This content was first published on IGR – Italian Gemological Review no. 13 in 2021. The information provided here is therefore current as of the original publication date.
The race for superhard materials continues. Diamond is still the hardest natural substance, but since the 1950s attempts have been made to imitate and surpass the characteristics of this gemstone; among these, hardness is undoubtedly the most sought-after property.
In 2005, scientific progress led to the creation of a material called nanorod aggravated diamond or ultra-hard fullerite (obtained by compressing this mineral), which has a hardness in between 10 and 10 ½ on the Mohs scale.
The starting material is C60 fullerene, a carbon compound treated for the very first time at very high temperatures and pressures. The result is an amorphous carbon with a hardness superior to any other known natural or synthetic material. The fields of application in materials science for this new discovery are vast, it is just sufficient to think of its industrial use as an abrasive. AM-III (this is its temporary name) could replace the materials currently on the market. At the moment, it cannot be used as a substitute for diamond in the gemmological field because it has a yellowish colour and is not very transparent.
Gem News published on IGR – Italian Gemological Review #13, Autumn 2021
