MATSUYAMA, Ehime Pref. (Kyodo) A research team led by Ehime University scientists has successfully synthesized what is believed to be the world's hardest artificial diamond, a professor from the university said Saturday.
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| Tough enough: What are believed to be the world's hardest artificial diamonds, created by Ehime University researchers, are seen before and after they are cut. KYODO PHOTO |
The cylindrical diamond, dubbed "Hime," measures more than 1 cm in diameter and length.
Having jointly developed the diamond with Osaka-based Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd., the research team aims to commercialize the diamond as early as next year, said the university's Tetsuo Irifune.
When the type of diamond was first synthesized in 2003, it only measured about 1 mm in diameter, but using ultrahigh-pressure synthesizing machinery since March 2009 made development of a larger diamond possible, Irifune said.
"A large Hime diamond is useful for experiments to study the high-pressure deep interior of the Earth. Also, as a product for industrial use its lifetime is several times longer than that of an ordinary diamond," he said.
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