Diamond has the reputation of being one of the hardest materials known to man, however, now scientists in China have developed a glassy material that can scratch a diamond crystal with ease.
The new material was developed by scientists from the Yanshan University in China (study published in Oxford National Science Review). The new material is, for now, called AM-III and as per claims by the scientists, it has outstanding mechanical and electronic properties.
The material has a hardness of 113 gigapascals (GPa). compared to this, a diamond comes around 50 to 70 gigapascals. Scientists also claim that AM-III has turnable energy absorption properties similar to semiconductors used in solar cells like hydrogenated amorphous silicon films.
When looking at diamond crystals, the internal structure of its atoms and molecules help in contributing to the strength and hardness it’s known for. However, in the case of AM-III, the molecules are aligned in a unique order that also gives it rather strange properties.
With the help of fullerenes -- arrangements of carbon atoms like a football -- researchers produced different kinds of classy materials with different molecular structures. Out of the lot, AM-III had the highest order of atoms and molecules.
Scientists were able to achieve this by crushing and blending the fullerenes and applying intense heat, pressure -- 1200 degrees celsius at around 25 gigapascals -- in an experimental chamber for a good 12 hours.
Scientists also saw that if they increased the order further, it would destroy the semi-conductivity and other properties that made the atoms and molecules to be haphazard.
Researchers in their study explain that this ultrahard semiconducting material could be helpful in developing solar cells thanks to its robust strength and resistance to wear and tear.
Monit Khanna, Indiatimes
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