Aggregated diamond nanorods, or ADNRs, are an allotrope of carbon believed to be the hardest and least compressible known material, as measured by its isothermal bulk modulus; aggregated diamond nanorods have a modulus of 491 gigapascals (GPa), while a conventional diamond has a modulus of 442 GPa. ADNRs are also 0.3% denser than regular diamond. The ADNR material is also harder than type IIa diamond and ultrahard fullerite. For other uses, see Carbon (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Carbon (disambiguation). ... Look up hardness in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Isothermal bulk modulus is the measuring of a change in volume of a substance while keeping the temperature constant. ... The gigapascal, symbol GPa is an SI unit of pressure. ... This article is about the mineral. ... The C60 fullerene in crystalline form Fullerites are the solid-state manifestation of fullerenes and related compounds and materials. ...

A process to produce the substance was discovered by physicists in Germany, led by Natalia Dubrovinskaia, at the University of Bayreuth in 2005. ADNRs are made by compressing allotropic carbon fullerene molecules (generally 60 carbon atoms per molecule) to a pressure of 20 GPa, while at the same time heating to 2500 kelvin, using a unique 5000-metric-ton multi anvil press. The resulting substance is a series of interconnected diamond nanorods, with diameters of between 5 and 20 nanometres and lengths of around 1 micrometre each. She is the woman who led a team of physicists in the progress to find Aggregated diamond nanorods in Germany in the University of Bayreuth. ... Founded in 1975, the University of Bayreuth is one of the youngest universities in Germany. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Icosahedral Fullerene C540 C60 and C-60 redirect here. ... For other uses, see Kelvin (disambiguation). ... For the publishing company, see Anvil Press Poetry. ... A nanometre (American spelling: nanometer, symbol nm) (Greek: νάνος, nanos, dwarf; μετρώ, metrό, count) is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one billionth of a metre (or one millionth of a millimetre), which is the current SI base unit of length. ... A micrometre (American spelling: micrometer, symbol µm) is an SI unit of length equal to one millionth of a metre, or about a tenth of the diameter of a droplet of mist or fog. ...

A diamond anvil cell, located at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility at Grenoble, France, was used to measure the compressibility of the material. Artistic rendition of a diamond anvil cell A diamond anvil cell (DAC) is a device used by physicists to exert extreme pressures on a material. ... The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility is a joint facility supported by 18 European countries situated in Grenoble, France. ... Grenoble (Arpitan: Grenoblo) is a city and commune in south-east France situated at the foot of the Alps where the Drac joins the Isère River. ...

Hardness

Carbon nanotubes have a hardness greater than 10 in the Mohs' Scale of Hardness. Its absolute hardness is greater than 1500.

See also

• Carbon nanotube
• Fullerite
• Diamond
• Rhenium diboride
• Mohs scale of mineral hardness

3D model of three types of single-walled carbon nanotubes. ... The C60 fullerene in crystalline form Fullerites are the solid-state manifestation of fullerenes and related compounds and materials. ... This article is about the mineral. ... Rhenium diboride (ReB2) is a synthetic superhard material of hardness comparable to diamond. ... The Mohs scale of mineral hardness characterizes the scratch resistance of various minerals through the ability of a harder material to scratch a softer material. ...

External links

• "Diamonds are not forever" at physicsweb.org.
• University of Bayreuth page on ADNRs (German)
• Photos of Aggregated diamond nanorods