme heat.
This synthesis is a definite illustration that electrons do not destroy organic molecules but instead allow them to sustain well-defined chemical reactions, an achievement that could shape the future of chemical transformations and the field of diamond production.