Diamonds Made Using Carbon Capture

“Making diamonds from nothing more than the sky, from the air we breathe – is a magical, evocative idea – it’s modern alchemy. We don’t need to mine the earth to have diamonds, we can mine the sky,” said Vince, in conversation with the Guardian

Diamond forms as carbon atoms are placed under pressure and at a high temperature. When under pressure and high temperature, carbons bond together to start growing crystals. In this solid kind of bonding, every carbon atom is bonded to four other carbon atoms. This is the reason a diamond is a hard substance since every carbon atom has a part in four of these solid covalent bonds that form between carbon atoms.

Also, how quickly the carbon is developing and where it is coming from, are generally still open questions. Yet these conditions are with the goal that there are some groups of carbon atoms that are close to where they started to bond.

It is the process of atoms shutting into a place that delivers this repeating system, this structure of carbon atoms, that in the long run develops large enough to produce crystals. Every one of these precious stones represents a great number of carbon atoms that all had to lock into place to produce this standardized crystalline structure.

A group of chemists says they have built up a  technology to economically change over climatic Carbon dioxide directly into exceptionally esteemed carbon nanofibers for consumer and industrial products. Stuart Licht, who leads a research group at George Washington University calls his methodology “diamonds from the sky.” This means carbon being the substance that diamonds are made of, and furthermore indicates the high value of the products, for example, the carbon nanofibers that can be produced using atmospheric oxygen and carbon.

Licht explained that due to its proficiency, this low-energy process can be run utilizing a couple of volts of power, sunlight, and a ton of carbon dioxide. At its root, the system utilizes electrolytic combinations to make the nanofibers. CO2 is dissolved in a high-temperature electrolytic bath of liquid carbonates at 1,380 degrees F (750 degrees C). Atmospheric air is included in an electrolytic cell. The CO2 breaks down when exposed to the heat and direct current through terminals of nickel and steel. The carbon nanofibers develop on the steel terminal, where they can be taken out.

To operate this theory, electricity and heat are created through an incredibly proficient concentrating solar-energy system. The theory concentrate on the sun’s beams on a photovoltaic solar cell to create power. It also concentrates on a second system to produce heat and nuclear power, which raises the temperature of the electrolytic cell.

Aether, The First Company To Effectively Make Carbon-negative Diamonds

On November 2, 2020, Aether was reported as the first company on the planet to effectively make carbon-negative diamonds, which serve as a symbol of their obligation to produce a new future for fine jewelry. Aether is an extravagance jewelry company with a fundamental changing vision, one that produces jewelry that pushes the limits of design, craftsmanship, and technology to pave the way for a more excellent, genuine, and enduring world. As the fate of fine jewelry, made for people, and the planet, each amazing Aether piece is crafted and designed by hand.

The majority of this jewelry is made with petroleum products, so they’re still awful for the environment. However, this does not apply to Aether’s diamonds. They’re made utilizing CO2 that has been drained out of the sky. Climeworks captures carbon being transmitted from a power-generating waste cremation plant in Switzerland. At that point, they send a portion of that to Aether’s production facility in Chicago to be transformed into the world’s first carbon-negative precious stones.

aether diamonds eco friendly
Aether is bringing the world’s first carbon-negative diamonds to the world Cr: RICH DIECKHOFF
 

There are presently about 109 billion tons of carbon in the atmosphere, and decreasing our emissions alone can not curb global warming. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says we likewise need to sequester carbon through natural solutions (such as reforestation and regenerative farming) and progressed ones, like carbon capture technology. For Aether, the process basically goes this way:

  • Carbon dioxide is scrubbed from the air utilizing direct capture technology
  • it’s pushed through a channel and converted into methane, the raw hydrocarbon material that will ultimately turn into a diamond.
  •  it’s put in a reactor, where it will develop atom by atom into a stone
  • The whole process takes three weeks to about a month, at that point the raw diamond is sent to be polished, cut, and set into one of Aether’s smooth, architectural designs.

For innovators of carbon-catch technology, as Climeworks, diamonds can give a monetarily appealing business sector, making their machines financially reasonable. All things considered, direct air-catch is a costly solution to setting off CO2, especially when compared with planting trees. However, it will be more attractive if that there’s a method to utilize it also to bring in cash.

Reference:

  • https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/diamonds-unearthed-141629226/
  • https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.intelligentliving.co/diamonds-using-carbon-emissions
  • https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vogue.com/article/aether-diamonds-made-of-carbon-from-atmosphere/amp
  • https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aether-creates-the-worlds-first-carbon-negative-diamonds-made-from-air-301165424.html

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