Research shows that: X-rays can turn diamond into graphite

Scientists have for the first time turned diamond into graphite by using ultra-short ultraviolet rays. This is a crucial step in understanding the basic behavior of solids when they absorb energy radiation. For the first time, researchers including Franz Tavella from the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in the US were able to track the resolution process over time of this process.

Tavella, the first author of this study, published in the High-Density Energy Physics Journal, said: "In addition to these fundamental aspects, understanding the process of making graphite is very important for needle technologies. Diamonds, because diamonds are increasingly used in practice Diamonds and graphite are different forms of carbon, diamonds are formed under high pressure from deep in the earth.

Under normal conditions, it means that it converts back to graphite when the process is started with a sufficiently large energy source. There are many different ways to activate diamond to graphite conversion, for example by simply heating the diamond under the elimination of oxygen or even for action under the conditions of chemical catalysis and physical mechanics, researchers said.

With high heat and pressure, graphite can be converted into synthetic diamonds.

They said that with high heat and pressure, graphite could be converted into synthetic diamonds and they were pretty much available in the worldwide market.

The team used Italy's free X-ray laser FERMI to shoot ultra-short rays in small diamond pieces with a thickness of only 0.3mm. "Normally, if you fire strong laser pulses on ordinary solid objects, it will become amorphous. But diamond is another example," the researchers said. It can convert its internal structure to another order, thus turning into graphite.

"In principle, it is known that if you release enough energy into a diamond, it will pass through an amorphous state" - Mr. Sven Toleikis from German national research center DESY said.

This conversion process involves a thermal transition , in which the absorbed energy is transferred to the crystal network inside the diamond, which is transferred enough energy until the diamond is converted into the graphite structure. .

The researchers say another method is the method of not using temperature , in which energy absorbs only by a small fraction of electrons in the diamond, changing the inner energy surface, causing the rearrangement of crystal mesh. Beata Ziaja from DESY said. "The process of non-thermal conversion is much faster than that of heat, this time occurs in picoseconds, a picosecond is a trillionth of a second".