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Researchers have identified an extremely durable substance that may potentially outmatch diamond as the toughest material on our planet.
Scientists discovered that exposing carbon and nitrogen molecules to high levels of heat and pressure resulted in the formation of a substance called carbon nitrides. These materials were found to be stronger than cubic boron nitride, which is the second toughest material after diamond.
According to experts, this advancement allows for versatile materials to be utilized in various industrial applications such as protective coatings for vehicles and spacecraft, durable cutting tools, solar panels, and photodetectors.
Scientists have been striving to tap into the capabilities of carbon nitrides since the 1980s, when they initially observed their remarkable characteristics, such as their strong heat resistance.
Despite over 30 years of study and numerous efforts to create them, no reliable findings have been published.
We were amazed to have created the materials that researchers have been envisioning for the past thirty years.
A breakthrough has been achieved by a team of scientists from different countries, with researchers from the Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions at the University of Edinburgh and experts from the University of Bayreuth, Germany, and the University of Linkoping, Sweden leading the effort.
Dr. Dominique Laniel, a fellow for future leaders at the Institute for Condensed Matter Physics and Complex Systems in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh, expressed disbelief upon uncovering the first of these novel carbon nitride materials. These materials have been long sought after by researchers for the past thirty years.
“These resources offer a compelling motivation to close the divide between high-pressure material production and practical industrial use.”
The scientists exposed different types of carbon nitrogen compounds to extreme pressures ranging from 70 to 135 gigapascals, equivalent to one million times the pressure of our atmosphere. They also heated the molecules to temperatures exceeding 1,500C.
To determine the structure of the compounds in these conditions, the samples were exposed to a strong X-ray beam at three different particle accelerators – the European Synchrotron Research Facility in France, the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron in Germany, and the Advanced Photon Source located in the United States.
Scientists have identified three carbon nitride compounds that possess the essential elements for achieving super-hardness.
Upon returning to normal pressure and temperature, all three compounds were found to still possess diamond-like characteristics.
Additional analysis and tests indicate that the new substances possess extra characteristics, such as the ability to emit light and a high capacity for storing energy in a compact form.
Scientists believe that the potential uses for these extremely resistant carbon nitrides are extensive, making them a strong contender as the ultimate material for engineering, comparable to diamonds.
Dr. Florian Trybel, an assistant professor in the Department of Physics, Chemistry, and Biology at Linkoping University, stated that these materials are not only highly versatile, but also demonstrate that phases with technological significance can be obtained using synthesis pressures similar to those found deep within the Earth’s interior.
“We have a strong conviction that this research collaboration will bring about new opportunities for the field.”
The study, which was published in Advanced Materials, received funding from the UK Research and Innovation Future Leaders Fellowships program and European research grants.
Source: independent.co.uk
