The melting point of the diamond, the physical properties and structure of the mineral

What is the melting point and the boiling point of the diamond? Is there a mineral in the molten form in the natural environment? We will look for the answer to these and other questions in the presented material.

How did diamonds form in the bowels of the Earth?

According to scientists, diamonds could appear during the formation of the core of the planet as a result of the effect of enormous pressure on molten magma. To the surface areas of the earth's crust, precious stones have advanced due to the processes of gassing in the deeper rocks. As a result, so-called diamond tubes were formed, which are voids in rocky soil with large deposits of mineral.

Material properties

Before we find out what is the melting point of a diamond, let's look at the properties of a mineral:

1. Diamonds have the highest hardness index among all existing fossils. For this reason, no material is capable of destroying the structure of the diamond or scratching its surface. He himself can damage any physical object.
2. Diamond is a highly effective insulator. It is resistant to acids and other corrosive chemical media.
3. Diamond has the highest thermal conductivity among all solid minerals. You can hold a precious stone as much as you want in the palm of your hand. At the same time, its temperature will remain unchanged.
4. The diamond has a unique luminescence. Light rays of any origin when passing through the mineral make it brightly shine and shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow.

Structure

In fact, a diamond consists of carbon atoms. However, each of them is located in the central part of the tetrahedron - the polyhedron, which is formed from four planes of the triangle. This provides an extremely strong bond of atoms. This explains the highest hardness, as well as the impressive melting point of the diamond.

Conditions for melting diamonds

In 2010, during the physics experiments at the University of California, located in Berkeley, the level of temperature influence on the diamond, which leads to its melting, was determined. Scientists have determined that to convert the material into a liquid form under normal conditions is impossible, regardless of the level of heating. To achieve this goal, it is possible only when the diamond is affected not only by temperature, but also by the highest pressure. Increase the pressure is necessary so that the mineral does not turn into graphite. Thus, the transition of a diamond into a liquid form is an extremely difficult process.

What is the melting point and the boiling point of the diamond?

According to the data obtained during the study of the properties of the material, its melting in airspace under high pressure occurs when heated to 850-1000 ° C. Before boiling, the diamond can be brought to a temperature from 1800 to 2000 ° C in a vacuum. In both cases, when cooling, the mineral is converted to graphite.

Determining the melting point of a diamond, scientists conducted experiments using a small natural mineral, the mass of which was 1/10 of the carat. The boiling of the surfaces of the material occurred under the influence of a shock wave produced by short-time laser pulses.

To determine the indicator of the melting point of a diamond (in degrees), the researchers succeeded only in creating a pressure that was 40 million times greater than the normal pressure of the atmosphere at sea level. When the pressure is lowered to 11 million atmospheres, solid particles are formed on the surface of the boiling mineral, which do not sink, but float like ice in water.

Where do diamonds meet in the earth's crust?

These minerals are extremely rare. However, industrial deposits are now being developed practically on all continents of the globe. An exception is only Antarctica.

Until the mid-19th century it was believed that minerals formed in river deposits. Later, the first diamond-bearing cavities were discovered in rocky mountain soil at a depth of several hundred meters.

According to scientists, the age of some diamonds ranges from 100 million to 2.5 billion years. Researchers managed to get more "old" minerals of non-terrestrial origin. The latter are brought to the planet together with meteorites, which were formed in outer space even before the formation of the solar system.

Are there diamonds in the molten form in vivo?

The melting point of the diamond is so high that on Earth the mineral can no longer exist in a boiling form. But how are things with space objects? According to scientists, the melting temperature of a diamond is still maintained in the depths of such planets as Neptune and Uranus. It is noteworthy that the last 10% are formed from carbon, which is the structural basis of this mineral.

According to many scientists, on the above planets there are whole oceans of diamonds in a liquid, boiling form. This hypothesis explains why the magnetic field of these celestial bodies behaves so strangely. After all, Neptune and Uranus are the only planets in the solar system, in which the geographic poles do not have a clear position and are literally spaced in space. To confirm an interesting hypothesis, it remains only to simulate similar conditions on the Earth experimentally. However, such a decision at the moment remains extremely expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, it is not yet possible to determine for certain whether there are actually diamond oceans in the molten form on nearby planets.