German physicist GOT hardest material
Employees of the University of Bayreuth (Germany) synthesized the hardest known material. To get a heavy-duty carbon modification, scientists acted on fullerene powder pressure of 200 thousand atmospheres, after heating it up to 2500 degrees Kelvin.
The new structure consists of ultrafine diamond rods average length - 1 micron - 200 times larger than the average diameter. Sizes vary rods, and thus they are mixed randomly. In contrast, conventional diamond, which is traditionally considered an upper limit hardness material has a crystal lattice, i.e. carbon atoms in each direction is repeated with a predetermined interval.
However, their packaging is not the closest possible.
Material called ADNR (aggregated diamond nanorods), up 0.3 percent heavier than diamond and can withstand a tenth of heavy loads. As the inventors believe, it soon find practical application - in spite of the fact that while manufacture ADNR more expensive production or synthesis of conventional diamonds. Recall the initial substance - fullerenes - prepared in small quantities and is not used in industry.
