Diamonds typically take billions of years to form naturally and weeks to be produced synthetically
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But researchers have developed a new method using a special liquid metal mix that can grow diamonds in just 150 minutes, all at normal atmospheric pressure
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This new technique eliminates the need for the immense pressure traditionally required for diamond production
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The researchers, led by a team from South Korea's Institute for Basic Science, believe this method can be scaled up for significant industrial applications
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While dissolving carbon in liquid metal isn't a new idea, previous methods still involved high pressure and diamond seeds
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This new approach utilises a specific blend of liquid metals - gallium, iron, nickel, and silicon - heated rapidly in a vacuum chamber with methane and hydrogen gases
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These conditions cause carbon atoms to become suspended in the liquid metal, forming diamond crystal seeds
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In just 15 minutes, tiny diamond fragments emerge, and a continuous diamond film can be formed within 150 minutes
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The researchers noted limitations, such as the diamond film's depth, but believe improvements can be made by optimised carbon distribution methods
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This new technique has the potential to revolutionise diamond production across various fields, from industrial applications and electronics to quantum computers