Superacid water discovery reshapes carbon into diamonds
Scientists have discovered that under extreme conditions, water can transform into a superacid capable of turning carbon into diamonds. This has been confirmed by computer simulations.
Water, known for its unique properties, can become a superacid in extreme conditions, which transforms carbon into diamonds. According to the ArXiv service, as reported by the Polish Press Agency, such transformations are possible at temperatures ranging from 1,700 to 2,700 degrees Celsius and pressures from 220,000 to 690,000 times atmospheric pressure (gigapascals).
The aforementioned conditions are comparable to those not only inside our planet but also on gas giants like Uranus and Neptune. As noted by the study's authors, water under these conditions becomes billions of times stronger than sulfuric acid.
Flavio Siro Brigiano from the University of Paris and his team conducted computer simulations showing that superacid water can transform hydrocarbons, such as methane, into structures resembling diamonds. This discovery may explain previous studies suggesting that diamond rains might occur on ice giant planets.
Superacid water could find applications in industry, potentially replacing traditional superacids in processes such as oil refining. Although achieving such conditions in the laboratory is challenging, scientists plan to conduct experiments at lower pressures and temperatures.
Will this actually be a breakthrough?
These studies, published on the ArXiv service, open up new possibilities in understanding the chemical properties of water and its potential industrial applications. Unfortunately, the situation is not that simple.
Researchers indicate that achieving such high pressures and temperatures in the laboratory currently seems unlikely. However, the study's authors do not intend to give up and want to see if similar effects can be achieved at lower pressures and temperatures.
