Synthetic diamond

Synthetic diamond is diamond produced through chemical or physical processes in a laboratory. Like naturally occurring diamond it is composed of a three-dimensional carbon crystal. Synthetic diamonds are also called cultured diamonds, manufactured diamonds, and artificial diamonds. Synthetic diamond is not the same as diamond imitation which can be made of other material such as cubic zirconia or Moissanite.

History

Synthetic diamonds were first produced on February 16, 1953 in Stockholm, Sweden by the QUINTUS project of ASEA, Sweden's major electrical manufacturing company using a bulky apparatus designed by Baltzar von Platen and the young engineer Anders Kämpe (1928 to 1984). Pressure was maintained within the device at an estimated 83,000 atmospheres (8.4 GPa) for an hour. A few small crystals were produced. The discovery was kept secret.

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February 16 - 1953 - Stockholm - Sweden - ASEA - Baltzar von Platen - 83,000 atmospheres

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Nevertheless, General Electric researchers reported their own successful diamond synthesis in Nature. The production of smaller synthetic diamonds and especially diamond dust has become an important industry with General Electric at the forefront. General Electric, along with Sumitomo Electric and De Beers marketed their synthetic stones as heat sinks for electronics and used them solely for research purposes.

Related Topics:
General Electric - ''Nature'' - Sumitomo Electric - De Beers

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Significantly, the majority of these synthetic diamonds are not of gem quality. However, they are of adequate quality for industrial applications. As of 2004, two companies have proposed high-quality synthetic diamonds to the jewelry market.

Related Topics:
Gem - As of 2004

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