Researchers from the Technological Institute for Superhard
and Novel Carbon Materials in Troitsk, MIPT, MISiS, and MSU have developed anew
method for the synthesis of an ultrahard material that exceeds diamond in
hardness. An article recently published in the journal Carbon describes in
detail a method that allows for the synthesis of ultrahard fullerite, a polymer
composed of fullerenes, or spherical molecules made of carbon atoms.
In their work, the scientists note that diamond hasn’t been
the hardest material for some time now. Natural diamonds have a hardness of
nearly 150 GPa, but ultrahard fullerite has surpassed diamond to become first
on the list of hardest materials with values that range from 150 to 300 GPa.