Chinese scientists have reportedly developed glass material as hard as a diamond tentatively named AM-III, which can widely be used in the hi-tech industry. Analysis of the material, published in the journal National Science Review, revealed that its hardness reached 113 gigapascals (GPa) while natural diamond stone usually scores 50 to 70 on the same test. The AM-III is apparently a semiconductor which can reportedly pass electric current. The AM-III is made of carbon which can also be used to make a bulletproof window and is a semiconductor almost as efficient as silicon, reports say. AM-III's ability to be used as a photoelectric device can make it a product of interest to manufacture weapons due to its ability to withstand extreme temperatures. The ultrastrong semiconducting device has wide applications however mass production is still a long way off. The new material developed by scientists in northern China can reportedly leave deep scratches on a diamond. Reports say the bulletproof quality of the AM-III is maybe twenty to hundred times better than a conventional product available in the market. The transparent AM-III can also be produced in various shapes and sizes, according to scientists. Diamonds are commonly known as the hardest material in the world and is also the most scratch-resistant material found on the planet. A Diamond is considered matchless in toughness and scratch-resistant qualities. It is also the hardest and most durable gemstone on the planet. Diamonds are found in several countries with Russia, Botswana, Canada, Angola, South Africa, DR Congo, Nambia, Lesotho, Tanzania and Australia being the top producers.
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A piece of 1mm-wide AM-III glass made a scratch on the surface of a natural diamond stone. Photo credit: National Science Review.
This article originally appeared in South China Morning Post of August 09, 2021.
Reference:
Zhang S, Li Z, Luo K, He J, Gao Y, Soldatov AV, Benavides V, Shi K, Nie A, Zhang B, Hu W, Ma M, Liu Y, Wen B, Gao G, Liu B, Zhang Y, Shu Y, Yu D, Zhou XF, Zhao Z, Xu B, Su L, Yang G, Chernogorova OP, Tian Y. 2021. Discovery of carbon-based strongest and hardest amorphous material. Natl Sci Rev. nwab140. DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwab140.
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