Researchers have found a way to produce colloidal diamonds. These diamonds are significant in the advancement of many technologies.
David Pine, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, led the research team to invent colloidal diamonds. When the colloids assemble and former shape of a diamond, this object is formed.
Unlike the costly diamonds, these structures are very cheap and scalable. Diamonds are impossible to produce in a short time by humans. Diamonds form at very high temperatures and even in high pressures, which cannot be made manually.
The colloidal diamonds are essential for the advancement of optical computers, lasers, and light filters. Since 1990 researchers had the dream of producing the colloidal diamonds.
On September 24th, in the issue of nature, this invention came forward. The researchers said that they used the steric interlock mechanism to produce colloidal diamonds. They added that these diamonds are stable, with the liquid being removed.
Formation of the Colloidal Diamonds
According to the scientists, each colloid attaches to another collide using the DNA strands to stick their surfaces. Although it forms a Diamond formation, it uses the velcro technic to stick to another colloid.
Colloids are used only for creating Complex structures. They can form cubic formations and any other formations. Also, so these colloid filter out electrons in a circuit and produces a bandgap for visible light.
Diamond structures are the most complex structures to be made. Many engineers tied to produce time and designs but were not entirely successful. Because diamond is the most robust material on earth, that’s why the researchers are looking forward to making a human-made diamond.
Researchers Develop Method to Create #Colloidal #Diamonds The long-awaited photonic technique could change the way optical technologies are developed and used over the next decade #NYUTandonMade https://t.co/Z79Ku1mqRI pic.twitter.com/ihrWjBwK8p
— NYU Tandon (@nyutandon) September 25, 2020
Researcher’s thoughts
The lead researcher of this research was David Pine, a professor of biomolecular engineering and chemical engineering. He found out the process of the self-assembly of colloids in a Diamond formation.
He led a research team that included the author Mingxin who studied colloids and the possible ways in which they can be structured. Mingxin has researched this topic for years, and now they all are successful.
The colloids can make up a sphere whose diameter is a hundred times less than a human hair. While researching, Mingxin found out that these collides can attach, II with the help of DNA strands.
The researchers said that if they use the nanomachines, then the diamonds would have cost a billion dimes. Also, the researches explain that these diamonds can produce high-efficiency lasers an optical signature managements. According to the researchers, this can be the most significant invention for the future.
Image courtesy of Bjoern Wylezich/Shutterstock