It is known that diamond, apart from being a precious stone, is the most resistant material that currently exists on earth. Currently… because this mineral may well be destroyed in the near future.
Pure carbon and an ultra-compact crystal structure acquired in the depths of the Earth. Diamond is thus the strongest natural mineral currently known. It is in fact at the top of the Mohs scale, which rates hardness MineralsMinerals On a scale of 1 to 10. Insoluble in any acid ResistanceResistance Heavy pressure and wear, diamonds are used in many applicationsapplications In industrial and scientific research, especially the very significant pressure to reproduce.
A more resistant super-diamond
Diamond, however, may lose his place as champion of the resistance. Researchers have in fact conducted theoretical simulations that suggest that a mineralmineral Even more resistance may exist. This mineral is BC8. Also made of pure carbon, it will be 30% more resistant to shrinkage than diamond, due to its slightly different crystal structure. These super-diamonds do not actually have the planes of weakness that exist in the diamond crystal lattice.
A mineral that is difficult to synthesize on Earth but exists on other planets
In theory, this mineral could therefore exist. Only in theory, because for the moment, no laboratory has succeeded in synthesizing it. And for good reason: the results of simulations by A super computersuper computer states that extreme pressure and temperature conditions have to be applied to achieve this. But explorers do not despair of getting there, especially by creating the necessary conditions to collide with diamonds. SpeedSpeed supersonic before compressing them under extreme pressure.
If BC8 does not yet exist on Earth, it may already be present on other worlds. Researchers believe it could form the heart of a certain carbon-rich exoplanet. The results of this study were published in the journal Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters.
