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Scientists in China have actually made what they declare to be the very first samples of pure hexagonal diamonda thought unusual variation of superstrong diamond discovered in meteorites from shattered dwarf worlds.
Natural diamond, likewise called cubic diamond, has actually been thought about the hardest natural product in the world for so long that the Mohs solidity scale, which ranks minerals ‘resistance to scratching, utilizes diamond as the scale’s ceiling. It’s called cubic diamond for its cool plans of carbon atoms in a cubic structure. On the other hand, hexagonal diamond arranges carbon atoms in a lattice made from hexagons, like
a honeycomb.An evasive mineral
In 1962, scientists at the Pittsburg Coal Research Center thought that layers of carbon atoms comprising diamond might be arranged in a hexagonal lattice rather of a cubic one, thanks to how carbon forms bonds with other carbon atoms. In 1967, scientists found hexagonal diamond– or lonsdaleite– in the laboratory, thinking it might be more difficult than cubic diamond.
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They began searching for it in an unique kind of diamond-rich meteorite called ureilite, which forms from the mantle of smashed dwarf worlds. The Detections of hexagonal diamond in the wild were recorded in a 1967 paper; 3 Canyon Diablo meteorites (pieces of an asteroid that developed a big crater in Arizona) with about 30% hexagonal and 70% cubic diamond stages, and Goalpara meteorites (discovered in Assam, India) that had a percentage of hexagonal diamond.
The Canyon Diablo crater, much better referred to as Barringer Crater, was developed in Arizona by a meteor including what might be the very first example of hexagonal diamond. (Image credit: DANIEL SLIM through Getty Images)Not everybody concurs that the Canyon Diablo lonsdaleite exists. Some researchers believed the proof might be discussed by flawed cubic diamond that was stacked chaotically, and they weren’t persuaded that lonsdaleite had actually been identified in previous research studies. Several current research studies have actually determined lonsdaleite in meteorites and in laboratory samples, consisting of a 2025 research study that made little quantities of it in the laboratory.
The greatest difficulty in determining lonsdaleite is the absence of pure samples; in most cases, it is blended with cubic diamond, graphite and other minerals. This makes it hard– and even difficult– to evaluate and determine its distinct residential or commercial properties.
The brand-new research study, released March 4 in the journal Natureresolved this issue by developing numerous pure hexagonal diamond samples about 0.06 inches (1.5 millimeters) in size– huge adequate to determine the samples’ product residential or commercial properties. The group discovered that hexagonal diamond is both stiffer and more difficult than cubic diamond, which it withstands oxidation a lot more than cubic diamond does. This indicates hexagonal diamond can endure much greater temperature levels without its surface area getting all gunked up by responding with oxygen, which is very important for applications like drilling.
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Proof of hexagonal diamond?The research study likewise supplies significant proof that hexagonal diamond is a genuine product. According to the research study, “structural and spectroscopic analyses, supported by large-scale molecular dynamical simulations, unambiguously confirm the identity of HD (hexagonal diamond).”
To make the samples, the scientists compressed really arranged graphite (graphite with carbon atoms nicely set up) for 10 hours at 20 gigapascals, or about 200,000 times Earth’s air pressure at sea level, and subjected them to temperature levels varying from 2,300 to 3,450 degrees Fahrenheit (1,300 to 1,900 degrees Celsius). At greater temperature levels and pressures, the lonsdaleite began changing into cubic diamond.
Hexagonal diamond might enhance procedures and tools that presently depend on cubic diamond, like drilling and cutting tools, polishing abrasive coverings, and dissipating heat from electronic devices. Its existence in meteorites can likewise inform us a lot about how the meteorite formed and where it originated from, providing more hints about our planetary system.
The evasive product “has potential applications in many fields, for example in cutting tools, in thermal management materials and in quantum sensing” Chong-Xin Shanco-lead of the brand-new Nature research study and a physicist at Zhengzhou University, informed Nature in a post.
The brand-new research study likewise offers “a practical strategy for producing HD (hexagonal diamond) in bulk form,” breaking the ice for larger samples, more clinical expedition, and commercial applications no longer restricted by cubic diamond’s solidity, according to the authors.
Lai, S., Yang, X., Shi, J., Liu, S., Guo, Y., Yan, L., Zang, J., Zhang, Z., Jia, Q., Sun, J., Cheng, S., & & Shan, C. (2026 ). Bulk hexagonal diamond. Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10212-4
Damien Pine (he/him) is an independent author, artist, and previous NASA engineer. He discusses science, physics, tech, art, and other subjects with a concentrate on making complex concepts available. He has a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Connecticut, and he gets actually thrilled whenever he sees a feline.
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