Possible new new stable form of carbon

[Buzzardo]

Here's the article: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019...zles-potential

In a nutshell, someone accidentally discovered a new stable form of carbon (an allotrope of carbon). Diamond and graphene are two other allotropes. It makes large sheets that are magnetic, conduct electricity, and are shiny silver in color.

If they can get it to form sheets that are meters thick (or some other process can make a sandwich from many layers), we might get BPC. :)

From the last paragraph of the article: "The group has not yet settled on a name for the mystery material. Jena calls it U-carbon—U for unusual. But Therrien, inspired by medieval alchemists who sought in vain for “adamant,” an unbreakable lodestone, is calling it adamantia." Maybe BPC.... ;)

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Buzzardo

If they can get it to form sheets that are meters thick (or some other process can make a sandwich from many layers), we might get BPC. :)

Even if they're right, well, it's probably not going to make any revolutionary difference. Long rows or sheets of carbon-carbon covalent bonds are the strongest materials we know of, but we already have 1d, 2d, and 3d materials that are held together by carbon-carbon bonds (carbon nanotubes, graphene, diamond).

[Buzzardo]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Even if they're right, well, it's probably not going to make any revolutionary difference. Long rows or sheets of carbon-carbon covalent bonds are the strongest materials we know of, but we already have 1d, 2d, and 3d materials that are held together by carbon-carbon bonds (carbon nanotubes, graphene, diamond).

The difference is how easy it is to make. Of course, it's a long way from an experiment to an industrial process that makes the stuff in quantity.

Mostly, it's fun to think about. :)

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Buzzardo

The difference is how easy it is to make.

The difficulty appears to be fairly high. Plenty of things (including nanotubes and graphene) show up randomly in microscopic quantities but are very difficult to synthesize in bulk.