Water's hidden potential: Transforming carbon to diamonds
Scientists have discovered that under extreme conditions, water can transform into a superacid capable of converting carbon into diamonds. This has been confirmed through computer simulations.
Water, renowned for its unique properties, can become a superacid under extreme conditions, capable of transforming carbon into diamonds. According to the ArXiv service, such transformations are possible at temperatures ranging from 3,141 to 4,941°F and pressures from 220,000 to 690,000 atm.
The conditions mentioned are comparable to those found not only inside our planet but also on gas giants like Uranus and Neptune. The study's authors point out that under these conditions, water becomes billions of times stronger than sulfuric acid.
Flavio Siro Brigiano from the University of Paris and his team conducted computer simulations demonstrating that superacidic water could transform hydrocarbons, such as methane, into structures resembling diamonds. This discovery might explain previous research suggesting the occurrence of diamond rains on icy giant planets.
Superacidic water could potentially be used in industry, replacing traditional superacids in processes like oil refining. Although achieving such conditions in a laboratory is challenging, scientists are planning experiments at lower pressures and temperatures.
Could this really be groundbreaking?
These studies, published on the ArXiv service, open new possibilities in understanding the chemical properties of water and its potential industrial applications. Unfortunately, the situation is not that straightforward.
Researchers indicate that achieving such high pressures and temperatures in the laboratory seems unlikely for now. However, the study's authors do not plan to give up and wish to explore whether similar effects can be achieved at lower pressures and temperatures.
