When thinking about diamonds, thoughts will naturally turn to the classic statement jewelry pieces seen in everyday life; diamond engagement rings, necklaces, earrings, etc. However, their uses go far beyond these stunning fashion accessories.
Synthetic Diamonds
Synthetic diamonds are part of the range of Element Six supermaterials, along with cubic boron nitride and tungsten carbide. Synthetic diamonds have many beneficial qualities. As opposed to natural diamonds, they can be manipulated during the growing process, even though they have the same chemical structure. They can be optimized depending on the job they’re being made for.
For example, synthetic diamonds are used in certain brands of speakers. It allows for a less distorted sound. Speakers are naturally dome-shaped, and whilst it would be almost impossible to manipulate a natural diamond in this way, synthetic diamonds can be grown specifically in this unusual shape.
There are different types of synthetic diamonds out there, all of which have different purposes. Here, we’ve listed some of them and what they do.
PCD
The polycrystalline diamond (PCD) is especially important in industries that require precision cutting, strong drills, and mining tools.
PCD is made by bonding diamond powders at high pressures and high temperatures. It is an extremely tough material which is why it’s so good for cutting and drilling, especially of other hard materials.
These tools can be used to cut down materials, such as stone, which are used to build the houses we live in. They might be used to cut down the metal used in our cars. The items we use and live in every day are affected by synthetic diamonds.
CVD Diamond
These polycrystalline diamonds get their name from the way they’re created: Chemical Vapour Deposition. This method involves tightly-controlled growth conditions within a vacuum chamber.
Its most important use is within electronics. Many electronic devices fail simply because of heat. A lot of heat can be produced from an electrical device which over time can cause issues.
CVD diamond’s thermal properties allows this heat to be spread out, so your electrical devices can last longer.
Synthetic diamonds have helped us to do so much within a whole range of industries, even though you may not have realised it before.
