Industrial Uses of Lab-Grown Diamonds: Beyond Jewelry

Introduction

Lab-created diamonds have developed significantly from their initial reputation as gemstone substitutes. Today, they offer performance and reliability that, in certain instances, cannot be matched by traditional materials. Lab-created diamonds are finding use in industry across many applications.

Mechanical Applications

Lab-created diamonds find excellent utility in mechanical applications. Hardness and durability of the diamonds rank as the most significant advantages in a wide range of tools and components.

Cutting, Grinding, and Drilling Tools

• Synthetic diamonds are applied in diamond-tipped saws, drills, and abrasives.

• They are used to machine hard materials such as stone, ceramics, and metals.

• An example is Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) diamond coatings. They provide improved wear resistance when machining carbide and composite materials.

Mechanical machining requires materials with the capability of maintaining a sharp edge and wear resistance. Tools last longer and perform more reliably with laboratory-grown diamonds. Downtime and replacements in manufacturing and construction industries are reduced due to the durability of these diamonds.

High-Precision Machining

High-precision machining requires extremely accurate tools capable of creating very smooth surfaces.

• Single-crystal diamond tools are utilised in the machining of optics and semiconductor wafers.

• Manufacturers have achieved surface finishes with sub-nanometre roughness. This kind of extreme precision is vital for components in the electronics industry and high-end optics.

When machining delicate materials, even minor defects are significant. The precision that lab-grown diamond tools provide makes them a preferred option in environments where precision is critical.

Wear-Resistant Components

The benefits of lab-grown diamonds extend to various components used in abrasive conditions.

• They are applied as diamond bearings, seals, and valve components.

• These components enjoy extended lifetimes and stable performance under high-load or chemical conditions.

With their excellent resistance to wear, synthetic diamond components minimise the need for maintenance and increase the long-term reliability of equipment. This kind of reliability is especially important in heavy industry and chemical processing.

Further reading: Lab-Grown vs Natural Diamonds: Key Differences

Thermal Management Applications

Effectively managing heat is one of the greatest challenges to modern electronics and mechanical systems. Synthetic diamonds possess outstanding thermal characteristics.

Heat Spreaders in Electronics

Synthetic diamonds spread heat effectively.

• They have a thermal conductivity of over 2000 watts per metre kelvin. That is approximately five times that of copper.

• They are used to manage heat in high-power gallium nitride and silicon carbide transistors. They also cool radar modules and laser diodes.

Electronics generate considerable heat, and managing it is required for both performance and safety. Diamond-based heat spreaders avoid overheating and allow stable operation in advanced devices.

Diamond-on-Copper or Diamond-on-Silicon Composites

Composite materials bring together the finest attributes of different materials.

• Diamond-on-copper or diamond-on-silicon composites are recent advances in microelectronics packaging.

• They are being used in the latest wireless communication systems and electric vehicle power systems.

Using diamond composites, manufacturers create components that not only spread heat well but also fit easily into the compact form factors of new electronics.

Optical and Photonic Applications

Synthetic diamonds are used in optical applications due to their wide spectral transparency and durable nature.

Infrared and Ultraviolet Optics

Synthetic diamonds work well with various wavelengths of light.

• They are transparent across a wide spectral range from 225 nanometres to 50 micrometres.

• This transparency renders them suitable for application in high-power carbon dioxide laser windows, optical domes, and spectroscopic instruments.

The purity of cultured diamonds also makes them suitable for various optical devices. They are utilised to create strong, long-lasting windows and protective coatings even in high-energy environments.

Radiation Windows and Sensors

Radiation tends to degrade conventional materials.

• Lab-created diamonds exhibit high resistance to radiation.

• Their transparency also makes them ideal for X-ray and particle detectors in scientific research.

Diamonds resist damage in high radiation environments. Consequently, they are a material of choice for application in advanced scientific equipment and sensors.

Electronics and Semiconductor Applications

Synthetic diamonds are becoming increasingly important in electronics due to their high electrical properties.

Diamond as a Wide-Bandgap Semiconductor

Synthetic diamonds are semiconductors of high quality.

