kcherian
Rough_Rock
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2008
- Messages
- 13
Two topics/questions to start with:
1. Diamond growth from non-metallic solvent catalysts:
Impurity inclusions in natural diamonds tend to be a variety of minerals whereas in synthetic diamonds they tend to be the metal solvent-catalysts. The impurity inclusions therefore indicate the composition of the environment in which crystal growth took place; natural diamond crystal growth therefore must have taken place in non-metallic solvent catalyst environment.
Would be interested to know if the current HPHT gem diamond crystal growers are looking into the possibility of diamond crystal growth in non-metallic solvent-catalysts? What would be the typical characteristics, including color, of crystals grown in such enviroments? Would they be different from those grown in/from metal solvent-catalysts?
2. Surface microstructures of HPHT man-made gem diamond in comparison with naturals:
The surface microstructures of natural diamonds have been extensively studied and reported (e.g., Microstructures of Diamond Surfaces by Prof. Samuel Tolansky, N.A.G. Press, London). The natural octahedral faces of diamonds generally exhibit features called trigons and cubic faces, quadrons, etc.
What typical surface microstructures would the HPHT as-grown gem diamond octahedral and cubic (and also other less common crystallographic) faces, show? Anything comparable to the natural diamonds, or are the surface microstructures of HPHT man-made gem diamonds totally different?
Karl
1. Diamond growth from non-metallic solvent catalysts:
Impurity inclusions in natural diamonds tend to be a variety of minerals whereas in synthetic diamonds they tend to be the metal solvent-catalysts. The impurity inclusions therefore indicate the composition of the environment in which crystal growth took place; natural diamond crystal growth therefore must have taken place in non-metallic solvent catalyst environment.
Would be interested to know if the current HPHT gem diamond crystal growers are looking into the possibility of diamond crystal growth in non-metallic solvent-catalysts? What would be the typical characteristics, including color, of crystals grown in such enviroments? Would they be different from those grown in/from metal solvent-catalysts?
2. Surface microstructures of HPHT man-made gem diamond in comparison with naturals:
The surface microstructures of natural diamonds have been extensively studied and reported (e.g., Microstructures of Diamond Surfaces by Prof. Samuel Tolansky, N.A.G. Press, London). The natural octahedral faces of diamonds generally exhibit features called trigons and cubic faces, quadrons, etc.
What typical surface microstructures would the HPHT as-grown gem diamond octahedral and cubic (and also other less common crystallographic) faces, show? Anything comparable to the natural diamonds, or are the surface microstructures of HPHT man-made gem diamonds totally different?
Karl