Creating Genuine Diamonds: A Look Inside a Leading Industrial Diamond Manufacturing Facility
0:03 Introduction to US Synthetic: The video takes place at US Synthetic, one of the world's largest industrial diamond manufacturing facilities.
0:11 Manufacturing Process: Genuine Mohs level 10 polycrystalline black diamonds are manufactured using large presses.
0:18 Uses of Industrial Diamonds: These diamonds are used in various applications, including drilling and creating frictionless bearings for harsh environments.
0:51 Diamond Creation Process: The process involves combining monolithic diamond polishing powder with a piece of cobalt-cemented tungsten carbide in a small metal cup.
1:54 Pressure and Heat Application: The ingredients are placed inside a cubic diamond press, which applies over 1 million PSI and heats the mixture to 2500°F (1371°C) using electric current.
2:14 Role of Salt and Talc: Table salt and talc are used to center the diamond molds and form a gasket around the diamond during the pressing process.
3:36 Time Efficiency: Unlike the natural process, which takes about a billion years, this method produces diamonds in approximately 10 minutes.
3:49 Safety Measures: Each press is housed in individual blast rooms with blast doors due to the extreme forces involved, which can lead to equipment failure.
4:11 Crystallization and Color Change: The heat causes the diamond dust to crystallize into a solid diamond, and the cobalt turns the diamond black.
4:45 Enhanced Strength: The resulting synthetic black diamond is stronger than a natural single-crystal clear diamond due to the interlaced structure of the crystals.
5:19 Post-Pressing Process: After pressing, the diamond mold is broken apart, and the diamonds are extracted from the thimbles using a silicon carbide sandblaster.
5:47 Hardness and Polishing: The manufactured diamond, being a level 10 on the Mohs scale, is unaffected by the sandblaster and requires specialized CNC polishing machines using diamond dust.
6:30 Tungsten Carbide Base: The diamond is often created with a tungsten carbide base, which can serve as a mounting point for drill bits or be ground away for other applications.
7:03 3D Printer Nozzles: One unique application is using these diamonds to create durable, long-lasting 3D printer nozzles capable of printing abrasive materials without wear.
8:07 Scratch Test: A Mohs level 9 hardness pick leaves no marks on the diamond surface, confirming its superior hardness.
8:28 Future of Diamonds: The video concludes by suggesting the vast potential for future diamond applications and inviting viewers to propose new ideas.