• They have a bandgap of 5.47 electron volts, allowing them to withstand extreme voltage and temperature environments.

• This attribute makes them potential replacements for silicon carbide and gallium nitride in future power electronics.

Wide-bandgap semiconductors are essential for devices operating under extreme conditions. Thanks to lab-grown diamonds, engineers can develop devices that are more powerful and efficient.

Diamond-Based Transistors and Diodes

Synthetic diamonds have shown promise for building new electronic devices.

• Field-effect transistors and Schottky diode prototypes developed using diamond have demonstrated improved performance.

• They function well under high temperature and high voltage conditions, providing durability and stability.

These devices create opportunities for future electronic devices that are more durable and higher performing even in extreme conditions.

Quantum Technologies

Synthetic diamonds find application in the field of quantum technology.

• Nitrogen-vacancy centres in diamonds serve as quantum bits for sensing and computing.

• They enable room-temperature quantum sensors with nanometre precision.

Diamond quantum sensors already exhibit their utility for precision measurement and imaging. They may eventually influence computing and high-resolution detection.

Scientific and High-Pressure Research

Laboratory experiments often require materials that can withstand extreme conditions.

• Synthetic diamonds are employed as anvils in diamond anvil cells, producing pressures exceeding 300 gigapascals.

• Synthetic diamonds are valued for their consistency and purity. They maintain performance under extreme optical and mechanical stress.

These characteristics render lab-created diamonds essential for studying material behaviour under pressures found at significant depths within the Earth.

Emerging Applications

New domains are discovering new uses for lab-grown diamonds in both common and advanced technologies.

Biomedical Devices

Lab-grown diamond biocompatibility supports advances in medical applications.

• They are utilised as coatings for implants and surgical tools.

• Diamond electrodes are being developed for use in neural interfaces and biosensors.

Their wear and corrosion resistance make them suitable for use within the human body and for medical implants that will remain for extended periods.

Aerospace and Defence

High-speed flight and advanced guidance systems benefit from diamond technology.

• Synthetic diamonds are used as windows in high-speed flight.

• They provide durability and optical clarity even under vibrational stress and extreme conditions.

These attributes make lab-created diamonds a strategic material in aerospace solutions, where performance and reliability are critical.

Energy and Environmental Technologies

Lab-created diamonds are applied in energy and environmental solutions.

• Electrochemical diamond electrodes aid in water purification.

• They assist in pollutant degradation processes for environmental remediation technologies.

Their chemical inertness and effectiveness in electrochemical reactions offer significant benefits for energy conversion and environmental remediation applications.

Economic and Market Outlook

The market for industrial diamonds continues to expand.

• Projections suggest that the size of the industrial diamond market will exceed $3.5 billion by 2030.

• Synthetic diamonds may account for over 95 per cent of production in this market.

• Some of the leading producers include Element Six, Sumitomo Electric, and IIa Technologies.

• Quantum sensing and thermal management industries are expected to undergo rapid growth.

This positive market projection reinforces the conviction within many industries regarding the benefits of diamonds grown in laboratories.

Conclusion

Lab-grown diamonds are much more than a substitute for jewellery. They have the ability to enhance mechanical devices, prolong electronics, improve optical devices, and contribute to high-pressure research and novel applications. Their stability, thermal conductivity, and optical purity are significant. The hardness and versatility of cultured diamonds lead industries to incorporate them into everyday technology, with the potential to yield safer, longer-lasting, and more efficient solutions. Their growing role in applications such as biomedical implants, aerospace, and environmental technologies indicates a promising future for these synthetic gems.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why are lab-created diamonds suitable for mechanical tools?

A: Their hardness and wear resistance ensure long-term performance in cutting, grinding, and drilling tasks.

Q: In what ways do diamonds assist in managing heat in electronics?

A: They offer excellent thermal conductivity, dissipating heat in high-power transistors and other devices.

Q: Why are diamonds utilised for high-precision machining and semiconductor equipment?

A: They create extremely smooth surfaces and are stable under critical machining and electronic procedures.