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Making Man Made Diamonds

Timbob7 | Nov 8, 2009 |

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Synthetic diamonds are made up of the same atomic composition as diamonds that are produced naturally within the earth. Starting with a carbon crystal or a hydrocarbon gas mixture a diamond can be grown in either a high temperature and a high pressure environment or by electrifying the gaseous mixture. These diamonds typically only need a few days to grow in a lab environment and because the environment is controlled the resulting synthetic diamond typically has little flaws.

Though it takes millions of years for the earth to produce a natural diamond and push it up to the surface of the earth a synthetic diamond can be produced in a lab in just a few days. Natural diamonds are made deep within the earth under high temperature and high pressure conditions. Synthetic diamonds are made in a lab by recreating this high pressure and high temperature environment where the diamond can grow. A single crystal is placed inside this environment and can be grown into a synthetic diamond in just a few days as opposed to the millions of years that it takes for the earth to grow a natural diamond. A high pressure and high temperature created diamond is placed in an environment that is pressurized using anvils whereas the method of chemical vapor deposition to grow diamonds does not require a high pressure environment to grow a diamond.

A synthetic diamond can also be produced using another method is called chemical vapor deposition. A gaseous mixture that includes carbon and hydrogen is placed inside a chamber. Instead of pressurizing the material the hydrocarbon gasses are energized and ionized using microwaves or electron beams so they can become growing radicals. These growing radicals can be put together to create a diamond.

Diamonds can be produced in another way but the diamonds created by this process are usually too small to used for jewelry and are used for other purposes. In another process explosives that contain carbon are set off inside of a metal chamber. Inside of the metal chamber the temperature and pressure become very high. The carbon pieces of the detonated explosive can turn into diamonds in this high temperature and high pressure environment that is inside the metal chamber. The diamonds created in this environment are very small and are usually used for their strength to reinforce materials and are used as additives and fillers in other materials. These tiny diamond crystals can also be used for certain medical practices.